ASTM D4355/D4355M-21

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Designation: D4355/D4355M − 14 (Reapproved 2018) D4355/D4355M − 21
Standard Test Method for
Deterioration of Geotextiles by Exposure to Light, Moisture,
and Heat in a Xenon Arc-Type Apparatus
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D4355/D4355M; the number immediately following the designation indicates the
year of original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last
reapproval. A superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the U.S. Department of Defense.
1. Scope
1.1 This test method covers the determination of the deterioration in tensile strength of geotextiles by exposure to xenon arc
radiation, moisture, and heat.
1.2 The light and water exposure apparatus employs a xenon arc light source.
1.3 The values stated in either SI units or inch-pound units are to be regarded separately as standard. The values stated in each
system may not be exact equivalents; therefore, each system shall be used independently of the other. Combining values from the
two systems may result in nonconformance with the standard.
1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility
of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of
regulatory limitations prior to use.
1.5 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization
established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued
by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
2. Referenced Documents
2.1 ASTM Standards:
D123 Terminology Relating to Textiles
D1898 Practice for Sampling of Plastics (Withdrawn 1998)
D4439 Terminology for Geosynthetics
D5035 Test Method for Breaking Force and Elongation of Textile Fabrics (Strip Method)
D6637/D6637M Test Method for Determining Tensile Properties of Geogrids by the Single or Multi-Rib Tensile Method
D6818 Test Method for Tensile Properties of Rolled Erosion Control Products
E691 Practice for Conducting an Interlaboratory Study to Determine the Precision of a Test Method
G113 Terminology Relating to Natural and Artificial Weathering Tests of Nonmetallic Materials
G141 Guide for Addressing Variability in Exposure Testing of Nonmetallic Materials
G151 Practice for Exposing Nonmetallic Materials in Accelerated Test Devices that Use Laboratory Light Sources
This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D35 on Geosynthetics and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D35.02 on Endurance Properties.
Current edition approved June 1, 2018Feb. 1, 2021. Published June 2018March 2021. Originally approved in 1984. Last previous edition approved in 20142018 as
D4355/D4355M – 14.D4355/D4355M – 14 (2018). DOI: 10.1520/D4355_D4355M-14R18.10.1520/D4355_D4355M-21.
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM Standards
volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on the ASTM website.
The last approved version of this historical standard is referenced on www.astm.org.
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D4355/D4355M − 21
G155 Practice for Operating Xenon Arc Light Apparatus for Exposure of Non-Metallic Materials
3. Terminology
3.1 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:
3.1.1 geotextile—any permeable textile material used with foundation, soil, rock, earth, or any other geotechnical engineering-
related material that is an integral part of a manmademan-made product, structure, or system.
3.2 Definitions:
3.2.1 For definitions of other textile terms used in this test method, refer to Terminology D123; for geotextile terms, refer to
Terminology D4439.
3.2.2 The definitions given in Terminology G113 are applicable to this standard.
4. Summary of Test Method
4.1 Five specimens of a geotextile for the machine direction and for the cross-machine direction are exposed in a xenon arc device
for each of the following times: 0 (control specimens), 150, 300, and 500 h. The exposure consists of 120-min cycles as follows:
90 min of light only at 65 6 3 °C uninsulated black panel temperature and 50 6 10 % relative humidity, followed by 30 min of
light plus water spray. (See Note 8.)
4.2 After each exposure period, the specimens are subjected to a cut or ravel strip tensile test. The average breaking strength in
each direction is compared with the average breaking strength in each direction of the control specimens. The percent strength
retained is plotted versus exposure period to produce a degradation curve for the specimens from each direction.
5. Significance and Use
5.1 This method is intended to induce property changes associated with end-use conditions, including the effects of solar radiation,
moisture, and heat. The exposure used is not intended to simulate the deterioration caused by localized weather phenomena such
as atmospheric pollution, biological attack, and salt water saltwater exposure.
