Installation Damage Reduction Factor for Geosynthetics Reinforcements Based on Various Full-Scale Field Installation Tests

In this paper, to investigate the influence of installation damage, a variety of full-scale field installation tests with 15 geosynthetics reinforcements and fill materials of various grain size distribution have been performed. The full-scale field installation test was conducted with reference to the FHWA (2009) guidelines. The tensile strength tests were performed by sampling up to 20 specimens randomly from the excavated geosynthetics reinforcements after compaction of fill material, and the degree of decrease in tensile strength of reinforcements due to compaction was analyzed based on the experiment results. It was found that the degree of tensile strength reduction of geosynthetics reinforcements due to the compaction of fill material is greatly influenced by the type of reinforcement and the maximum diameter of fill material. In addition, it was found that the strength reduction ratio of PET geogrid (PVC coating) with relatively small stiffness was greatest, and that the larger the maximum grain size of the fill material, the greater the strength reduction ratio. And also, a more reasonable evaluation method for the installation damage reduction factor of geosynthetics reinforcements is proposed based on the results of full-scale field installation tests in present study and the existing test results.