GRI-GS19 – Standard Specification for Required

Properties and Testing Frequency for Geospacers

and Geospacer Drainage Composites
• specification addresses geospacers, not geonets
• includes the geospacer by itself, and also single or
double sided geotextile-geospacer composites

columns, or cones cuspations W-channels 3-D mats

• function is exclusively in-plane flow rate capability

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Various Types of Geospacer Drainage Cores

• geospacer shapes and sizes vary considerably

• all function as “in-plane drainage” materials
• resin types vary, as do their formulations
• all have geotextiles bonded to one or both
surfaces; they are then referred to as drainage
composites or geocomposites
• GTs are usually nonwoven needled or heat bonded
• attachment is usually non-water soluble adhesive

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 Common Application Areas
• green roofs and plaza decks
• permanent and temporary retaining walls
• soil and rock tunnels
• edge, interceptor and trench drains
• natural and artificial athletic fields
• race tracks, golf courses, playgrounds, etc.

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Flow Rate Behavior and Applications
(ref., DwG, 3rd Ed., Koerner)

Approximate
design guide for
drainage
geocomposite

Flow rate behavior of various geospacer Flow rate requirements of various

composites and related drainage products engineering drainage applications

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Critical Laboratory Tests and Behavior

(a) Compression tests and response curves per ASTM D6364

(b) In-plane flow test per ASTM D4716

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 An Important Conversion:
“Flow Rate per Width (q/w)-to-Transmissivity ()”
• Uses conventional Darcy’s formula…
𝑞=𝑘𝑖𝐴
• From which, 𝑞 = 𝑘 𝑖 𝑤 × 𝑡
𝑞/𝑤 = 𝑖 𝑘 × 𝑡
𝑞/𝑤 = 𝑖 𝜃

𝑞1
𝜃=
𝑤𝑖
• Units of 𝑞/𝑤 and  are the same
• Values are equal only at 𝑖 = 1.0 which represents a vertical orientation
• For other orientations one can calculate  using the actual value of “𝑖”
• This specification focuses on flow rate, rather than transmissivity
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 Various Geospacer Dimensions
• Thicknesses vary from 0.16 to 1.0 in. (4.0 to 25 mm)
• Widths from 12 to 48 in. (0.3 to 1.22 m)
• Lengths from 8 to 50 ft. (2.4 to 15.2 m)
• Products are supplied in roll or panel form
• Geospacers (by themselves) are not shipped in
protective bags but geospacer geocomposites are
bagged in thin plastic wrappers to protect the
geotextiles from UV degradation

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Test Properties Included in Specification
Geospacer (Before GT Lamination)
1. thickness (in three arbitrary ranges)
2. tensile strength
3. compressive strength
4. flow rate/width (with solid end platens)
Geotextile (Before Lamination)
5. mass/unit area
6. grab strength and elongation
7. tear strength
8. puncture strength
9. permittivity
10. apparent opening size
11. ultraviolet stability
Geocomposite (Single and Double Sided)
12. flow rate/width (with flexible rubber end platens)
13. ply adhesion

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 1. Thickness
• uses ASTM D5199
• specimen size is 2.0 in. (50 mm)
• applied pressure is 2.9 lb/in.2 (20 kPa)
• ten specimens across the roll width
• test frequency is every 50,000 lb (22,000 kg)

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Geospacer Thickness
per ASTM D5199

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 2. Tensile Strength
• uses ASTM D7179
• specimen size is 4.0 in. (100 mm) wide by 8.0 in.
(200 mm) long… gage length is 4.0 in. (100 mm)
• CRE device speed is 12 in./min (300 mm/min)
• ave. of five tests; all in MD
• test frequency is every 50,000 lb (22,000 kg)

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Geospacer Tensile Test per ASTM D7179

test at start test in progress test at failure

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 3. Compressive Strength
• uses ASTM D6364 – Section 6.2
• method uses solid end platens
• specified value is at 10% deformation
• test frequency is every 100,000 lb (45,000 kg)

