Mechanical properties and failure characteristics of geocells: A comparative experimental study
- 1Jinshan Branch, Cangzhou Transportation Development (Group) Co., Ltd., Cangzhou, Hebei, China.
- 2School of Traffic and Transportation, Shijiazhuang Tiedao University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China.
- 3School of Civil Engineering, Shijiazhuang Tiedao University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China.
Abstract
The tensile performance of geocells depends on the mechanical responses of both cell walls and junctions. Three commercial geocells, liquation-welded polypropylene (LW), injection-molded polyester (IM), and ultrasonic-welded high-density polyethylene (UW), were examined through tensile testing, macroscopic observation, and scanning electron microscopy of cell-wall fracture surfaces. Five configurations were used: cell-wall tension, junction-inclusive tension, and junction seam, shear, and split tests. The cell-wall peak strengths of LW, IM, and UW were 143.03 ± 4.43, 185.61 ± 7.96, and 39.42 ± 2.41 kN/m, respectively. Including a junction changed the strengths by +28.99%, −59.79%, and −23.76%. The LW and IM cell walls lost load rapidly after the peak. UW exhibited necking and extended post-yield deformation. SEM revealed microfibrillar bundles in LW, a smooth layered surface in IM, and dense drawn microfibrils in UW. Under junction-inclusive tension, LW tore near the raised-tab edge, IM cracked through the ligaments between the holes, and UW fractured at a weld-wall boundary. LW provided the highest seam and shear strengths of 66.16 ± 4.20 and 146.02 ± 8.46 kN/m. IM provided the highest split strength of 158.55 ± 10.34 kN/m. UW showed lower junction strengths but reached 343.09 ± 13.72% rupture strain under shear. Under seam and shear loading, LW failed near the tab-wall transition, while IM fractured from hole edges. UW failed within the weld region under seam loading and at a weld-wall boundary under shear loading. Under split loading, failure occurred at the heat-fused interface in LW, the molded body in IM, and the central weld in UW.
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BibTeX
@article{zhang2026mechanical,
title = {{Mechanical properties and failure characteristics of geocells: A comparative experimental study}},
author = {Yuefeng Zhang and Da Zhang and Liang Wang and Wei Pang and Junxia Ding},
journal = {PLOS One},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0351237},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0351237},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Mechanical properties and failure characteristics of geocells: A comparative experimental study
AU - Yuefeng Zhang
AU - Da Zhang
AU - Liang Wang
AU - Wei Pang
AU - Junxia Ding
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/23
JO - PLOS One
DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0351237
UR - https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0351237
AB - The tensile performance of geocells depends on the mechanical responses of both cell walls and junctions. Three commercial geocells, liquation-welded polypropylene (LW), injection-molded polyester (IM), and ultrasonic-welded high-density polyethylene (UW), were examined through tensile testing, macroscopic observation, and scanning electron microscopy of cell-wall fracture surfaces. Five configurations were used: cell-wall tension, junction-inclusive tension, and junction seam, shear, and split tests. The cell-wall peak strengths of LW, IM, and UW were 143.03 ± 4.43, 185.61 ± 7.96, and 39.42 ± 2.41 kN/m, respectively. Including a junction changed the strengths by +28.99%, −59.79%, and −23.76%. The LW and IM cell walls lost load rapidly after the peak. UW exhibited necking and extended post-yield deformation. SEM revealed microfibrillar bundles in LW, a smooth layered surface in IM, and dense drawn microfibrils in UW. Under junction-inclusive tension, LW tore near the raised-tab edge, IM cracked through the ligaments between the holes, and UW fractured at a weld-wall boundary. LW provided the highest seam and shear strengths of 66.16 ± 4.20 and 146.02 ± 8.46 kN/m. IM provided the highest split strength of 158.55 ± 10.34 kN/m. UW showed lower junction strengths but reached 343.09 ± 13.72% rupture strain under shear. Under seam and shear loading, LW failed near the tab-wall transition, while IM fractured from hole edges. UW failed within the weld region under seam loading and at a weld-wall boundary under shear loading. Under split loading, failure occurred at the heat-fused interface in LW, the molded body in IM, and the central weld in UW.
SN - 1932-6203
ER -