Evaluating the puncture survivability of geotextiles in construction of coastal revetments

Abstract

An extensive field drop test was performed to study the puncture resistance of geotextiles. The field test comprised 784 controlled drop tests using a standardized drop block released from heights, ranging from 0.5 to 2.5 m. The drop tests were conducted for five different geotextiles laid over different soil conditions, with varying thickness of secondary armor stones. Both horizontal and sloping grounds were used. The extent of damage on the geotextiles was assessed based on statistical interpretation of a large number of drop tests, taking into account the number and size of the punctures. The field test seeked to provide some standardization in conducting field drop tests and evaluating the puncture resistance of geotextiles in the field.