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MODULE 2
DESIGNING GEOTEXTILES

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2.40- Designing with Geotextiles

❖ 2.41 – DESIGN METHODS

→ For the ultimate decision for a particular application usually takes one of three directions;

a) Design by cost and availability

b) Design by specification
c) Design by function

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2.40- Designing with Geotextiles

❖ 2.41 – DESIGN METHODS

a) Design by cost and availability:

➢ the geotextile with the best properties for primary function intended is then
selected within this unit price limit and according to its availability

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2.40- Designing with Geotextiles

❖ 2.41 – DESIGN METHODS

→ AASHTO ( American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials),
M288 geotextile specifications, provides for three different strength classifications
(Table 2.2a).
→ The classifications are essentially a list of strength properties meant to withstand
varying degrees of installation survivability stresses. It is the first step in the
process:
1) Class 1- for severe or harsh survivability conditions where there is a
greater potential for geotextile damage

2) Class 2- for typical survivability conditions; this is default classification to

be used in the absence of site specific information

3) Class 3- for mild survivability conditions where there is little or no potential

for geotextile damage

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Table 2.2a: AASHTO M288 GEOTEXTILE STRENGTH PROPERTY REQUIREMENTS

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Table 2.2a: AASHTO M288 GEOTEXTILE STRENGTH PROPERTY REQUIREMENTS

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2.40- Designing with Geotextiles

❖ 2.41 – DESIGN METHODS

→ The second step in the process is to select one of different tables according to the
specific application. These applications follow the intended primary function;

1) Table 2.2b- Filtration application as highway underdrains

2) Table 2.2c- Separation when placed on firm strength subgrades
3) Table 2.2d- Stabilization when placed on moderate strength subgrades
4) Table 2.2e- Erosion control- for example, geotextiles serving as a filter beneath rock riprap
5) Table 2.2f- Temporary silt fences for sediment control
6) Table 2.2g- Geotextiles used for the prevention of reflective cracking in flexible pavement overlays

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TABLE 2.2b- AASHTO M288 SUB-SURFACE FILTRATION ( DRAINAGE) GEOTEXTILE REQUIREMENTS

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TABLE 2.2c- AASHTO M288 SEPARATION GEOTEXTILE PROPERTY REQUIREMENTS

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TABLE 2.2d- AASHTO M288 STABILIZATION PROPERTY REQUIREMENTS

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TABLE 2.2e- AASHTO M288 PERMANENT EROSION CONTROL GEOTEXTILE REQUIREMENTS

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TABLE 2.2f- AASHTO M288 TEMPORARY SILT FENCE PROPERTY REQUIREMENTS

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TABLE 2.2g- AASHTO M288 PREVENTION OF REFLECTIVE CRACKING (PAVING FABRICS)

PROPERTY REQUIREMENTS

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2.40- Designing with Geotextiles

❖ EXAMPLE 1
Using the AASHTO M288 Specification of Table 2.2a, determine the geotextile
properties are needed for the following applications;

A nonwoven geotextile (𝜺 > 𝟓𝟎%) pavement underdrain filter adjacent to soil with 60%
passing the 0.075 mm sieve and under typical installation survivability conditions

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2.50- Design by Function

➢ Design by function consists of assessing the primary function that the geotextile will be asked to
serve and then calculating the required numerical value of a particular property for the function.

𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐲

𝐅𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐭𝐲, 𝐅. 𝐒. =
𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐲

Allowable property- based on a laboratory test that models the actual situation or is adjusted
accordingly

Required property- obtained from a design method that models the actual situation

Factor of Safety (FS)- FS against unknown loads and/or uncertainties in analytic or testing (FS>1.0-
acceptable for geotextile

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MODULE 2.10
GEOTEXTILES- Designing for Separation

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2.60- Designing for Separation

→ Geotextiles as separators is it place between a reasonably firm (not sufficient sub grade deformation)
soil subgrade (beneath) and a stone base course, aggregate, or ballast.
→ For the separation function to occur the geotextile has only to be placed on the soil sub grade and
then to have stone placed, spread, and compacted on top of it.
→ For a geotextile being forced up into voids of stone base by traffic tire loads as shown in the figure;

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2.61- Designing for Separation- Bursting Strength

A. BURSTING Strength

→ For the required geotextile strength (bursting), 𝑻𝒓𝒆𝒒𝒅 as formulation by Giroud.

