Designation: D 6706 01

Standard Test Method for

Measuring Geosynthetic Pullout Resistance in Soil1

This standard is issued under the fixed designation D 6706; 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 (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.

3.1.3 cross-machine direction, nthe direction in the plane

of the geosynthetic perpendicular to the direction of manufacture.
3.1.4 failure, na defined point at which a material ceases
to be functionally capable of its intended use.
3.1.5 geosynthetic, na planar product manufactured from
polymeric material used with soil, rock, earth, or other geotechnical engineering related material as an integral part of a
man-made project, structure, or system.
(D 4439)
3.1.6 junction, nthe point where geogrid ribs are interconnected in order to provide structure and dimensional stability.
3.1.7 machine direction, nthe direction in the plane of the
geosynthetic parallel to the direction of manufacture.
3.1.8 pullout, nthe movement of a geosynthetic over its
entire embedded length, with initial pullout occurring when the
back of the specimen moves, and ultimate pullout occurring
when the movement is uniform over the entire embedded
length.
3.1.9 pullout force, (kN), nforce required to pull a geosynthetic out of the soil during a pullout test.
3.1.10 pullout resistance, (kN/m), nthe pullout force per
width of geosynthetic measured at a specified condition of
displacement.
3.1.11 rib, nthe continuous elements of a geogrid which
are either in the machine or cross-machine direction as
manufactured.
3.1.12 ultimate pullout resistance, (kN/m), nthe maximum pullout resistance measured during a pullout test.
3.1.13 wire gage, na displacement gage consisting of a
non extensible wire attached to the geosynthetic and monitored
by connection to a dial extensometer, or electronic displacement transducer.
3.2 For definitions of other terms used in this test method
refer to Terminology D 123, D 653, and D 4439.

1. Scope
1.1 Resistance of a geosynthetic to pullout from soil is
determined using a laboratory pullout box.
1.2 The test method is intended to be a performance test
conducted as closely as possible to replicate design or as-built
conditions. It can also be used to compare different geosynthetics, soil types, etc., and thereby be used as a research and
development test procedure.
1.3 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as
standard. The values stated in parentheses are provided for
information only.
1.4 This standard may involve hazardous materials, and
equipment. 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
2.1 ASTM Standards:
D 123 Definitions of Terms Relating to Textiles2
D 653 Terminology Relating to Soil, Rock and Contained
Fluids3
D 2905 Statement on Number of Specimens Required to
Determine the Average Quality of Textiles2
D 3080 Method for Direct Shear Test of Soils Under Consolidated Drained Conditions3
D 4354 Practice for the Sampling of Geotextiles3
D 4439 Terminology for Geotextiles3
3. Terminology
3.1 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:
3.1.1 apertures, nthe open spaces in geogrids which
enable soil interlocking to occur.
3.1.2 atmosphere for testing geosynthetics, nair maintained at a relative humidity of 60 6 10 % and a temperature
of 21 6 2C (70 6 4F).

4. Summary of Test Method

4.1 In this method, a geosynthetic is embedded between two
layers of soil, horizontal force is applied to the geosynthetic
and the force required to pull the geosynthetic out of the soil is
recorded.
4.2 Pullout resistance is obtained by dividing the maximum
load by the test specimen width.
4.3 The test is performed while subjected to normal compressive stresses which are applied to the top soil layer.

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 Sept. 10, 2001. Published October 2001.
2
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 07.01.
3
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 04.09.

