Annotated Bibliography for the Topic of “The Use of

Polylactic Acid as a Uniaxial Geogrid Material”

Anton Lorenzo F. Teope

Advisers: Prof. Kristian Azul & Jaime Victor

CE 190 - Geotechnical Engineering Group

I. Annotated Bibliography

Mulabdic, M., Minažek, K., & Kaluđer, J., “Geogrids - What is Important”. Research Gate.
(2018, May). Retrieved October 28, 2021, from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/
326593086_Geogrids_-_what_is_important/related.

The publication discusses the uses and importance of geogrids in soil stabilization and
reinforcement along with the the different materials these geodrids are made of. The type
and geometry of the geogrids are presented with explanation on what each are used for.
The different types are presented in the report along with the method of which they were
made. Testing were done on composite and woven geotextiles, woven and extruded
geogrids, and stretched geogrids from punched sheets. Data on mechanical behaviour
such as tensile strength, elongation at failure, and pull out force are presented. The
granular soil types tested on range from sizes of uniform river sand (0 to 2 mm) to
rounded gravel (8 to 16 mm). The results showed that the stabilization performance
depends in the geogrid type and relation it has to the grain size of soil and that certain
geogrid properties have to be appropriately chosen depending in the available soil type.
The data provided will be applicable to the research being done because this will aid in
analyzing the geogrid material to be used and how the geogrid may interact with the soil
it would be used for. It also provides data of mechanical properties of the geogrids which
may be used for comparison.

ASTM Standard D6637-11, 2011, "Standard Test Method for Determining Tensile Properties of
Geogrids by the Single or Multi-Rib Tensile Method," ASTM International, West
Conshohocken, PA, www.astm.org.

This publication defines the requirements for testing and determining the tensile strength
properties of geogrids by “subjecting strips of varying width to tensile loading” with the
intent of quality control and conformance testing. This publication defines and uses three
main methods of testing in tension: (a) single geogrid rib testing, (b) multiple geogrid
testing, and (c) multiple layers of geogrid rib testing. The apparatus for the testing of
these materials along with the procedures are given. The publication also defines the
significance of this testing method and the data that will be obtained from this testing
method. Additional needed procedures like sampling and preparing of test specimens
were also provided along with with optimum testing conditions. This publication is
essential for the research because it provides a standardized test using three different
methods of testing to obtain the tensile strength of the geogrid to be made, which is an
important aspect to consider when testing new materials for the geogrid and the type of
geogrid to be used. It also aids in defining the importance of this property which may
help in the explanations in the research.

Wijk, A. van, & Wijk, I. van. (2015). 3D printing with biomaterials: Towards a sustainable and
circular economy. IOS Press.

Manufacturing with the use of 3D printing using biomaterials allow a more sustainable
way of production, yielding less waste and using less energy. The process of 3D printing,
including the technologies that come into play, the current materials already being
utilized, and the possible uses it has in numerous fields are discussed. Biomaterials what
may be used in this 3D printing process are considered, especially that of biodegradable

 plastics. Cellulose, polylactic acid (PLA), Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), and
starch based bioplastics are discussed and are all tied in to the concept of creating a
sustainable and circular economy, or an “economy that is restorative” where materials re-
enter the biosphere as biological nutrients to be decomposed or where materials are
recycled and reused. This article discusses PLA and its potential in use for large scale
manufacturing like that of house construction. PLA characteristics and properties are also
discussed along with data on energy use and emissions when processing this material.
The publication dwells too much on 3D printing and Biomaterials without dwelling too
deeply on sustainability which may have strengthened his points if explained further.
Nevertheless, this article is a valuable source for the research due to it providing data on
PLA both properties wise and manufacturing wise. It also gave practical applications
beyond that of how it is used now and how this can aid in our path to sustainability and a
circular economy, which may strengthen my own research by providing greater
significance to it.

John, R. P., Gs, A., Nair, N. R., & Nampoothiri, K. M. (2011, March 1). Poly lactic acid: An
environmentally friendly biodegradable polymer. ResearchGate. Retrieved October 29,
2021, from https://www.researchgate.net/publication 236694764_Poly_lactic_
acid_An_environmentally_friendly_biodegradable_polymer

This document provides a detailed research on polylactic acid (PLA) and its composition.
Specific synthesizing methods and materials needed to create PLA are discussed and
provides illustrations and data on how and where these PLA are produced. A large portion
of the paper also discusses the properties of PLA and touches on aspects like working
temperatures, strength, and elongation. Degradation was a property analyzed more
closely, proposing that PLA may be composted and degraded in a moist, warm, and
aerobic environment The improvements that can be done via additives were also

 included, with brief descriptions of what was added and what this did for the PLA mixes.
Applications of certain PLA mixtures/blends in various fields are briefly discussed but
lacks some detail to further strengthen these arguments. The research, though
informative, lacks in the discussion and provision of data for the properties of PLA.
Despite this, the research will still prove to be useful because of its insight on how PLA is
made and how it degrades. It also aids in strengthening one of the goals of the research,
which is to prove PLA to be a sustainable and environmentally friendly material for use
in geosynthetics.

