Hydraulic Properties of Geotextiles

Rakesh J. Pillai
January 31, 2015

Outline
Hydraulic Properties
Apparent Opening Size (AOS)
Cross Plane Permeability
In-Plane Permeability
Gradient Ratio Test
Long Term Flow Test

Testing of Geosynthetics

Hydraulic Properties
Apparent Opening Size (or Equivalent Opening Size)
Cross-plane permeability
In-plane permeability
Gradient ratio
Long term permeability

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Apparent Opening Size (AOS)

Also known as Equivalent Opening Size (EOS); Specified code is ASTM
D4751
In this test, uniform sized beads of known diameters is sieved through the
geotextile
Sieving is done using beads of successively different diameters until the
weight of the beads passing through the test specimen is 5%
This defines O95 -size of the geotextiles opening in mm
Relatively faster test

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Testing of Geosynthetics

Procedure of AOS - Dry Sieving Method

Take 50 gm of smallest size glass beads (75) and sieve them for 10
minutes and determine the percentage retained on the geotextile.
Repeat with next higher size glass beads until the percentage of glass beads
passing through is x% or less
A graph is drawn with glass bead size on the x-axis and the percentage
passing on the y-axis
If y% of certain particle size is retained on a geotextile, Oy of geotextile is
the size of the particle in mm (usually y is taken as 90 or 95)

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Limitations - AOS by dry sieving

The test is conducted dry, whereas filtration and drainage always involve
fluids
Thick non-woven geotextile may entrap the glass beads
Yarns in the geotextiles may move (woven split type) during the test, thus
affecting the AOS value
Glass beads may simply float instead of going through the geotextile
because of their low mass
Electrostatic forces may affect the results

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Testing of Geosynthetics

AOS - Hydrodynamic Test Method

Also known as wet sieving method
Procedure is similar to dry sieving
Geosynthetic along with uniform size sand particles (glass beads) is repeatedly dipped in water and taken out
Pecentage of particles passing through the geotextile is determined and
Oy is reported

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Filter Design Criteria based on AOS value

Fine particles should not be lost (piping limit)
Piping limit: O90 D85 of soil for granular soil
Pore opening size should be large enough for the water to flow freely
through the geotextile (permeability test)
Permeability limit: O90 D15 and O90 0.05mm

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Testing of Geosynthetics

Cross Plane Permeability

Cross Plane Permeability Test (ASTM D4491)
Constant head test
50mm head difference is maintained between the upper and lower surfaces
of the geotextile
Water allowed to flow through an opening of 25mm diameter
Volume of flow (>1 litre) in a given time (>30 seconds) is measured
Temperature correction is applied

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Testing of Geosynthetics

Cross Plane Permeability

q = kn iA = kn

h
A
t

q
kn
==
t
(h)(A)
In the above equations:
kn = permeability (m/s)

= permittivity (s1 )

h = head difference (m)

t = thickness of geotextile

A = area of flow (m2 )

q = flow rate (m3 /s)

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Testing of Geosynthetics

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Testing of Geosynthetics
Variable Head Permeability Test
kn
a
h0
= = 2.3
log10
t
(A)(t)
hf
Here:
kn = permeability (m/s)

t = thickness of geotextile

a = area of water column

above geotextile (m)

h0 = initial height of water

column = 80mm

A = area of flow (m2 ) - 25mm

diameter
= permittivity (s1 )

hf = final height of water column = 20mm

t = time taken for the water
head to fall from h0 to hf

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Testing of Geosynthetics

In-Plane Permeability
In-plane permeability (Transmissivity) - ASTM D4716
Normal pressure is applied on the sample
Minimum size of sample is 300mm X 300mm
Geotextile is sandwiched between two thick rubber sheets to prevent any
leakage
Test carried out with different gradients

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Testing of Geosynthetics

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Testing of Geosynthetics

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Constant Head Method

q = kp iA = kp i(w t); i = h/L
kp t = =

q
iw

Here:
kp = in-plane permeability
coefficient(m/s)
q = rate of flow (m3 /s)
i = gradient of flow

= transmissivity (m2 /s)

t = thickness of geotextile (m)
w = width of the sample (m)

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Testing of Geosynthetics

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Radial In-plane Flow Apparatus

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Radial In-plane Flow

dh
q = kp iA = kp (2rt)
dr
Z
Z
dr
2(kp t) dh = q
r
(kp t) = =

qln(r2 /r1 )
2h

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Testing of Geosynthetics

Gradient Ratio Test

Flow through a soil underlain by a geotextile filter layer is analysed and
the compatibility between the two is established
Pressure head at different points are measured
GR =

(h2 h1 )/25
(h3 h2 )/50

For good compatibility between the geotextile

and the soil, steady state GR value should be
less than 3

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Testing of Geosynthetics

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Testing of Geosynthetics

Long Term Flow Test

Long term permeability can be determined using the gradient ratio apparatus
Flow rates can be determined after establishing steady state conditions
and long term permeability coefficient can be determined
Usual permeability calculations

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Thank You!!!