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Geospacer Compressive Strength per ASTM D6364
(with solid end platens)

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 4. Flow Rate per Unit Width
• uses ASTM D4716
• specimen size is 12 in. (300 mm) wide by (typically)
14 in. (355 mm) long
• geospacer by itself uses solid end platens
• applied pressure is 1,000 lb/ft2 (48 kPa)
• seating dwell time is 15 min.
• hydraulic gradient (i) is maintained at 1.0
• test frequency is every 200,000 lb (90,000 kg)

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Planar Flow Testing Device per D4716 Resulting in In-Plane Flow Rate

Geospacer test
specimen

Tested at i = 1.0; Measured value (q)

so H = L
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5. Geotextile Mass per Unit Weight
• generally referred to as “weight”
• follows ASTM D5261
• 5 specimens across roll width
• develop MARV to compare to spec
• MARV will be described later
• spec lists 6.0 and 8.0 oz/yd2 (200 and 270
g/m2) only… others are possible

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 D5261
Mass/Unit Area
i.e., “Weight”

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 6. Geotextile Grab Strength and
Elongation
• follows ASTM D4632
• 10 specimens MD & XMD across width
• 4.0 in. (100 mm) wide; gripped in center 1.0 in. (25
mm)
• must avoid slippage or grip failure
• record maximum strength in lb (kN)
• record elongation = 𝛿/𝐿 100 at max. strength
• uses MARV for strength and elongation

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 D4632 - Grab Tensile Test
(Evaluates Strength and Elongation at Failure)

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 7. Geotextile Tear Strength
• follows ASTM D4533
• tear propagates from an initial cut
• maximum value is recorded
• 10 specimens in MD and XMD across roll
width
• uses MARV and compare to specification

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D4533 - Trapezoidal Tear Strength
(Measures the Maximum Value)

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 8. Geotextile Puncture Strength
• California Bearing Ratio (CBR) is a soil strength test adopted
for geosynthetics
• this GT test (ASTM D6241) uses the same device
• probe is 2.0 in. (50 mm) diameter
• container is 6.0 in. (150 mm) diameter
• 10 specimens across roll width
• strength and deformation monitored
• uses MARV and compare to spec

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 D6241 - Puncture (CBR) Strength
(Measures Strength at Rupture and Accompanying Deformation)

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 9. Geotextile Permittivity

• follows ASTM D4491

• uses deaired water ( 6 ppm dissolved
oxygen)
• measures cross-plane flow rate at a
constant head of 2.0 in. (50 mm)
• results in permittivity,  = (k)(t)
• value must be  0.02 sec-1

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ASTM D4491 – Water Flow Rate (Permittivity) Device

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Specimen
Adjusting
Being Hydraulic
Placed Head

Measuring
Flow Rate

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 10. Geotextile Apparent Opening Size

• its dry bead sieving, per ASTM D4751

• AOS is often called EOS
• it’s a maximum value, i.e., “MaxARV”
• converted to either 095 in mm, or equivalent U. S.
sieve size
• values must be  0.001 in. (0.25 mm)
• this is equivalent to #60 sieve size

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ASTM D4751
AOS Test Sieves
Being
Shaken

Bottom
Pan With
Beads That
Passed Fabric

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 11. Geotextile Ultraviolet Stability
• follows ASTM D7238 (UV fluorescent tube method)
• cycled for 20 hrs. light at 75°C followed by 4 hrs. dark
at 60°C with condensation
• uses 1.0 in. (50 mm) strip tensile test per D5035
• 50% strength retained after 500 lt. hrs.
• 5 MD and 5 XMD and values averaged
• test frequency is every 200,000 lb (90,000 kg)

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ASTM D7238
Ultraviolet
Fluorescent
Weatherometer

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 12. Geocomposite Flow Rate
• uses ASTM D4716
• same description as with Test #4 - except -
• GT surface(s) are tested using flexible end
platens per D4716 Section 6.1.6
• closed cell foam rubber is 0.25 in. (10 mm)
thick above and/or below the geocomposite
• produces GT intrusion and lower flow rates
• test frequency is every 200,000 lb (90,000 kg)

