Abstract:
The filtration applications of nonwoven geotextiles are usually subjected to uniaxial tensile strain, resulting in the variation of pore sizes and failure of filtration engineering. The pore-size distributions of two needle-punched nonwoven geotextiles subjected to unconfined uniaxial tensile strains are measured by using the strain-controlled dry sieving tests. The experimental results of the dry sieving tests are compared with the predictions of two analytical solutions. One is the analytical solution of equivalent opening size
O95 proposed by She Wei. The other is the analytical solution of pore-size distribution proposed by Rawal et al. The experimental values of
O95 of two thermally bonded nonwoven geotextiles tested by previous studies are used to confirm the validity of the two analytical solutions. By comparing the predictions of
O95, the accuracy and the error of two analytical solutions are analyzed.
O95 decreases approximately linearly with unconfined uniaxial tensile strains. The prediction of the variation rate by She Wei is accurate, while that by Rawal et al. is larger than the experimental rate. The prediction of the value of
O95 should be done considering the results of She Wei solution and Rawal solution.