High Strength Plastic Geocell
Plastic geocells are made of a durable material that can be used in construction projects. They provide excellent lateral confinement to soils, which helps prevent ground movement and increases stability.
Dynamical mechanical analysis (DMA) measures the net elastic modulus of a polymer. It can detect polymer stiffness degradation that would cause a loss of confinement and reduce the service life.
Strength
Plastic geocells are made of double-side textured thermoplastic strips connected by ultrasonic welds. They are light in weight and can be easily expanded. They also have excellent lateral confinement to the soil. This allows them to resist constant movement and soil erosion. They are cost-effective and environmentally sustainable. They are a good alternative to other materials such as concrete.
The strength of plastic geocells is determined by their ability to withstand hoop (cell wall and seam weld) tensile forces. This strength is important for determining the confinment capacity of the geocell and determining the load-bearing capacity of High Strength Plastic Geocell the soil. Plastic deformation above 3% in the cell walls and welds can impact confinement, reduce compaction density, decrease service life and increase the likelihood of failure.
Geocells can be anchored to the ground with a variety of anchoring methods. However, the most common method is to use high-strength zip ties. These ties are specially designed to work with the strong welds in geocells. The ties are thick and UV stabilized so they won’t break down or deteriorate in harsh conditions.
In order to analyze the effects of low temperature on the mechanical properties of geocells, Yang et al conducted a tensile test on three types of geocell strip raw materials. They compared the tensile strengths of HDPE, PP and PET specimens with temperature as a variable. They studied the curve characteristics, fracture mode and temperature sensitivity of geocell strips in the uniaxial tensile test.
Durability
Plastic geocells are designed to withstand high loads and heavy traffic, and they can be installed in most types of soil. They also offer lateral confinement, which prevents lateral spreading of the soil. This feature is important for stability and strength. They are also light in weight, which makes them easy to transport and install.
Using the SIM test, which measures the strength to withstand vertical load transferred to hoop (cell wall and weld) tensile forces, the elongation of three types of geocell strips has been compared. It was found that HDPE strips have the lowest tensile strength, while PP and PET strip tensile strengths are higher than those of HDPE. The elongation of the PP and PET specimens was not affected by temperature.
The lateral deformation of the geocells was also tested. The results showed that the geocells with a coir infill had the best lateral confinement and exhibited good soil stability. They were also more resistant to water and de-icing, and the material did not deteriorate after 14 days of soaking in aviation fuel.
Besides being light in weight, a geocell’s thickness and size are important factors in determining its load-bearing capacity. The thinner geocells are easier to transport and assemble, but they are less durable than thicker ones. Typically, the more cells in a geocell, the heavier the load it can support.
Flexibility
The high strength of plastic geocells makes them ideal for restraining soil laterally. This allows the granular materials to stay in place, improving the stability of the base layer and increasing the mechanical strength of the roadbed. In addition, the material is environmentally friendly and can be recycled in the future.
A new geocell product made of a special type of high-strength polyolefin has been developed to help prevent road failure in cold areas. It has a rhomboidal indentation texture and a perforation pattern that creates friction and keeps the ground in place. It can also be used to control permeability and erosion and reduce the amount of material needed for drainage.
It has been found that a change in temperature can significantly influence the mechanical properties of geocell strips of different materials. Using a tensile testing machine, the variation law of strength and deformation of geocell strips of three common materials – polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and polyester (PET) – at low temperatures was investigated. Their elongation at failure, necking behavior, and temperature sensitivity were also analyzed.
It was found that the tensile strength of PE specimens decreased with decreasing test temperature, while that of PP specimens increased. However, the elongation of PET specimens did not show a clear trend with decreasing test temperature. In addition, the elongation of PET specimens was less sensitive to the tensile rate than that of PE specimens.
Easy Installation
A major benefit of geocells is how easy they are geogrid to install. The geocells arrive in a compactly folded state and expand to their full size once they are placed on the ground. This eliminates the need for heavy machinery, allowing for them to be installed by a few workers. They are also easy to trim to precise dimensions, making them an ideal option for projects that require specific dimensional specifications.
Another great benefit of geocells is how they help reduce erosion. Erosion is often a problem on sloped grounds and can damage the environment and cause serious danger for people or animals that are in the area. Geocells are able to keep the filler materials (such as soil, rocks, or sand) in place, reducing the risk of erosion.
In addition, the textured surface of the geocells increases friction with aggregate infill material, minimizing rutting and increasing longevity. This can save a lot of money in the long run as it reduces the need for frequent repairs and maintenance. The perforations of the geocells also facilitate parallel slope drainage, allowing for more stable and resilient installations. These are a few of the reasons why the use of geocells has become increasingly popular for slope stabilization and other applications. They are an excellent alternative to more expensive construction methods like traditional earth layers and rock reinforcement.
