Designation: D5261 − 10

Standard Test Method for

Measuring Mass per Unit Area of Geotextiles1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D5261; 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.

1. Scope 3.1.3 geotextile, n—any permeable textile used with foun-

1.1 This test method covers and can be used as an index to dation, soil, rock, earth, or any other geotechnical-engineering-
the determination of mass per unit area of all geotextiles. related material as an integral part of a man-made project,
structure, or system.
1.2 The values stated in SI units or other units shall be 3.1.3.1 Discussion—Current textile manufacturing tech-
regarded separately as standard. The values stated in parenthe- niques produce: nonwoven fabrics, knitted fabrics, and woven
ses are provided for information only. fabrics.
1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the 3.2 For definitions of other textile terms used in this test
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the method, refer to Terminology D123.
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica- 3.3 For definitions of other terms relating to geotextiles used
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use. in this test method, refer to Terminology D4439.

2. Referenced Documents 4. Summary of Test Method

2.1 ASTM Standards:2 4.1 The mass per unit area of a geotextile is determined by
D123 Terminology Relating to Textiles weighing test specimens of known dimensions, cut from
D1776 Practice for Conditioning and Testing Textiles various locations over the full width of the laboratory sample.
D4354 Practice for Sampling of Geosynthetics for Testing The calculated values are then averaged to obtain the mean
D4439 Terminology for Geosynthetics mass per unit area of the laboratory sample.
2.2 ISO Standard:3
5. Significance and Use
ISO 9864:1990 Geotextiles -- Determination of mass per
unit area 5.1 This test method is used to determine if the geotextile
material meets specifications for mass per unit area. This test
3. Terminology method can be used for quality control to determine specimen
3.1 Definitions: conformance. This measurement allows for a simple control of
3.1.1 atmosphere for testing geotextiles, n— air maintained the delivered material by a comparison of the mass per unit
at a relative humidity of 65 6 5 % and temperature of 21 6 area of the delivered material and the specified mass per unit
2°C (70 6 4°F). area.
3.1.2 geosynthetic, n—a planar product manufactured from 5.2 The procedure in this test method may be used for
polymeric material used with soil, rock, earth, or other acceptance testing of commercial shipments, but caution is
geotechnical-engineering-related material as an integral part of advised since information about between-laboratory precision
a man-made project, structure, or system. is incomplete. Comparative tests in accordance with 5.2.1 are
advisable.
1
5.2.1 In case of a dispute arising from differences in
This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D35 on
Geosynthetics and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D35.01 on Mechani-
reported test results when using the procedures in this test
cal Properties. method for acceptance testing of commercial shipments, the
Current edition approved March 1, 2010. Published April 2010. Originally purchaser and the manufacturer should conduct comparative
approved in 1992. Last previous edition approved in 2009 as D5261–92(2009). tests to determine if there is a statistical bias between their
DOI: 10.1520/D5261-10.
2
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or laboratories. Competent statistical assistance is recommended
contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM for the investigation of bias. As a minimum, the two parties
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on should take a group of test specimens that are as homogeneous
the ASTM website.
3
as possible and which are from a lot of material of the type in
Available from International Organization for Standardization (ISO), 1, ch. de
la Voie-Creuse, Case postale 56, CH-1211, Geneva 20, Switzerland, http:// question. The test specimen should then be randomly assigned
www.iso.ch. in equal numbers to each laboratory for testing. The average

Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States

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 D5261 − 10
results from the two laboratories should be compared using the NOTE 2—It is recognized that in practice geotextile materials frequently
appropriate student’s t-test and an acceptable probability level are not weighed to determine when moisture equilibrium has been
reached. While such a procedure cannot be accepted in cases of dispute,
chosen by the two parties before testing is begun. If a bias is it may be sufficient in routine testing to expose the material to the standard
found, either its cause must be found and corrected or the atmosphere for testing for a reasonable period of time before the
purchaser and the manufacturer must agree to interpret future specimens are tested. A time of at least 24 h has been found acceptable in
test results in light of the known bias. most cases. However, certain fibers may exhibit slow moisture equilibra-
tion rates from the “as-received” wet side. When this is known, a
6. Apparatus preconditioning cycle, in accordance with Practice D1776, may be agreed
upon between the contractual parties.
6.1 Balance, calibrated, capable of weighing to 5000 g, with
an accuracy of 0.01 g. 9. Procedure
9.1 Test the conditioned test specimens in the standard
7. Sampling atmosphere for testing geotextiles.
7.1 Lot Sample—Divide the test specimens into lots, and for 9.2 Weigh each of the conditioned specimens separately on
the lot to be tested, take the lot sample in accordance with a calibrated balance to the nearest 0.01 g.
Practice D4354.
10. Calculation
7.2 Laboratory Sample—Consider the units in the lot
sample as the units in the laboratory sample. For the laboratory 10.1 Calculate the mass per unit area of each of the
sample, take a full width swatch of sufficient length along the specimens as follows:
salvage so that the requirements of Section 7.3 can be met. m5Ms 3 1 000 000/A (1)
7.2.1 The laboratory sample should be free from imperfec-
tions or other areas not representative of the material sampled. where:
m = mass per unit area rounded to the nearest 0.1 g/m2,
7.3 The number of test specimens shall be a minimum of Ms = mass of the specimen, g, and
five, cut such that they are representative of the entire roll A = area of the specimen, mm2.
width and with a combined total minimum area of 100 000
2
mm (155 in.2). Each test specimen shall be equal in area (not 10.2 Repeat this procedure for each test specimen.
less than 10 000 mm2 (15.5 in.2), as described in ISO 10.3 Calculate the average and standard deviation of the
9864:1990). Cut each test specimen with an accuracy of mass per unit area results for the test specimens.
60.5 % of its area.
11. Report
NOTE 1—For test specimens prepared in the field, larger than minimum-
sized test specimens will be required to stay within the cutting accuracy 11.1 Report the following information on mass per unit area
(0.5 %). Field experience has shown that a test specimen with an area not of geotextiles:
less than 90 000 mm2 (139.5 in.2) will be necessary to achieve the required 11.1.1 Type of geotextile tested, sampling method used, the
accuracy. test specimen size, shape, and the number of test specimens
7.3.1 Cut the test specimens at least one tenth the width of tested,
the geotextile from any selvage, unless otherwise specified. 11.1.2 The average mass per unit area and standard devia-
7.3.2 If the structure of the geotextile is such that the tion to three significant figures, and
specified test specimen size is not representative of the 11.1.3 A statement of any departures from the suggested
laboratory sample, a larger size shall be agreed upon between testing procedures so that the results can be evaluated and used.
the purchaser and the supplier.
12. Precision and Bias
8. Conditioning 12.1 Precision—The precision of this test method is being
8.1 Bring the test specimens to moisture equilibrium in the established.
atmosphere for testing geotextiles. Equilibrium is considered to 12.2 Bias—This test method has no bias because the value
have been reached when the increase in mass of the test of mass per unit area can only be defined in terms of a test
specimen in successive weighings, made at intervals of not less method.
than 2 h, does not exceed 60.1 % of the mass of the test
specimen. In general practice, the industry approaches equilib- 13. Keywords
rium from the “as-received” side. 13.1 geotextile; mass per unit area; weight

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 D5261 − 10
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