Investigating the effect of temperature and water freezing on the response of geogrid composite

Geosynthetics can be exposed to varying temperature and moisture conditions when embedded in the soil, which can affect their mechanical properties. However, existing testing standards do not account for extreme environmental conditions, such as low temperatures and ice formation. This study aims to understand the effect of temperature variation and ice formation on the tensile properties of dry and wet geosynthetics by conducting single-rib tensile tests on a wicking geogrid composite in a temperature chamber. Tensile stress-strain curves were reported at various temperatures for dry samples (−40°C to 40°C) and wet samples (0°C to −40°C). The results show that the tensile strength and stiffness of dry and wet samples increase while ultimate strain decreases as temperatures decrease. Freezing of water in wet samples also accelerates the rate of increase in ultimate strength and decrease in ultimate strain. The failure mode of the geogrid composite also changes with temperature, occurring at the middle junction at higher temperatures and closer to the end junctions with a fibrous appearance at lower temperatures. These findings provide insights into the significance of varying environmental conditions on geosynthetic properties.