Evaluating the Degradation of a Nonwoven Polypropylene Geotextile Exposed to Natural Weathering for 3 Years

Polypropylene is the primary raw material for manufacturing geotextiles due to different characteristics, in which the low cost stands out compared to other polymers. Therefore, studying the degradation caused by environmental factors in this type of material used in civil construction is fundamental because it shows its durability. This work evaluated the degradation of a nonwoven polypropylene geotextile exposed to natural weathering in a panel located at the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil. The geotextile was exposed for one and three years, where samples were collected to measure macro-structural changes in the material's physical (mass per unit area and thickness) and tensile properties. In addition, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses were performed to measure degradation at the microstructural level. The results showed a decrease in the material's physical and mechanical property values due to exposure, considerably greater in samples exposed for three years than those exposed for one year. The degradation of geotextile fibres in the 3-year sample was verified through SEM images. Furthermore, the DSC analysis results did not identify all polymeric degradation, indicating the necessity of using other techniques such as thermogravimetric analysis and dynamic-mechanical analysis for more profound polymeric interpretations.