Differential shear movements at soil-geotextile interfaces

Abstract

The shear deformation behaviour along soil–geotextile interfaces has been investigated and is compared with that of the respective soils. Six soils (two sands, two clays, and two peats) in combination with eight different geotextiles (woven and nonwoven) were tested at various conditions in direct shear. It was found that the stiffnesses during shearing for the sand-geotextile interfaces were less than those for the actual sand, by a factor that was largely independent of the normal stress level. The same behaviour was found for the clays and for one of the peats in contact with non-woven geotextiles. For woven geotextile interfaces in contact with the clays and the peats, the load deformation behaviour was generally stiffer than for the actual soils. Key words: geotextiles, differential shear, soil–geotextile interfaces, load transfer during shear.