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

D 6706
the front as defined by the direction of applied pullout force. A
typical box is shown in Fig. 1.
6.1.1 The box should be square or rectangular with minimum dimensions 610 mm (24 in.) long by 460 mm (18 in.)
wide by 305 mm (12 in.) deep, if sidewall friction is minimized, otherwise the minimum width should be 760 mm (30
in.). The dimensions should be increased, if necessary, so that
minimum width is the greater of 20 times the D85 of the soil
or 6 times the maximum soil particle size, and the minimum
length greater than 5 times the maximum geosynthetic aperture
size. The box shall allow for a minimum depth of 150 mm (6
in.) above and below the geosynthetic. The depth of the soil in
the box above or below the geosynthetic shall be a minimum of
6 times the D85 of the soil or 3 times the maximum particle
size of the soil, whichever is greater. The box must allow for at
least 610 mm (24 in.) embedment length beyond the load
transfer sleeve and a minimum specimen length to width ratio
of 2.0. It should be understood that when testing large aperture
geosynthetics the actual pullout box may have to be larger than
the stated minimum dimensions.

4.4 A plot of maximum pullout resistance versus applied

normal stress is obtained by conducting a series of such tests.
5. Significance and Use
5.1 The pullout test method is intended as a performance
test to provide the user with a set of design values for the test
conditions examined.
5.1.1 The test method is applicable to all geosynthetics and
all soils.
5.1.2 This test method produces test data, which can be used
in the design of geosynthetic-reinforced retaining walls, slopes,
and embankments, or in other applications where resistance of
a geosynthetic to pullout under simulated field conditions is
important.
5.1.3 The test results may also provide information related
to the in-soil stress-strain response of a geosynthetic under
confined loading conditions.
5.2 The pullout resistance versus normal stress plot obtained
from this test is a function of soil gradation, plasticity,
as-placed dry unit weight, moisture content, length and surface
characteristics of the geosynthetic and other test parameters.
Therefore, results are expressed in terms of the actual test
conditions. The test measures the net effect of a combination of
pullout mechanisms, which may vary depending on type of
geosynthetic specimen, embedment length, relative opening
size, soil type, displacement rate, normal stress, and other
factors.
5.3 Information between laboratories on precision is incomplete. In cases of dispute, comparative tests to determine if
there is a statistical bias between laboratories may be advisable.

NOTE 1To remove side wall friction as much as possible a high

density polyethylene (HDPE) geomembrane should be bonded to the
inside surfaces of the pullout box. The sidewalls may also be covered with
a layer of silk fabric, which has been shown to eliminate adhesion and has
a very low friction value. Alternatively, a lubricant can be spread on the
sidewalls of the box and thin sheets of polyethylene film used to minimize
the side wall friction. It should be also noted that the effect of sidewall
friction on the soil-geosynthetic interface can also be eliminated if a
minimum distance is kept between the specimen and the side wall. This
minimum distance is recommended to be 150 mm (6 in.).

6.1.2 The box shall be fitted with a metal sleeve at the

entrance of the box to transfer the force into the soil to a
sufficient horizontal distance so as to significantly reduce the
stress on the door of the box. The sleeve, as shown in Fig. 2,
shall consist of two thin plates (no more than 13 mm (0.5 in.)
thick) extending the full width of the pullout box and into the

6. Apparatus
6.1 Pullout BoxAn open rigid box consisting of two
smooth parallel sides, a back wall, a horizontal split removable
door, a bottom plate, and a load transfer sleeve. The door is at

FIG. 1 Experimental Set-Up for Geosynthetic Pullout Testing

D 6706

FIG. 2 Cross-Sectional Detail View for Geosynthetic Pullout Setup

must be incorporated into the system and shall be accurate

within 60.5 % of its full-scale range.

