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Designation: D4632/D4632M − 15 D4632/D4632M − 15a

Standard Test Method for

Grab Breaking Load and Elongation of Geotextiles1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D4632/D4632M; 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 is an index test which provides a procedure for determining the breaking load (grab strength) and
elongation (grab elongation) of geotextiles using the grab method. This test method is not suitable for knitted fabrics and alternate
test methods should be used. While useful for quality control and acceptance testing for a specific fabric structure, the results can
only be used comparatively between fabrics with very similar structures, because each different fabric structure performs in a
unique and characteristic manner in this test. The grab test methods does not provide all the information needed for all design
applications and other test methods should be used.
1.2 Procedures for measuring the breaking load and elongation by the grab method in both the dry and wet state are included;
however, testing is normally done in the dry condition unless specified otherwise in an agreement or specification.
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 non-conformance with the standard.
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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 and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory
limitations prior to use.
2. Referenced Documents
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2.1 ASTM Standards: 2
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D76/D76M Specification for Tensile Testing Machines for Textiles
D123 Terminology Relating to Textiles
D1776D1776/D1776M Practice for Conditioning ASTMand D4632/D4632M-15a
Testing Textiles
D2905 Practice for Statements on Number of Specimens for Textiles (Withdrawn 2008)3
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D4354 Practice for Sampling of Geosynthetics and Rolled Erosion Control Products(RECPs) for Testing
D4439 Terminology for Geosynthetics
E177 Practice for Use of the Terms Precision and Bias in ASTM Test Methods
E691 Practice for Conducting an Interlaboratory Study to Determine the Precision of a Test Method
3. Terminology
3.1 Definitions:
3.1.1 atmosphere for testing geotextiles, n—air maintained at a relative humidity of 65 6 5 % relative humidity and temperature
of 21 6 2°C [70 6 4°F].
3.1.2 breaking load, n—the maximum force applied to a specimen in a tensile test carried to rupture.
3.1.3 cross-machine direction, n—the direction in the plane of the fabric perpendicular to the direction of manufacture.
3.1.4 elongation at break, n—the elongation corresponding to the breaking load, that is, the maximum load.

1
This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D35 on Geosynthetics and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D35.01 on Mechanical Properties.
Current edition approved Jan. 1, 2015May 15, 2015. Published February 2015June 2015. Originally approved in 1991. Last previous edition approved in 20132015 as
D4632/D4632M– 08(2013)–15. ε2. DOI: 10.1520/D4632_D4632M-15.10.1520/D4632_D4632M-15A.
2
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.
3
The last approved version of this historical standard is referenced on www.astm.org.

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

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 D4632/D4632M − 15a
3.1.5 geotextile, n—any permeable textile material used with foundation, soil, rock, earth, or any other geotechnical material,
as an integral part of a man-made product, structure, or system.
3.1.6 grab test, n—in fabric testing, a tension test in which only a part of the width of the specimen is gripped in the clamps.

3.1.6.1 Discussion—

For example, if the specimen width is 101.6 mm [4 in.] and the width of the jaw faces 25.4 mm [1 in.], the specimen is gripped
centrally in the clamps.
3.1.7 machine direction, n—the direction in the plane of the fabric parallel to the direction of manufacture.
3.1.8 For definitions of other terms used in this test method, refer to Terminology D123 or Terminology D4439.
4. Summary of Test Method
4.1 A continually increasing load is applied longitudinally to the specimen and the test is carried to rupture. Values for the
breaking load and elongation of the test specimen are obtained from machine scales or dials, autographic recording charts, or
interfaced computers.
5. Significance and Use
5.1 The grab method is applicable whenever it is desired to determine the “effective strength” of the fabric in use, that is, the
strength of the material in a specific width, together with the additional strength contributed by adjacent material. There is no
simple relationship between grab tests and strip tests since the amount of fabric assistance depends on the construction of the fabric.
It is useful as a quality control or acceptance test.
5.2 The procedure in Test Method D4632/D4632M for the determination of grab strength of geotextiles may be used for

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acceptance testing of commercial shipments, but caution is advised since information about between-laboratory precision is
incomplete. Comparative tests as directed in 5.2.1 are advisable.
5.2.1 In case of a dispute arising from differences in reported test results when using the procedures in Test Method
(https://standards.iteh.ai)
D4632/D4632M for acceptance testing of commercial shipments, the purchaser and the manufacturer should conduct comparative
tests to determine if there is a statistical bias between their laboratories. Competent statistical assistance is recommended for the
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investigation of bias. As a minimum, the two parties should take a group of test specimens that 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 the appropriate Student’s
t-test and an acceptable probability level chosen by the two parties before testing is begun. If a bias is found, either its cause must
be found and corrected or the purchaser and theASTM D4632/D4632M-15a
manufacturer must agree to interpret future test results in the light of the known
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bias.
5.3 Most geotextile fabrics can be tested by this test method. Some modification of clamping techniques may be necessary for
a given fabric, depending upon its structure. Special adaptation may be necessary with strong fabrics, or fabrics made from glass
fibers, to prevent them from slipping in the clamps or being damaged as a result of being gripped in the clamps, such as cushioning
the clamp or boarding the specimen within the clamp.
5.4 This test method is applicable for testing fabrics either dry or wet. It may be used with constant-rate-of-traverse (CRT) or
constant-rate-of-extension (CRE) type tension machines. However, there may be no overall correlation between the results
obtained with the CRT machine and the CRE machine. Consequently, these two tension testers cannot be used interchangeably.
In case of controversy, the CRE machine shall prevail.
6. Apparatus
6.1 Tensile Testing Machine, of the constant-rate-of-extension (CRE) or constant-rate-of-traverse (CRT) type with autographic
recorder conforming to the requirements of Specification D76/D76M.
6.2 Clamps, having all gripping surfaces parallel, flat, and capable of preventing slipping of the specimen during a test. Each
clamp shall have one jaw face measuring 25.4 by 50.8 mm [1 by 2 in.], with the longer dimension parallel to the direction of
application of the load. The other jaw face of each clamp shall be at least as large as its mate. Each jaw face shall be in line, both
with respect to its mate in the same clamp and to the corresponding jaw of the other clamp.
7. Sampling and Selection
7.1 Division into Lots and Lot Samples—Divide the material into lots and take a lot sample as directed in Practice D4354. Rolls
of fabric are the primary sampling unit.
7.2 Laboratory Sample—Take for the laboratory sample a swatch extending the width of the fabric and approximately 1 m
[39.37 in.] along the selvage from each roll in the lot sample. The swatch may be taken from the end portion of a roll provided