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 Closed Cell Foamed Rubber Soft Boundary
Simulating Soil Intrusion Effect
(for double-sided composites use foamed rubber on both sides)

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 13. Geocomposite Ply Adhesion
• uses ASTM D7005 to pull GT off of core
• specimen size is 4.0 in. (100 mm) wide by 8.0
in. (200 mm) long… 4.0 in. (100 mm) between
grips
• CRE device at 12 in./min (300 mm/min)
• ave. of five test; all in MD
• test frequency is every 100,000 lb (45,000 kg)

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 Ply Adhesion Test (ASTM D7005) at Midtest and Failure

test at start test in progress test at failure

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 Regarding Individual Test Frequency
• geospacer and geocomposite frequency per specific
test method is used to obtain minimum average
• GT (by itself) is based on MARV, except AOS which is
MaxARV (neither is used for UV stab.)
• MARV is a negotiated concept, but accepted
throughout geotextile industry.. but only for GTs
• see following for the concept, but for complete
details see GSI White Paper #10

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 Regarding MARV
• minimum average roll value
• accommodates variation in GT
manufacturing properties
• statistically it’s the “-2” value
• MaxARV is the “+2” value
• procedure shown in next screens

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38
 MD

XMD
Field Sampling to Obtain
Roll
length Average Roll Value

SAMPLE  1.0 m

Roll
Width

Sample
S-1 S-7
S-2 XMD MD S-6
S-3 S-5
1.0 m
S-4

Take Specimens from above Sample

and Test as Required

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 Test Roll Number
Number 1 2 3 4 5 6
1 643N 627N 637N 642N 652N 637N
2 627 615 643 646 641 624
3 652 621 628 658 639 631
4 629 616 662 641 657 620
5 632 619 646 635 642 618
6 641 621 633 642 651 633
7 662 622 619 658 641 641
Average = 641 620 638 646 646 629
This is the MARV Value!

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 U.S. (English) Units
Table 1(a) – MQC Specification for Biplanar Geonets and Geonet Composites

Property Test Method Test Values Based on Geospacer Thickness Test Frequency
(a) Geospacer (before lamination)
Thickness(1), in. (min. ave.) D5199 < 0.33 0.33 to 0.67 > 0.67 per 50,000 lb.
Tensile Strength(2), lb. (min. ave.) D7179 50 75 100 per 50,000 lb.
Compressive Strength(3), lb/ft.2 (min. ave.) D6364 1000 1500 2000 per 100,000 lb
Flow Rate/Width(4), gal/min-ft (min. ave.) D4716 10 15 20 per 200,000 lb.
(b) Geotextile (before lamination)(5)
Mass/Unit Area, oz/sy (MARV) D5261 6 8 6 8 6 8 Note (6)
Grab Strength, lb. (MARV) D4632 157 200 157 200 157 200
Grab Elongation, % (MARV) D4632 50 50 50 50 50 50
Tear Strength, lb. (MARV) D4533 55 80 55 80 55 80
Puncture Strength, lb. (MARV) D6241 310 430 310 430 310 430
Permittivity, sec-1 (MARV) D4491 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2
AOS, mm (MaxARV) D4751 0.25 0.25 0.25 0.25 0.25 0.25
UV Stability, % ret. (500 hr.) D4355 50 50 50 50 50 50
(c) Single-Sided Laminated Composite
Flow Rate/Width(4), D4716 6.0 9.0 12 per 200,000 lb.
gal/min-ft (min. ave.)
Ply Adhesion(7), lb./in. (min. ave.) D7005 0.5 0.5 0.5 per 100,000 lb.
(d) Double-Sided Laminated Composite
Flow Rate/Width(4), D4716 4.0 6.0 8.0 per 200,000 lb.
gal/min-ft (min.-ave.)
Ply Adhesion(7), lb./in. (min. ave.) D7005 0.5 0.5 0.5 per 100,000 lb.

