DURABILITY TESTS OF GEOSYNTHETIC MATERIALS USED IN DIFFICULT ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS

Abstract

The article describes the ageing process of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) geogrids under the influence of chemical and environmental factors. Research on accelerated ageing of a uniaxial HDPE geogrid incubated in a water solution for a period of 12 months is presented. Three temperatures (25°, 45° and 75°C) were selected for the accelerated ageing tests in aqueous solutions simulating the conditions at a municipal waste landfill. Changes were observed using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and correlations with the mechanical properties of the aged geogrid were checked. No significant effect of the loss of antioxidant in the material on the mechanical properties of the uniaxial geogrid was observed. The tests made it possible to determine the mechanical properties, such as tensile strength and deformability of the geogrid – which are extremely important in the analysis of slope stability.