𝟏 ′
𝑻𝒓𝒆𝒒𝒅 = 𝝆 𝒅𝒗 𝒇 𝝐
𝟐

𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆:

𝑻𝒓𝒆𝒒𝒅- required geotextile strength, kN

𝒅𝒗 - maximum void diameter of the stone, approximate= 0.33 𝒅𝒂
𝒅𝒂 - average of stone diameter

𝝆′ - stress on the geotextile, which is slightly less that p (tire inflation pressure at the ground surface), KPa
𝟏 𝟐𝒚 𝒃
𝒇(𝝐)- strain function of the deformed geotextile= +
𝟒 𝒃 𝟐𝒚
𝒃- width of opening (or voids)
𝒚- deformation into the opening (or void)

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2.61- Designing for Separation- Bursting Strength

→ For the ultimate geotextile strength (bursting) , 𝑻𝒖𝒍𝒕 as formulation by Mullen.

𝟏
𝑻𝒖𝒍𝒕 = 𝒑 𝒅 𝒇 𝝐
𝟐 𝒕𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒕𝒆𝒔𝒕
𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆:

𝑻𝒖𝒍𝒕- ultimate geotextile strength, kN

𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒔𝒕- burst pressure of the geotextile at failure (its strength)
𝒅𝒕𝒆𝒔𝒕- diameter of the burst test device (=30 mm)

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2.61- Designing for Separation- Bursting Strength

→ For the Factor of Safety, 𝑭. 𝑺..

→ Knowing;
𝑻𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘 = 𝑻𝒖𝒍𝒕 /𝚷𝑹𝑭
𝚷𝑹𝑭 = cumulative reduction factor

𝑻𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘
𝑭. 𝑺. =
𝑻𝒓𝒆𝒒

𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒅𝒕𝒆𝒔𝒕
𝑭. 𝑺. =
𝝆′ 𝒅𝒗 (𝚷𝑹𝑭)

→ Knowing;
𝒅𝒕𝒆𝒔𝒕- diameter of the burst test device (=30 mm)
𝒅𝒗 - maximum void diameter of the stone, approximate= 0.33 𝒅𝒂
𝚷𝑹𝑭= 1.5
𝟔𝟎. 𝟔𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒔𝒕
𝑭. 𝑺. =
𝝆′ 𝒅𝒂

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2.61- Designing for Separation- Bursting Strength

Example 2.61-01
Given a truck with 700 kPa tire inflation pressure on a poorly graded aggregate layer consisting of
50 mm maximum- sized stone, what is the factor of safety using a geotextile beneath the aggregate
having an ultimate burst strength of 2000 kPa and cumulative reduction factor of 1.5?

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2.62- Designing for Separation- Tensile Strength

B. TENSILE Strength

→ Tensile stress being mobilized by in plane deformation ( when an upper piece of aggregate is
forced between two lower pieces that are in contact with geotextile)
→ To estimates the maximum strain, 𝝐 that the geotextile will undergo as the upper stone wedges
itself down to the level of geotextile with no slippage, as with nonwoven geotextiles, or stone
breakage can be calculated as;

𝒍𝒇 − 𝒍𝒐
𝝐= ∗ 𝟏𝟎𝟎
𝒍𝒐

𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆:

𝒍𝒇 - deformed geotextile length= d + 2(d/2)

𝒍𝒐= 3(d/2)

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2.62- Designing for Separation- Tensile Strength

B. TENSILE Strength

→ When geotextile being subjected to tensile stress as surface pressure is applied and stone base attempts
to spread laterally ( grab tensile stress)

𝑻 𝑻
𝑻𝒓𝒆𝒒 = 𝒑′ 𝒅𝒗 𝟐 𝒇 𝝐

𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆:

𝑻𝒓𝒆𝒒- required grab tensile force, N

𝒑′- applied pressure
𝒅𝒗 - maximum void diameter ( approx. 0.33 da)
𝒅𝒂 - average of stone diameter
𝟏 𝟐𝒚 𝒃
𝒇(𝝐)- strain function of the deformed geotextile= +
𝟒 𝒃 𝟐𝒚
𝒃- width of opening (or voids)
𝒚- deformation into the opening (or void)

