Experimental Studies on Interfacial Shear Characteristics between Polypropylene Woven Fabrics

Area of Science:

• Geotechnical Engineering
• Materials Science

Background:

• Geotextile tubes are crucial for dam construction, particularly when utilizing fine tailings.
• The operational shear characteristics of these tubes depend heavily on the constituent geosynthetic materials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the interfacial shear characteristics of polypropylene woven fabrics in geotextile tubes.
• To evaluate the influence of different interface types and moisture conditions (dry vs. wet) on shear behavior.

Main Methods:

• Conducted pull-out tests on various polypropylene woven fabric interfaces.
• Investigated the effects of normal stress and dry-wet states on interfacial shear properties.

Main Results:

• P-type interfaces exhibited hardening behavior.
• PTP and T-type interfaces showed initial softening followed by a plateau, with increased softening under higher normal stresses and wet conditions.
• Interfacial shear strength was more sensitive to interface type than moisture content.

Conclusions:

• Interfacial shear characteristics align with the Mohr-Coulomb strength theory.
• The quasi-friction angle, comprising sliding and occlusal friction, is the dominant factor in shear strength.
• Understanding interface mechanics is vital for optimizing geotextile tube performance in dams.