BS EN ISO 13426-1:2019

What is ISO 134261- Geocell strength testing about?  

Geocells are geotextile-related products composed of single strips interconnected in several possible ways (extrusion, thermal bonding, gluing, hot melt, stitching, etc.) to form a panel of adjacent cells, where generally the contact between two elements occurs along lines or in specific points, and not uniformly on the whole surface. These lines or points are referred to as "junctions". 

ISO 134261 is the first part of the ISO 13426 multi-series on geotextile internal structural junctions. ISO 134261 focuses on geocells and describes index test methods for the determination of the strength of geocells under different loading conditions. 

Note: The test can be considered as a performance property, in the same way as a tensile test on seams/joints. 

Who is ISO 134261 - Geocell strength testing for? 

ISO 134261 on geocell strength testing is useful for manufacturers of: 

• Geotextiles 
• Geogrids 
• Geonets 
• Geomembranes 
• Geosynthetic clay liners 
• Geofoam 
• Geocells 
• Geocomposits 

BS EN 17096 is also useful for the textile industry, the transportation industry, construction companies, and also maintenance services. 

Why should you use ISO 134261- Geocell strength testing?  

Geocells are cellular confinement systems that were created as easy and durable materials that are used for stabilizing and protection. Geocells are geotextile-related products composed of single strips interconnected in several possible ways (extrusion, thermal bonding, gluing, hot melt, stitching, etc.) to form a panel of adjacent cells, where generally the contact between two elements occurs along lines or in specific points, and not uniformly on the whole surface. These lines or points are referred to as "junctions". 

A geocell junction can fail in four different ways: 

• By shear: when failure is caused by a force parallel to the junction itself 
• By peeling or delamination: when failure is caused by a force, normal to the junction, which separates the cells from each other at one edge of the junction 
• By splitting: when a force, normal to the junction, pull away from the two cells adjacent to the junction 
• By local overstressing: geocells secured with pins): when the fixation element locally over stresses the junction, leading to compression, shear, or peel failure 

It is therefore impossible to define one single testing method for measuring the junction strength of geocells.  ISO 134261 includes the principles for testing the four failure mechanisms explained above. These principles need to be adapted to every single product. The strength tests provided in ISO 134261 help you to provide high quality products to your customers and evolve newer materials based on test results. 

What’s changed since the last update?  

BS EN ISO 134261:2019 supersedes ISO 134261:2003. BS EN ISO 134261:2019 includes the following technical change with respect to ISO 134261:2003: 

• Normative references, Conditioning of specimens, Test specimens, Apparatus, Test procedure, and all the figures have been technically revised