pullout box a minimum distance of 150 mm (6 in.) but it is

recommended that this distance equal the total soil depth above
or below the geosynthetic. The plates shall be tapered as shown
in Fig. 2, such that at the point of load application in the soil,
the plates forming the sleeve are no more then 3 mm (0.12 in.)
thick. The plates shall be rigidly separated at the sides with
spacers and be sufficiently stiff such that normal stress is not
transferred to the geosynthetic between the plates.
6.2 Normal Stress Loading DeviceNormal stress applied
to the upper layer of soil above the geosynthetic must be
constant and uniform for the duration of the test. To maintain
a uniform normal stress, a flexible pneumatic or hydraulic
diaphragm-loading device which is continuous over the entire
pullout box area should be used and capable of maintaining the
applied normal stress within 62 % of the required normal
stress. Normal stresses utilized will depend on testing requirements, however, stresses up to 250 kPa (35 psi) should be
anticipated. A recommended normal stress-loading device is an
air bag is shown in Fig. 2.
6.3 Pullout Force Loading DevicePullout force must be
supplied by a device with the ability to pull the geosynthetic
horizontally out of the pullout box. The force must be at the
same level with the specimen. The pullout system must be able
to apply the pullout force at a constant rate of displacement,
slow enough to dissipate soil pore pressures as outlined in Test
Method D 3080. If excess pore pressures are not anticipated
and in the absence of a material specification, apply the pullout
force at a rate of 1 mm/min 610 percent, and the pullout rate
should be monitored during testing, see Note 2. Also, a device
to measure the pullout force such as a load cell or proving ring

NOTE 2Pullout tests may also be conducted using a constant stress

loading approach. This approach can be achieved using one of the three
methods described: (1) Controlled Stress Rate Method (short-term loading
condition) where the pullout force is applied to the geosynthetic under a
uniform rate of load application, not exceeding 2 kN/m/min until pullout
or failure of the geosynthetic is achieved; (2) Incremental Stress Method
(short-term loading condition) where the pullout force is applied in
uniform or doubling increments and held for a specific time before
proceeding to the next increment, as agreed to by the parties involved until
pullout or failure of the geosynthetic is achieved; and (3) Constant Stress
(Creep) Method (long-term loading condition) where the pullout force is
applied using one of the first two methods mentioned above to achieve the
required constant stress for the test. The constant stress is maintained and
the test specimen is monitored over time for the duration of time agreed
to by the parties involved (i.e., typically 100 to 10,000 h depending on
application). It should be noted that the constant stress procedures
described above, have not been widely researched and comparisons with
the constant strain method have not been determined.

6.4 Displacement IndicatorsHorizontal displacement of

the geosynthetic is measured at the entrance of the pullout box
and at several locations on the embedded portion of the
specimen. Measurements outside the door at the pullout box
entrance are made by a dial extensometer or electronic displacement transducers (e.g. liner variable differential transformers (LVDTs) can be used) mounted to the box frame to
read against a plate attached to the specimen near the door.
6.4.1 Determine the displacement of the geosynthetic at a
minimum of three equally spaced distances from the clamping
3

D 6706
6.7 Miscellaneous EquipmentMeasurement and trimming
equipment as necessary for geosynthetic preparation, a timing
device and soil property testing equipment if desired.

plates. Displacement measurements within the box may employ any of several methods, which place sensors or gauge
connectors directly on the geosynthetic and monitor their
change in location remotely. One such device utilizes wire
gages, which are protected from normal stress by a surrounding
tube, which runs from a location mounted on the specimen to
the outside of the box where displacements are measured by a
dial indicator or electronic displacement transducer. A typical
instrumentation setup is shown in Fig. 3.
6.4.2 All dial gauges or electronic measurement devices
must be accurate to 6 0.10 mm. Locations of the devices must
be accurately determined and recorded. Minimum extension
capabilities of 50 mm (2 in.) are recommended.
6.5 Geosynthetic Clamping DevicesClamps which connect the specimen to the pullout force system without slipping,
causing clamp breaks or weakening the material may be used,
see Note 3. The clamps shall be swiveled to allow the pulling
forces to be distributed evenly through out the width of the
sample. The clamps must allow the specimen to remain
horizontal during loading and not interfere with the pullout/
shear surface. Gluing, bonding, or otherwise molding of a
geosynthetic within the clamp area is acceptable and recommended whenever slippage might occur.