5.2 The relation between time to failure in an exposure conducted in accordance with this test method and service life in a specific
outdoor environment requires determination of an acceleration factor, as defined in Terminology G113. The acceleration factor is
material dependent and is only valid if it is based on data from a sufficient number of separate exterior and laboratory-accelerated
exposures so that the results used to relate times to failure in each exposure can be analyzed using statistical methods.
NOTE 1—An example of a statistical analysis using multiple laboratory and exterior exposures to calculate an acceleration factor is described by J. A.
Simms. See Practice G151 for more information and additional cautions about the use of acceleration factors.
5.2.1 The deterioration curve obtained from the results of this test method enables the user to determine the tendency of a
geotextile to deteriorate when exposed to xenon arc radiation, water, and heat.
5.3 Variation in results may be expected when operating conditions are varied within the accepted limits of this test method. Its
intended use is as a qualitative assessment of the presence of ultraviolet inhibitors, and comparison of that influence between
products. However, no inference to the time of stability should be implied by the test results to the relation between time duration
and outdoor exposure.
NOTE 2—Information on sources of variability and on strategies for addressing variability in the design, execution, and data analysis of
laboratory-accelerated exposure tests is found in Guide G141.
5.3.1 If it becomes necessary for the purchaser and seller to use this test method for acceptance testing, the statistical bias, if any,
between the purchaser’s and seller’s laboratories should be determined. Such comparison is based on specimens randomly drawn
from the sample of geotextile being evaluated.
Simms, J. A., Journal of Coatings Technology, Vol 50, 1987, pp. 45–53.
D4355/D4355M − 21
5.3.2 In such cases, at a minimum, the two parties should take a group of test specimens which are as homogeneous as possible,
and which are from a lot of material of the type in question. The test specimens should then be randomly assigned in equal numbers
to each laboratory for testing. The average results from the two laboratories should be compared using Student’s t-test for unpaired
data and an acceptable probability level chosen by the two parties before the testing started. If a bias is found, either its cause must
be found and corrected, or the purchaser and the supplier must agree to interpret future test results in the light of the known bias.
6. Apparatus
6.1 Xenon Arc Apparatus, with daylight filters conforming to Practices G151 and G155.
NOTE 3—Previous versions of this standard referenced Practice G26, which describes specific equipment designs of xenon arc devices. Practice G26 has
been replaced by Practice G151, which gives performance criteria for all devices that use laboratory light sources, plus Practice G155, which gives
requirements for exposure of nonmetallic materials in xenon arc devices.
6.1.1 The apparatus must be capable of exposing the specimens to cycles of light only, followed by light and moisture as water
spray.
6.2 Strength Testing Apparatus, conforming to that described for a 2-in. cut or ravel strip test, as described in Test Method D5035.
7. Sampling
7.1 Lot Sample—As a lot sample for acceptance testing, take at random the number of rolls of fabric directed in an applicable
material specification or other agreement between the purchaser and the supplier. Consider rolls of fabric to be the primary
sampling units. If the specification requires sampling during manufacture, select the rolls for the lot sample at uniformly spaced
time intervals throughout the production period.
NOTE 4—An adequate specification, or other agreement between the purchaser and the supplier, requires taking into account the variability between rolls
of fabric and between specimens from a swatch from a roll of fabric, so as to provide a sampling plan with a meaningful producer’s risk, consumer’s
risk, acceptable quality level, and limiting quality level.
7.2 Laboratory Sample—Take for the laboratory sample a sample extending the full width of the fabric of sufficient length along
the selvage from each sample roll such that the requirements of 8.1 are met. The sample shall exclude material from the outer wrap
of the roll or the inner wrap around the core, unless the sample is taken at the production site, at which point inner and outer wrap
material may be used.
8. Specimen Preparation
8.1 Take two 1-m portions from the laboratory sample. Each shall be no closer to the selvage than one-tenth one tenth the sample
width. One is to be used for machine direction specimens, the other for cross-machine direction specimens.
NOTE 5—Since the thickness of a specimen may markedly affect test results, thickness of the replica
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