Farah, Shady, et al. “Physical and Mechanical Properties of PLA, and Their Functions in
Widespread Applications — A Comprehensive Review.” Advanced Drug Delivery
Reviews, vol. 107, Dec. 2016, pp. 367–92., from http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/112940

Researcher John Rojan and his group conducted a research on polylactic acid
thermoplastic (PLA) providing data on its composition and chemical properties, along
with how it is made. The physical properties like density, specific heat, and thermal
conductivity are heavily discussed along with various mechanical properties like tensile
strength, elongation, and elasticity and the effect temperature and biodegradation may
have on these properties . All properties were discussed in the context of use in
consumers and biomedical applications. All this relates to the materials eco friendliness
due to it being made from a renewable source and biodegradability. The research
concluded that there is a very big potential of this material for use in various fields
especially when considering the possible improvements that may be done to the chemical
composition of this material like the addition of plasticizers and other polymers (L- or D-
isomers) and it’s reasonable shelf life. The large amount of information provided by this
paper will be very useful the research due to the extensive data it provides in the

 properties of PLA, which is one of the main aspect to observe for. Being a bio based
plastic polymer, the effects of biodegradation would also be essentially due to how it
affect the mechanical properties of PLA.

Burgstaller, C., & Prambauer, M. (2018, October). Biodegradable geotextiles – An overview of

existing and potential materials. ResearchGate. Retrieved October 28, 2021, from https://
www.researchgate.net/publication/328610923_Biodegradable_geotextiles_-
_An_overview_of_existing_and_potential_materials.

Geotextiles, which commonly use non-biodegradable materials which may result in

environmental hazard, have the potential to be made out of more environmentally
friendly and degradable Materials. Two material classes were mainly discussed: natural
fibers and biodegradable polymers. Both were analyzed in the research and data on
composition and properties were obtained with the goal of assessing whether of each
material is viable for use as a geotextile material. Natural fibers as a geotextile material
have high tensile capabilities and low prices and is but suffer water absorption. Polymer
blends using PLA, TPS, and petro and cellulose based polymers have potential, with PLA
and TPS blends having reached the required mechanical and physical characteristics, but
the lack of data and research on this make it difficult to assess and prices make it
unfeasible economically. The research provided a good amount of data for on the
mechanical and physical properties of each material but lacked depth and explanations on
the data obtained. Despite this, the paper will prove to be useful due to its close similarity
with the research and the applicable data it contains.

Fownes, G., & Dixon, N. (2016, April). 3D Printing of High Strength Geosynthetic Interfaces
[Paper presentation]. GeoAmericas 2016 3rd Pan-American Conference on
Geosynthetics, USA. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/
314100176_3D_Printing_of_High_Strength_Geosynthetic_Interfaces

This research discusses the use of 3D printing for the creation of various geosynthetics,
specifically geomembranes, for rapid prototyping. The importance of geomembrance
structures and its implications to interface strength is the characteristic that is mainly
being analyzed by the study. The geosynthetic that tested was a 3D printed geomembrane
structure, where the normal and shear strength were assessed. The process from digital
imaging to direct and indirect printing is explained. The results showed that the different
production process resulted in a difference in internal structure from what is expected in
the usual geosynthetics. This was a brief research and only lightly discussed other
geosynthetics like geogrid and geotextiles. Other properties were also not really looked
into such as tensile properties and flexibility. The research is still proves useful due to the
insights it provides on the process of 3D modeling and printing of geosynthetic structures
and provides the challenges which may be encountered in the study.

II. Additional References

Velenturf, A., & Purnell, P. (2021, February). Principles for a Sustainable Circular Economy.
Sustainable Production and Consumption. ResearchGate. DOI:10.1016/j.spc.2021.02.018

Circular economy has the potential to contribute to the better use of resources and the
generation of economic gains while lessening pressures on the environment. However,
concerns have been raised regarding supposed circular economy practices that harm the
environment and society. As a result, the study discusses literature regarding the context
needed for both circular economy and sustainable development, which must be fully
integrated with one another to create an economy that prioritizes the well-being of the
people and the environment. The researchers analyze the strengths, weaknesses, and
flaws of the values and principles from circular economy literature and propose a
framework and a set of principles for the creation and evaluation of a sustainable circular
economy. This research mainly discusses the principles regarding sustainability and a
circular economy which may aid the research by providing more relevance to the topic
and more important to the biodegradable and environmentally friendly aspect of materials
to be used for engineering works.