7. Geosynthetic Sampling
7.1 Lot SampleDivide the product into lots and for any lot
to be tested, take the lot samples as directed in Practice D 4354,
see Note 4.
NOTE 4Lots of geosynthetics are usually designated by the producer
during manufacture. While this test method does not attempt to establish
a frequency of testing for determination of design oriented data, the lot
number of the laboratory sample should be identified. The lot number
should be unique to the raw material and manufacturing process for a
specific number of units (for example, rolls, panel, etc.) designated by the
producer.

7.2 Laboratory SampleConsider the units in the lot

sample as the units in the laboratory sample for the lot to be
tested. Take for a laboratory sample, a sample extending the
full width of the geosynthetic production unit, of sufficient
length along the selvage or edge from each sample roll so that
the requirement of 7.3 can be met. Take a sample that will
exclude material from the outer wrap unless the sample is taken
at the production site, at which point inner and outer wrap
material may be used.
7.3 Test SpecimensFor each unit in the laboratory sample,
remove the required number of specimens. In the absence of a
material specification, select a minimum of 3 specimens if
pullout force versus normal stress relations are to be established.
7.3.1 Remove the minimum of specimens for pullout testing
in a required direction, see Note 5. The minimum embedded
test specimen shall have dimensions of 610 mm (24 in.) long
by 305 mm (12 in.) wide. The actual size of the test specimen
must allow for a minimum of 75 mm (3 in.) clearance on each
side of the test specimen from the side walls of the pullout box
if the side wall friction is minimized (see Note 1), otherwise
the minimum clearance should be 150 mm (6 in.) on each side.

NOTE 3A suggested device is shown in Fig. 4 and includes a simple

clamp consisting of two, 100 mm (4 in.) wide metal angle pieces with a
series of bolts and nuts holding the material between them. One possible
modification is the addition of a metal rod behind the back flange which
allows looping of the material around the rod and back into the clamp. The
use of epoxy bonding within the clamp is generally recommended when
accurate measurement of the geosynthetic displacements within the soil
are required.

6.6 Soil Preparation EquipmentUse equipment as necessary for the placement of soils at desired conditions. This may
include compaction devices such as vibratory or jumpingjack type compaction, or hand compaction hammers. Soil
container or hopper, leveling tools and soil placement/removal
tools may be required.

FIG. 3 Plan View and Typical Tell-Tail Gage Layout

D 6706

FIG. 4 Geosynthetic Pullout Clamping Detail

of soil should be excavated such that the bottom part of the

metal sleeve can be placed with the upper surface horizontal
and level with the soil.
9.2 Place GeosyntheticObtain a test specimen as described in Section 7. Trim the specimen to fit loosely inside the
pullout box with a minimum of 75 mm (3 in.) between the edge
of the specimen and the edge of the pullout box parallel to the
direction of pull, if sidewall friction is minimized (see Note 1),
otherwise there should be a minimum of 150 mm (6 in.)
between the edge of the specimen and the side of the pullout
box. Clamp the sample outside the entrance of the box, gluing
or preparing area in clamp as necessary for uniform pressure,
without damaging the sample. Connect sample and clamp to
pullout force device. Place the geosynthetic within the metal
sleeve at the box entrance. Attach the dial gauge or electronic
displacement transducer to pullout clamp outside of the pullout
box.
9.2.1 Next, the in-soil displacement devices are installed.
Connect the gauges to the specimen and measure locations of
gauges relative to the door. The gauges should be evenly
spaced along the length of the specimen on a diagonal across
the width of the specimen, see Fig. 3. Wire gauges can be
attached by hooking wire to a glued-on tab or in the case of
geogrids, tying directly on to the specimen. Care must be taken
to assure any slack in the wire is eliminated.
9.3 Embed the GeosyntheticInstall top metal sleeve and
top half of door positioned above the test specimen at the
entrance of the pullout box. Place the desired amount of soil on
top of geosynthetic to the required level (see 6.1). Use the same
placement method as used for the bottom soil layer, see 9.1.
9.4 Apply Normal Compressive StressNormal stress can
be provided by way of a hydraulic or pneumatic diaphragm
method as previously described in 6.2. Hydraulic and/or
pneumatic devices must be calibrated and any change in
pressure during testing noted. Normal stresses must be applied
before test is started. If consolidation of the soil in the pullout
box is required to eliminate excess soil pore pressure or to
model field conditions, the required time for consolidation
should be calculated as outlined in Test Method D 3080.
9.5 TestingInsure complete connection of the pullout

