A new testing technique has been developed to enable the load-extension behaviour of geotechnical fabrics to be studied whilst the fabric is subjected to abnormal compressive stress acting through a soil medium. The apparatus, the method of test, and results obtained from a series of tests carried out using the apparatus on two woven and two non-woven fabrics are presented in the report. although the load-extension behaviour of the woven fabrics was found to be significantly affected by the orientation of the test specimens it was not influenced by the level of compressive stress. In contrast the non-woven fabrics proved to be essentially isotropic but the effect of confining pressure on the load-extension properties was quite marked. (Author/publisher)
Abstract