Geosynthetics in roads and pavements

ON-SITE FABRICATED SYSTEMS 

 

Installation of a geosynthetic is only a small part 

of many projects.  But if there are installation 

delays, work schedules and budgets can be 

drastically effected.  By subcontracting 

geosynthetic installation including field 

seaming, project delays and overruns are 

avoided.  Experienced installers work closely 

with contractors assuring timely deliveries and 

proper installation. 

 

When time and quality matter, an experienced 

fabricator/installer with specialty equipment and 

know-how makes the ideal partner on projects 

involving field seaming of geosynthetics. 

 

 

Geomembrane Deployment 

 

 

 

Geomembrane Seaming: Wedge & Extrusion Welding 

 

 

GCL Deployment 

 

 

GCL Seaming 

 

 

High Strength Geotextile Seaming 

 

 

High Strength Geotextile Deployment 

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                                                                            Handbook of Geosynthetics                                                                            58 

For more information please contact the Geosynthetic Materials Association at www.gmanow.com. 

GEOSYNTHETIC TESTING AND 

SPECIFYING 

Testing  

Most specifiers and users of geosynthetics 

establish required physical property values for 

the geosynthetics to be utilized in their project 

based on standard tests. This practice is 

common for most engineering materials and  

is certainly recommended for geosynthetics. 

 

National standards bodies, such as the American 

Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) have 

established standard tests for geosynthetics. 

These standard tests can be used to compare 

specific properties of different geosynthetics.  

Geosynthetics test procedures can generally be 

placed in two categories: index tests and design 

tests. These two categories tend to overlap at 

times, and this distinction is not always clear.  

Index tests are those tests a specifier or user can 

use to compare different geosynthetics. They do 

not, generally, provide a designer with "hard 

numbers" to use in his design, but they do allow 

for a quantitative comparison of physical 

property data. Most standard geosynthetics 

testing methods fall into this category.  

 

Typical QC Index Tests 

 

Index tests are further divided by geosynthetics 

manufacturers into quality control tests and 

performance tests. Quality control tests are run 

routinely by the manufacturer in their labs and 

are used as a means of insuring product quality. 

Performance index tests are run at regular 

intervals (sometimes by an independent lab) in 

order to provide necessary test results for the 

manufacturer's products. 

Design tests, as the term implies, provide a 

designer with additional performance values 

usable in design calculations. An index test may 

be converted to a design test by changing 

boundary conditions, soil types, etc. The basic 

premise of a design test is that the test set-up 

accurately models field conditions. 

 

 

Typical Performance Index Tests