The following article on geosynthetic durability was authored as an introduction to ISO/TS 13434, "Geosynthetics: Guidelines for the Assessment of Durability." Sections on historical development, geotextiles, geosynthetic barriers, geogrids (plus summary & references) have been broken into separate web pages here for better online readability, but references have been repeated on each page for convenience of use. Links to the subsequent sections on geotextiles, geosynthetic barriers and geogrids can be found at the end of each page under "Related Sections." For more information regarding, or to purchase, the full ISO standard, please see this page at ISO’s website.
1.1 Historical Development
Large quantities of geotextiles made from man-made fibres were used in the Netherlands after the catastrophic flooding of 1953 which inundated 150,000 hectares and killed 2000 people. To stop the flooding and reconstruct the sea barriers many million square metres of woven synthetic fabric were used, partly because at that time Europe had run out of jute for sandbags and willow fascines for seabed protection.
In the 1960s, a range of nonwoven fabrics was manufactured for use as foundation, separation, and filter layers, between granular fills and weak subsoils. In the 1970s, different grades of reinforcing materials such as heavy wovens and extruded geogrids were developed specially for such applications. The first applications of HDPE geogrids, in retaining walls in the UK, were probably in the late 1970s. Flexible polyester-based woven geogrids were developed starting in 1984 and the first application was in mid-1985 in a highway in Malaysia. While the incentive to develop geotextiles may have originated from a shortage of natural fibres, now geotextiles and geogrids are produced worldwide for their cost-effectiveness in replacing natural materials and for facilitating structures that otherwise would be difficult or impossible to build.
Studies of geomembranes as “lower cost canal liners” commenced in the USA 1945, with the first experimental installation of a PVC liner in 1957 and the first installation under construction specifications in 1968. Previously hot spray-applied asphalt had been used. The first HDPE geomembranes were manufactured and installed in Germany in the early 1970s with production increasing rapidly in the early 1980s as geomembrane lining systems became a regulated requirement in American landfills. The first prefabricated bituminous geomembrane was installed in 1974 as a barrier/separator under the ballast of a French railroad. While the incentive to develop geosynthetic barriers may have originated due to a shortage of natural clayey soils, now they are used worldwide.
Geosynthetic Clay Liners were introduced as an alternative, or as an assist, to natural clay in the USA in the early 1980s with the first solid waste landfill composite liner application being in 1986.
RELATED SECTIONS
1.2.1 Geotextiles
1.2.2 – Geosynthetic Barriers
1.2.3 – Geogrids + Summary & References
References
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Ian D. Peggs, Ph.D., P.E., P.Eng, is president of I-CORP INTERNATIONAL Inc., Ocean Ridge, Florida. He can be reached at icorp@geosynthetic.com, www.geosynthetic.com.
