SEDL / STP / STP1081-EB / STP19038S

Geotextile Filtration Performance Test

Montero, CM
Senior EngineerAssociate, Golder Associates Inc., Atlanta, Georgia

Overmann, LK
Senior EngineerAssociate, Golder Associates Inc., Atlanta, Georgia

Pages: 12    Published: Jan 1990

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Abstract

A rapid test has been developed to observe the actual filtration performance of nonwoven geotextiles with site-specific soils. The test is a variation of the “Slurry Test” developed by Dr. James L. Sherard, and is performed by replacing the granular medium in Sherards' test with a geotextile. Several tests were performed with fine-grained soils and nonwoven geotextiles of different mass per unit area, thickness and apparent opening size (AOS). It was observed that the phenomena that occurred in the geotextile filtration test are similar to described by Sherard during his research. In successful tests, the initial outflow is turbid but clears within a short period of time and a “filter cake” forms at the geotextile-slurry interface. In unsuccessful tests, a large amount of soil passes through the geotextile and/or no “filter cake” forms.