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2.62- Designing for Separation- Tensile Strength

Example 2.61-02

Given a truck with 700 kPa tire inflation pressure on a stone base course consisting of 50
mm maximum- sized stone with a geotextile beneath it, calculate;

1) The required grab tensile stress on the geotextile

2) The factor of safety for a geotextile whose maximum grab strength is 500 N with
cumulative reduction factors of 2.5. Use a value of 𝒇 𝝐 = 𝟎. 𝟓𝟐.

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2.63- Designing for Separation- Puncture Resistance

C. Puncture Resistance

→ Sharp stone, tree stumps, roots, and other sharp items, either on the ground surface beneath the
geotextile or placed above it, could puncture through the geotextile during backfilling and when traffic
loads are imposed
→ For the vertical force exerted on the geotextile is as follows;

𝑭𝒓𝒆𝒒𝒅 = 𝒑′ 𝒅𝒂 𝟐 𝑺𝟏 𝑺𝟐𝑺𝟑
𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆:

𝑭𝒓𝒆𝒒𝒅 - required vertical puncture force to be resisted

𝒅𝒂 - average diameter of the puncturing aggregate's or sharp object
𝒑′- pressure exerted on the geotextile (approx. 100% of tire
inflation pressure at the ground surface for thin covering thickness)
𝑺𝟏 - protrusion factor of the puncturing object (Table 2.13)
𝑺𝟐 - scale factor to adjust the ASTM D4833 puncture test value
that uses a 8.0 mm diameter puncture probe to the actual
puncturing object (Table 2.13)
𝑺𝟑 - shape factor to adjust the ASTM D4833 puncture probe to the actual
shape puncturing object (Table 2.13)

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2.63- Designing for Separation- Puncture Resistance

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2.63- Designing for Separation- Puncture Resistance

Example 2.63.1
What is the factor of safety against puncture of a geotextile from a sub rounded (large)
25 mm diameter stone on the ground surface mobilized by a loaded truck with tire
inflation pressure of 550 kPa traveling on the surface of the base course? The geotextile
has an ultimate puncture strength of 300 N according to ASTM D4833. Use reduction
factor of 2.0.

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2.64- Designing for Separation- Impact/Tear Resistance

D. Impact (Tear) Resistance

→ Geotextiles in separation function must resist the impact of the various objects ( falling of rock on it, impact
damage due to construction materials and equipment)
→ This is to address the energy mobilized by a free-falling object of known weight and height drop
→ Object will intentionally impelled onto an exposed geotextile with additional force, so only gravitational
energy will be assumed

𝐺𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑛: @ 𝑔 = 2.6

𝑬 = 𝟏𝟑. 𝟑𝟓 𝒙𝟏𝟎−𝟔 𝒅𝒂 𝟑 𝒉
𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆:

𝑬- energy developed, (joules) 𝑽- volume of the object, m³

𝒎- mass of the falling object , kg
𝒈- acceleration due to gravity , m/s^2
𝒉- height of fall, m
𝝆- density of the object, kg/m³
𝝆𝒘 - water density of the object, kg/m³
𝑮𝒔 - specific gravity of the object
𝒅𝒂 - diameter of the object, mm

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2.64- Designing for Separation- Impact/Tear Resistance

D. Impact (Tear) Resistance

→ The calculated energies are based on the

geotextile resting on an unyielding surface, which
is worst possible condition ( as soil beneath
geotextile deforms, the geotextile can absorb
greater amounts of impacting energy)

→ For Energy mobilization by a free-falling rock on a

geotextile with an unyielding support:

𝑈𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑔:
𝑔 = 2.6,
𝑑 = 25𝑚𝑚 − 600 𝑚𝑚

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2.63- Designing for Separation- Impact/Tear Resistance

Example 2.64.1
What energy is mobilized by free- falling rock of 300 mm size falling 1.5 m onto geotextile?
The geotextile is supported by a poor subsoil having an unsoaked CBR strength of 4.0.

If the geotextile has an allowable impact strength of 36 J, what is the factor of safety?

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