Strain Gage Installation and Survivability on Geosynthetics Used in Flexible Pavements

The use of foil type strain gages on geosynthetics is poorly documented. In addition, very few individuals are versed in proper installation techniques or calibration methods. Due to the limited number of knowledgeable technicians there is no information regarding the susceptibility of theses gages to errors in installation by inexperienced installers. Also lacking in the documentation related to the use of foil type strain gages on geosynthetics is the survivability of the gages in field conditions. This research documented procedures for installation, calibration, and survivability used by the project team to instruments a full scale field installation in Marked Tree, AR. This research also addressed sensitivity to installation errors on both geotextile and geogrid. To document the process of gage installation an experienced technician, Mr. Joe Ables, formerly of the UASCE Waterways Experiment Station, was consulted. His techniques were combined with those discovered in related literature and those developed by the research team to develop processes that were adaptable to multiple gage geometries and parent geosynthetics. These processes were described and documented in a step by step manner with accompanying photographs, which should allow virtually anyone with basic electronics knowledge to install these gages properly. Calibration of the various geosynthetic / strain gage combinations was completed using wide width tensile testing on multiple samples of each material. The tensile testing process was documented and analyzed using digital photography to analyze strain on the strain gage itself. Calibration factors for each geosynthtics used in the full scale field testing were developed. In addition, the process was thoroughly documented to allow future researchers to calibrate additional strain gage and geosynthetic combinations. The sensitivity of the strain gages to installation errors was analyzed using wide width tensile testing and digital photography to d