Verification of the durability using a new model of damage

accumulation with differents amplitude loads for resistances different

woven geotextile of polypropylene
C.A.C. Castro, D.C. Urashima & M.G.A. Guimarães,
Federal Center of Technological Education of Minas Gerais, Varginha, Brazil

ABSTRACT: The use of geotextiles in the role of reinforcement in roads or railroads increases the load
capacity of the system due to a better stress distribution. Cause they should be considered among other
features resistance to mechanical damage, rigidity and tensile strength. There are some mechanisms in ge-
otextile damage, but they need more studies on this subject. The damage models have been accepted as al-
ternative for the simulation of constituent behaviors of the materials that present loss of rigidity. This
work considers a new methodology for the damage in woven geotextile the polypropylene (PP). This pro-
posal appeared after verifying that the theoretical and experimental studies, it does not consider the past
history of the applied loads, or then, for each load there is a damage associated. In this case, the objective
is to develop a model of damage accumulation in woven geotextile based in applied load.

Keywords: Damage, geotextile, woven

1 INTRODUCTION

Geosynthetics are polymeric materials with many applications in geotechnical and environmental works,
mainly since the 1980s. These materials are used above or confined in soil, which may be in contact with
differing agents that can trigger its degradation. Heat, oxygen and climatic agents as ultraviolet radiation,
humidity and rainfall are factors commonly considered in applications above the soil. For geosynthetics
confined in soil, the particles size of soil and their angularity, acidity and alkalinity, temperature, presence
of metal ions, oxygen, moisture, organic and microorganisms can be inclued (Shukla & Yin 2006).
Geotextiles have been used in various applications such as separation, filtration, reinforcement and pro-
tection (Diederich 2000). To perform any of these functions, it is essential that the geotextile remains in-
tact for a time and are not submitted to extreme loads, in some cases a level of damage is acceptable. The
durability of geosynthetics is a complex theme, because it depends directly on the strength and compati-
bility of the polymer with site in which it is inserted as well as others project requirements (Trentini
2005).
Conceptually, the durability of geosynthetics can be understood as maintaining of their performance in
contact with agents that lead to degradation of the polymer chain and consequent reduction of life-time
(ASTM D 5819 2005). As direct consequence of the degradation, occurs the aging of these materials, in-
cluding changes in their physical, chemical and mechanical properties. Therefore, the durability of
geosynthetics refers to their resistance to aging (ASTM D 5819 2005).
The durability encompasses the occurrence of changes at the micro and macro structural level of
geosynthetics. The first involves changes in the polymers molecules, the basic constituents of
geosynthetics, and the second as changes in their properties (ASTM D 5819 2005, ISO TS 13434 2008).
The scientific community has developed studies to better understand the behavior of geosynthetics in its
various applications, with the introduction of reduction factors in projects to increase their technical
efficiency during its lifetime. However, the durability of these materials to the various degradation agents
also has been mentioned as a limitation to its application (Lopes and Lopes 2010).
The pioneer work that introduced the damage concept was elaborated by Kachanov in 1958, initially in
steel (Proença 2000). He tried to justify the rupture, precociously observed of materials, in slow
deformation regimen, as consequence of the existence of defects in the material. For consideration of the
damage, it was defined a variable to scale the material free of defects, D=0. While, D=1 corresponds a
state of complete loss of integrity of the internal structure of material, in other words, D≥1. D is given by
Equation 1.
AD
D (1)
A
Where: AD is the area with defects (cracks) and A is the total area (nominal) of the total area (nominal) of
the transversal section, as presented in Figure 1.

Figure 1. Damage Model.

The cumulative damage processes may produce failures in the material due to cyclic loads causing
fatigue (Proença 2000). Since the 40s, the works and theories proposed are adding new concepts for better
detailing the problem. In this respect, the accumulation of partial damage is very important to take into
consideration, according to equation 2. For that, this paper proposes to study the partial accumulation in
polypropylene geotextile.

D 1 (2)

Properties such as tensile strength, puncture resistance and unit weight have long been recognized as
the key parameters. Some systems also consider the importance of both strength and elongation
properties.
Time variant reliability assessment of deteriorating structures involves estimation of the damage due to
random dynamic loads. In real life structures, the load effects causes damage, (Rychlik and Gupta 2006).
Want et al. (1998) performed field trial on different nonwoven geotextile and concluded that the energy
absorption of geotextile is an important parameter in the determination of damage resistance.
The damage models have been accepted as alternative for the simulation of constituent behaviors of the
materials that present loss of rigidity. Physically, the degradation of the mechanical properties of the
material is the resulted increase of micron defects, between them, micron pores and micron cracks. These
factors associated with applied cyclical tensions are favorable to the increase of the fatigue damage
(Fatemi & Yang 1998).
In general, a structure is designed to work with an appropriate level of safety and economy. The
collapse of a structure can happen through two different mechanisms (Castro and Urashima 2013):
 The occurrence of high load levels that exceed the resistance capacity of the material, causing
failures, for example, rupture or instability of a structural component;
 The structural collapse caused by accumulated damage produced by repetitive action of variable
loads even for lower tension levels generating a fatigue process.
The accumulating processes of damage can produce imperfections in the material due to the cyclical
carried generating fatigue (Lennon and Prendergast 2004). The evolution of the damage can be linear or
non linear, as presented in Figure 2.
Figure 2. Linear and non linear model damage.

