Natural weathering effects of nonwoven geotextile exposed to different climate conditions

Abstract

Humidity, air temperature, rainfall and solar radiation all contribute to the weathering of geosynthetics. Over time, the useful life can be affected and changes in properties can be observed, which affects the performance of these materials. As geosynthetics durability analyses must encompass each work condition, assessing the climate effects is essential for design purposes. This study exposed a nonwoven needle-punched poly(ethylene) terephthalate geotextile to natural weathering in three Brazilian cities (different exogenous environments) for 18 months. Mechanical tests were conducted to evaluate the geotextile changes due to weathering. This was demonstrated by the results: exposure to weather leads to the deterioration of the geotextile mechanical properties and increased stiffness. After four months, the tensile strength fell by half, while the deformation needed more than twelve months to have this same reduction; ultraviolet radiation intensity was the most effective weathering condition in the field; humidity and rainfall can affect the stiffness of geotextiles; the impact of accumulated climate factors gradually showed a convergence in the response of geotextile to weathering. Thus, this work highlights the need to evaluate the climate conditions in each location to understand the material's behavior on the exposure time.