ASTM D35 on Geotextile Tensile Testing

ASTM Committee D35 on Geosynthetics has revised D4595, “Standard Test Method for Tensile Properties of Geotextiles by the Wide-Width Strip Method.” The basic distinction between this test method and other methods for measuring strip tensile properties is the width of the specimen. This width, by contrast, is greater than the length of the specimen. Some fabrics used in geotextile applications have a tendency to contract (neck down) under a force in the gage length area. The greater width of the specimen specified in this test method minimizes the contraction effect of those fabrics and provides a closer relationship to expected geotextile behavior in the field and a standard comparison.