Where: n1 and n2 are numbers of cycles, Nf1 and Nf2 are numbers of cycles to rupture in relation the
stress [σ].

2 METHODOLOGY AND MATERIALS

2.1 Geotextile
In this work, to study the accumulation of damage in a geotextile, samples of the material were submitted
to chosen deformation patterns. Their strength was later determined using tensile tests (ASTM D 5035
2011). Evaluating the accumulated damage induced a model that was implemented. The results of the
accumulated damage obtained with the model are presented. Table 1 shows some of its properties. Five
samples were tested for each degradation study.
Table 1. Properties of geotextile employed in this study.
Properties Value
Polymer type Polypropylene
Ultimate Tensile strength (ASTM D5035 2011) 105.4 kN.m-1
Ultimate Tensile strength (ASTM D5035 2011) 55,0 kN.m-1

2.2 Methodology accumulation of damage

The woven geotextile was mechanical characterized using tensile strength tests with the Strip Method
(ASTM D5035 2011) in a Universal Testing Machine. The samples were tensioned at a useful distance
between the jaws of 7.5cm and a strain rate of 300mm.min-1 was used, as presented in Figure 3.

Figure3. Sample in machine and detail of the geotextile.

 The size of the samples was 50mm versus 400mm, dimensions compatible with the mechanical
characterization of Strip Method.
After determining the load and the correspondent damage that leads to the rupture of the geotextile
studied. Tests to induce accumulated damage were carried out following the loads shown in Figure 4.
These loads consist of 11 cycles. The values of the applied loads are varied. The last applied load
causes the geosynthetic rupture.

Figure 4. Schematic used in tests of samples

The tensile strength of the geotextile was on average 5.25 kN. Tests were performed with three series.
The first, second and three series were an average of 40 to 50% of the tensile strength.
Table 2 includes the designations given to the loads imposed, during the tests and the corresponding
accumulated damage induced.

Table 2. Damage obtained in the applied loads

Serie n
Loads (F) Damage (D)
0 F0
1 F1 D1
2 F2 D2
3 F3 D3
4 F4 D4
5 F5 D5
6 F6 D6
7 F7 D7
8 F8 D8
9 F9 D9
10 F10 D10
11 F11 D11____

2.3 Proposal of Methodology for calculation of the accumulated Damage in geotextile

The proposal of this methodology presents that the total damage is determined by the addition of partial
damages Di of each parcel. Each parcel of the Di damage is determined by the relation of the load initial
(F1) is divided by the maximum load of the material (F0). From the second parcel, the load (F2) is by the
divided maximum load of the material (F0) and is multiplied by exponent of the Damage (D1) accumulat-
ed divided (F2) and thus successively, in accordance with the Equation 3 and 4.

D  D1  D2  D3  D4  ...  DN
(3)

F1 F2 D F D F D F D
D  exp( 1 )  3 exp( 2 )  4 exp( 3 )  ...  n exp( n1 ) (4)
F0 F0 F2 F0 F3 F0 F4 F0 Fn

Where: D = total damage, d1 = damage accumulated 1, Dn = n damage accumulated, F0 = maximum

load obtained by tensile test; F1 = first load applied; F2 = second load applied; F3 = third load applied.
3 RESULTS

The results presented in Figure 5 refer to the tensile tests (10 samples) and include the average tensile
strength and corresponding deformation to geotextile 105 kN/m.

Figure 5. Tensile Strength versus deformation

From the data obtained the tensile strength of material was determined (105 kN/m) and the correspond-
ing maximum load was 5.25 mm.

The results obtained with the loads applied in serie 1 were in Table 3 and serie 2 in Table 4.

Table 3: Damage obtained with application of the loads.

Table 4: Damage obtained with application of the loads.

From the data obtained the tensile strength of material was determined (55 kN/m) and the correspond-
ing maximum deformation was 2,6645 mm.
The results obtained with the loads applied in serie 3 were in Table 5.

Table 5: Damage obtained with application of the loads.

In relation to research of accumulation of damage, all series failed with a value equal to or greater than 1
in the last applied load.

The sequences of deformation and failure as presented in Figure 6.

Figure 6. Sequences of deformation.

4 DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

The incremental damage due to a loading is proportional to the amplitude of a load and the total damage
is estimated by assuming a suitable damage accumulation rule.
Experiments demonstrate that the model developed for the accumulation of damage in geotextile wo-
ven is applicable because all values were equal to 1 or greater.
In relation the last load applied, note that in the serie 1, sample failed with lower load compared to se-
ries 2. This may be associated with the damage accumulated in the geotextile, as in the first set the applied
load was increased during the cycle.
All series 1, 2 and 3 have failed and the final results were higher 1.
The model can be accepted as an alternative to simulation of damage accumulation in geotextile
acording to the model developed.

5 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The authors wish to thank the of Federal Center of Technological Education of Minas Gerais (CEFET-
MG). The Research Foundation of the State of Minas Gerais. FAPEMIG. for the financial support. The
Huesker for providing the geotextiles.

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