CE marking of geotextiles

CE Marking of Geotextiles

CE Marking of Geotextiles and geotextile-related products

To support CE marking of Geotextiles and geotextile-related products, there are ten harmonised Technical Specifications or hENs, these are also commonly known as the required characteristic documents or the application standards.  The ten application standards are, “Characteristics required for use in…

EN 13249 …The construction of roads and other trafficked areas (excluding railways and asphalt inclusion);

EN 13250 …The construction of railways;

EN 13251 …Earthworks, foundations and retaining structures;

EN 13252 …Drainage systems;

EN 13253 …Erosion control works (coastal protection, bank revetments);

EN 13254 …The construction of reservoir and dams;

EN 13255 …The construction of canals;

EN 13256 …The construction of tunnels and underground structures;

EN 13257 …Solid waste disposals;

EN 13265 …Liquid waste containment projects”.

Each standard not only specifies the application of the geosynthetic in the construction but also gives the possible function or functions that it may fulfil.  The functions are identified by the following letters in each standard.

F = filtration – This is the restraining of soil or other particles subjected to hydrodynamic forces, while allowing the passage of fluids into or across a geosynthetic.

S = separation – is the prevention of intermixing of adjacent dissimilar soils and/or fill materials by the use of a geosynthetic.                                                 

R = reinforcement – is the use of the stress-strain behaviour of a geosynthetic to improve the mechanical properties of soil or other construction materials.

D = drainage – is collecting and transporting of precipitation, ground water and/ or other fluids in the plane of the geosynthetic.

P = protection – is preventing or limiting of local damage to a given element or material by the use of a geosynthetic.

The separation function is always used together with filtration or reinforcement, never alone. Hence, separation can never be specified alone in CE marking.

Each Application Standard tells us the main functions of the geosynthetic used in the application, the characteristics, their relevancy to the conditions of use, and the test methods to be used for attestation.

Depending on the standard(s) and the function(s) to be attested to, there are numerous mechanical and hydraulic that have to be performed on each material to be CE marked, these tests are:

EN ISO 10319, “Geosynthetics. Wide-width tensile test”

EN ISO 10321, “Geosynthetics.  Tensile tests for joints/seams by wide-width strip method”

EN ISO 12956, “Geotextiles and geotextile-related products.  Determination of the characteristic opening size”

EN ISO 12236, “Geosynthetics.  Static puncture test (CBR test)”

EN ISO 11058, “Geotextiles and geotextile-related products.  Determination of water permeability characteristics normal to the plane, without load”

EN ISO 12958, “Geotextiles and geotextile-related products.  Determination of water flow capacity in their plane”

EN ISO 13433, “Geosynthetics. Dynamic perforation test (cone drop test)”

EN 13719, “Geotextiles and geotextile-related products.  Determination of the long term protection efficiency of geotextiles in contact with geosynthetic barriers”

EN 14574, “Geosynthetics. Determination of the pyramid puncture resistance of supported geosynthetics”

EN ISO 12957-1, “Geotextiles.  Determination of friction characteristics.  Direct shear test”

EN ISO 12957-2, “Geotextiles.  Determination of friction characteristics.  Inclined plane test”

EN ISO 10722, “Geosynthetics. Index test procedure for the evaluation of mechanical damage under repeated loading.  Damage caused by granular materials”

EN ISO 13427, “Geosynthetics. Abrasion damage simulation (sliding block test)”

EN ISO 13431, “Geotextiles and geotextile-related products.  Determination of tensile creep and creep rupture behaviour”

EN ISO 25619-1, “Geosynthetics.  Determination of compression behaviour.  Compressive creep properties”

It is essential that a geotextile performs effectively for the required duration of the design, therefore the manufacturer must also make a durability assessment.  This will require tests to look at durability to:

Weathering (EN 12224);

Hydrolysis (of Polyester materials) (EN 12447);

Oxidation (for polypropylene or polyethylene materials) (EN ISO 13438);

Liquids (both acid and alkali) (EN 14030);

Microbiological degradation (EN 12225).

These test results will form the “Manufacturers Declaration of Conformity.”

For further information on CE Marking of Geotextiles and Geotextile-Related products, please contact us at onestopshop@bttg.co.uk.