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there is no evidence that it is distorted or different from other portions of the roll. In cases of dispute, take a swatch that will exclude
fabric from the outer wrap of the roll or the inner wrap around the core.
7.3 Test Specimens—Cut the number of specimens from each swatch in the laboratory sample determined as directed in Section
8. Take no specimens nearer the selvage of fabric edge than 1⁄20 of the fabric width or 150 mm [6 in.], whichever is the smaller.
Cut rectangular specimens 101.6 by 203.2 mm [4 by 8 in.]. Cut the specimens to be used for grab tests in the machine direction
with the longer dimension parallel to the machine direction and the specimens to be used for grab tests in the cross-machine
direction with the longer dimension parallel to the cross-machine direction. Locate each group of specimens along a diagonal line
on the swatch so that each specimen will contain different warp ends and filling picks. Draw a line 37 mm [1.5 in.] from the edge
of the specimen running its full length. For woven and reinforced nonwoven fabrics, this line must be accurately parallel to the
lengthwise yarns in the specimen.

8. Number of Specimens
8.1 Unless otherwise agreed upon as when provided in an applicable material specification, take a number of test specimens per
swatch in the laboratory sample such that the user may expect at the 95 % probability level that the test result is no more than 5 %
above the true average for each swatch in the laboratory sample for each the machine and cross-machine direction, respectively.
8.1.1 Reliable Estimate of v—When there is a reliable estimate of v based upon extensive past records for similar materials
tested in the user’s laboratory as directed in the method, calculate the required number of specimens using Eq 1, as follows:
n 5 ~tv/A ! 2
(1)

where:
n = number of test specimens (rounded upward to a whole number),
v = reliable estimate of the coefficient of variation of individual observations on similar materials in the user’s laboratory under
conditions of single-operator precision, %,
t = the value of Student’s t for one-sided limits (see Table 1), a 95 % probability level, and the degrees of freedom associated
with the estimate of v, and
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A = 5.0 % of the average, the value of the allowable variation.

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8.1.2 No Reliable Estimate of v—When there is no reliable estimate of v for the user’s laboratory, Eq 1 should not be used
directly. Instead, specify the fixed number of 10 specimens for the machine direction tests and 10 specimens for the cross-machine
direction tests. The number of specimens is calculated using v = 9.5 % of the average for both machine direction and cross-machine
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direction. These values for v are somewhat larger than usually found in practice. When a reliable estimate of v for the user’s
laboratory becomes available, Eq 1 will usually require fewer than the fixed number of specimens.

9. Conditioning
ASTM D4632/D4632M-15a
9.1 Bring the specimens to moisture equilibrium in the atmosphere for testing geotextiles. Equilibrium is considered to have
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been reached when the increase in mass of the specimen in successive weighings made at intervals of not less than 2 h does not
exceed 0.1 % of the mass of the specimen. In general practice, the industry approaches equilibrium from the “as received” side.
NOTE 1—It is recognized that in practice geotextile materials are frequently not weighed to determine when moisture equilibrium has been reached.
While such a procedure cannot be accepted in cases of dispute, it may be sufficient in routine testing to expose the material to the standard atmosphere
for testing for a reasonable period of time before the specimens are tested. A time of at least 24 h has been found acceptable in most cases. However,
certain fibers may exhibit slow moisture equalization rates from the “as received” wet side. When this is known, a preconditioning cycle, as described

TABLE 1 Values of Student’s t for One-Sided Limits

and the 95 % ProbabilityA
df One- df One- df One-
Sided Sided sided
1 6.314 11 1.796 22 1.717
2 2.920 12 1.782 24 1.711
3 2.353 13 1.771 26 1.706
4 2.132 14 1.761 28 1.701
5 2.015 15 1.753 30 1.697
6 1.943 16 1.746 40 1.684
7 1.895 17 1.740 50 1.676
8 1.860 18 1.734 60 1.671
9 1.833 19 1.729 120 1.658
10 1.812 20 1.725 1.645
A
Values in this table were calculated using Hewlett Packard HP 67/97 Users’
Library Programs 03848D, “One-Sided and Two-Sided Critical Values of Stu-
dent’s t” and 00350D, “Improved Normal and Inverse Distribution.” For values at
other than the 95 % probability level, see published tables of critical values of
Student’s t in any standard statistical text. Further use of this table is defined in
Practice D2905.