Performance of Geotextile Separators Five Years after Installation
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 125, Issue 5
Abstract
During the reconstruction of a state highway in 1991, a full-scale test section was established at a site with a history of poor pavement performance, most likely because of a soft silty clay subgrade, high ground-water table, and heavy logging truck traffic. Five different separator geotextiles and a soil-only control section were installed in each lane. Excavations were made in the test section 5 years after installation, and samples of geotextiles, subgrade, and base course materials were exhumed for visual observation and laboratory testing. In addition, in situ soil tests were performed on the exposed subgrade soils. This paper summarizes these observations and test results. Although some fines from the subgrade had migrated through the geotextiles into the bottom of the base course, there was no evidence after 5 years of any adverse effect on the pavement itself. Minor geotextile damage that apparently occurred during construction had little effect on the pavement performance. In all of the sections with geotextiles, the subgrade soils were found to have consolidated significantly in comparison with the soil-only sections. Overall, the geotextiles performed their intended function well.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
1.
Bell, J. R., and Hicks, R. G. ( 1980). “Evaluation of test methods and use criteria for geotechnical fabrics in highway applications—Interim report.” Rep. No. FHWA/RD-80/021, Federal Highway Administration, Washington, D.C., 190.
2.
Black, P. J. ( 1997). “Performance of geotextile separators, Bucoda test site—Phase II,” MSCE thesis, Dept. of Civ. Engrg., University of Washington, Seattle, 210.
3.
Black, P. J., and Holtz, R. D. ( 1997). “Performance of geotextile separators, Bucoda test site—Phase II.” Final Res. Rep. No. WA-RD 440.1, Washington State Department of Transportation, Olympia, Wash., 210.
4.
Bonaparte, R., Ah-Line, C., Charron, R., and Tisinger, L. ( 1988). “Survivability and durability of a nonwoven geotextile.” Proc., Geosynthetics for soil improvement, R. D. Holtz, ed., ASCE, Reston, Va., 68–91.
5.
Brorsson, I., and Eriksson, L. ( 1986). “Long-term properties of geotextiles and their function as a separator in road construction. Proc., 3rd Int. Conf. on Geotextiles, Vol. 1, 93–98. Christopher, B. R. (1993). “Evaluation of two geotextile installations in excess of a decade old.” Transp. Res. Rec. 916, Transportation Research Board, Washington, D.C., 79–88.
6.
Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI). ( 1990). “1991 Specifier's Guide.” Geotech. Fabrics Rep., 8(7).
7.
Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI). ( 1991). “1992 Specifier's Guide.” Geotech. Fabrics Rep., 9(9).
8.
Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI). ( 1992). “1993 Specifier's Guide.” Geotech. Fabrics Rep., 10(9).
9.
Koerner, G. R., and Koerner, R. M. ( 1990). “The installation survivability of geotextiles and geogrids.” Proc., 4th Int. Conf. on Geotextiles, Geomembranes, and Related Products, Vol. 2, 597–602.
10.
Metcalfe, R. C. ( 1993). “Performance of geotextile separators in western Washington,” MSCE thesis, Dept. of Civ. Engrg., University of Washington, Seattle, 262.
11.
Metcalfe, R. C., Holtz, R. D., and Allen, T. M. ( 1995). “Field investigations to evaluate the long-term separation and drainage performance of geotextile separators.” Proc., Geosynthetics '95 Conf., Vol. 3, 951–962.
12.
Page, M. W. ( 1990). “Performance of geotextile separators,” MSE thesis, Dept. of Civ. Engrg., University of Washington, Seattle, 136.
13.
“Soil and Rocks; Geosynthetics.” (1997). Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol. 4.08(II), ASTM, West Conshohocken, Pa.
14.
Tsai, W.-S., Savage, B. M., Holtz, R. D., Christopher, B. R., and Allen, T. M. ( 1993). “Evaluation of geotextiles as separators in a full-scale road test.” Proc., Geosynthetics '93 Conf., Industrial Fabrics Association International, St. Paul, Minn., Vol. 1, 35–48.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
History
Received: Jun 8, 1998
Published online: May 1, 1999
Published in print: May 1999
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.