ASTM Subcommittee D35.10 on Geomembranes in ASTM Committee D35 on Geosynthetics is developing standard test methods for strip and grab tensile properties of reinforced geomembranes as quality tests of materials that line or cover landfills.
“Grab and strip tensile are index tests,” says subcommittee member Gary M. Kolbasuk, Product Development engineer; Engineered Films Division, Raven Industries, Sioux Falls, S.D. Geomembrane material is defined by the type of strength that it gets in a strip tensile, or by grabbing a one-inch (2.54 cm) strip and pulling it to measure how far it elongates before it breaks. “That allows manufacturers a way of comparing different materials as well as its use as a quality control test,” he says.
The test methods appear in ASTM D 751, Properties of Test Methods for Reinforced Rubber Products, which is a compilation of 20 or more tests containing several tensile tests. According to Kolbasuk, geosynthetics professionals have used the methods for about three decades. Since the test methods in D 751 are not written for geosynthetics, a subcommittee task group, led by Kolbasuk, is developing separate test methods with updated procedures and properties.
ASTM standards are available from Customer Service (phone: 610/832-9585;
service@astm.org) or www.astm.org.
Contact Kolbasuk to participate in these activities, or for further technical information (phone: 605/331-0324; gary.kolbasuk@ravenind.com). For ASTM meeting or membership details, contact Christine Sierk, manager, Technical Committee Operations, ASTM International (phone: 610/832-9728; csierk@astm.org). Committee D35 meets Jan. 15-16 in Tampa, Fla. Visit www.astm.org/COMMIT/D35.htm.

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