(1) The diameter of the presser foot shall be 2.22 in. and the pressure shall be 2.9 lb./in 2.
(2) This is the average peak value for five equally spaced machine direction tests across the roll width.
(3) Test to be conducted using Section 6.2 fixed plates. Specified value is at 10% deformation.
(4) Geospacers shall be tested between rigid end platens at a hydraulic gradient of 1.0; a pressure of 1,000 lb./ft 2, and a seating dwell time of 15 min. If specimen is a
geocomposite the geotextile side(s) should be tested using flexible boundaries against the geotextile(s). Test values are for machine direction only.
(5) These values are Class 1 and Class 2 of the AASHTO M288-00 specification for drainage (filtration) requirements of 15 to 50% fines passing #200 sieve.
Generally, one or the other will be used.
(6) Since these geotextile values are MARV, the statistics needed to obtain such values dictate the frequency of testing.
(7) This is the average of five equally spaced machine direction tests across the roll width of the single-sided geocomposite. Both sides should be tested for the double-
sided geocomposite.

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 S.I. (Metric) Units

Table 1(b) – MQC Specification for Biplanar Geonets and Geonet Composites

Property Test Method Test Value Based on Geonet Thickness Test Frequency
(a) Geonet (before lamination)
Thickness(1), mm (min. ave.) D5199 < 8.4 8.4 to 17.0 > 17.0 per 22,000 kg
Tensile Strength(2), kN (min. ave.) D7179 220 340 450 per 22,000 kg
Compressive Strength(3), kPa (min. ave.) D6364 48 72 95 per 45,000 kg
Flow Rate/Width(4), l/min-m (min. ave.) D4716 120 180 240 per 90,000 kg
(b) Geotextile (before lamination)(5)
Mass/Unit Area, g/m2 (MARV) D5261 200 270 200 270 200 270 Note (6)
Grab Strength, N (MARV) D4632 700 890 700 890 700 890
Grab Elongation, % (MARV) D4632 50 50 50 50 50 50
Tear Strength, N (MARV) D4533 250 350 250 350 250 350
Puncture Strength, kN (MARV) D6241 1.37 1.92 1.37 1.92 1.37 1.92
Permittivity, sec-1 (MARV) D4491 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2
AOS, mm (MaxARV) D4751 0.25 0.25 0.25 0.25 0.25 0.25
UV Stability, % ret. (500 hr.) D7238 50 50 50 50 50 50
(c) Single-Sided Laminated Composite
Flow Rate/Width(4), D4716 72 108 144 per 90,000 kg
l/min-mm (min. ave.)
Ply Adhesion(7), N/m2 (min. ave.) D7005 88 88 88 per 45,000 kg
(d) Double-Sided Laminated Composite
Flow Rate/Width(4), D4716 48 72 58 per 90,000 kg
l/min-mm (min.-ave.)
Ply Adhesion(7), N/m (min. ave.) D7005 88 88 88 per 45,000 kg
(1) The diameter of the presser foot shall be 56 mm and the pressure shall be 20 kPa.
(2) This is the average peak value for five equally spaced machine direction tests across the roll width.
(3) Test to be conducted using Section 6.2 fixed plates. Specified value is at 10% deformation.
(4) Geospacers shall be tested between rigid end platens at a hydraulic gradient of 1.0; a pressure of 48 kPa, and a seating dwell time of 15 min. If specimen is a geocomposite
the geotextile side(s) should be tested using flexible boundaries against the geotextile(s). Test values are for machine direction only.
(5) These values are Class 1 and Class 2 of the AASHTO M288-00 specification for drainage (filtration) requirements of 15 to 50% fines passing #200 sieve. Generally, one
or the other will be used.
(6) Since these geotextile values are MARV, the statistics needed to obtain such values dictate the frequency of testing.
(7) This is the average of five equally spaced machine direction tests across the roll width of the single-sided geocomposite. Both sides should be tested for the double-sided
geocomposite.

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