The length of the test specimen shall be of sufficient size to

facilitate clamping and maintain the minimum length to width
ratio of 2. The minimum width of the test specimen shall be
305 mm (12 in.) and should include a minimum of five tensile
elements (i.e., ribs/strands). All specimens should be free of
surface defects, etc, not typical of the laboratory sample. Take
no specimens nearer the selvage edge of the geosynthetic
production unit than 110 the width of the unit.
NOTE 5The pullout characteristics of some geosynthetics may depend
on the direction tested. In some applications, it may be necessary to
perform pullout tests in both the machine and the cross-machine directions. In all cases, the direction of pullout of the geosynthetic specimen(s)
should be clearly noted.

8. Conditioning
8.1 When soil is included in the test specimen, the method
of conditioning is selected by the user or mutually agreed upon
by the user and testing agency. In the absence of specified
conditioning criteria, the test should be performed in the
atmosphere for testing geotextiles defined in 3.1.2.
8.2 When the geosynthetic is to be tested in the wet
condition, saturate the specimen in water for a minimum of 24
h prior to testing, see Note 6.
NOTE 6Geosynthetics which do not absorb measurable quantities of
water, such as some geomembranes, geogrids, and geonets, may not
require a full 24 h saturation period for the purpose of this test.

9. Procedure
9.1 Prepare Pullout BoxAssemble pullout box with only
the bottom half of the door in place. Determine the amount of
soil necessary to achieve the desired dry unit weight of the soil
when placed in the lower half of the pullout box. The bottom
layer of soil should be slightly above the bottom half of the
door (approximately 10 mm (0.4 in.)) to avoid dragging of the
geosynthetic on the door. The calculated amount of soil is
placed in the bottom section of the box and compacted as
required. The required number of lifts and amount of compactive effort to be used is a function of the soil type and moisture
content, and should be noted. The soil placement procedure
that is used should allow for a uniform soil dry unit weight
along the pullout box. Level the soil surface. The front section
5

D 6706
system by applying a slight seating load with the pullout force
device, then take initial gauge readings. Load the specimen by
pulling at a constant rate of displacement. The rate is to be
determined according to displacement of dial gauge or electronic displacement transducer outside the pullout box. Take
readings of load and displacement, including those inside the
box, periodically.
9.5.1 Continue loading until the geosynthetic fails or until
pullout occurs, or to a predetermined displacement is reached.
Pullout occurs when deformation of all gauged locations
becomes equal to the displacement rate while the load is
constant or decreasing. For most design work, a minimum
displacement of 75 mm (3 in.) may be used to terminate the
test. Record maximum load and mode of failure.
9.6 After TestRemove normal stress and disassemble the
device. Identify and inspect the soil-geosynthetic interface.
Check for uniform geosynthetic deformation.
9.7 Repeat the procedure as required under additional normal compressive stresses.

where:
sN = total normal stress applied to test specimen, kPa,
ss = normal stress due to soil above geosynthetic, kPa, and
sa = normal stress due to the applied normal stress, kPa.
10.3 Calculate pullout resistance, Pr, applied by the geosynthetic as follows: (1) for geotextiles, geomembranes, and
reinforcing strips, use Eq 2; and (2) for geogrids and other grid
like structures, use Eq 3.
Fp
Pr 5 W
Pr 5

F p 3 ng
Ng

where:
Pr =
Fp =
Wg =
ng =

(3)

pullout resistance, kN/m,

pullout force, kN,
width of geosynthetic, m,
number of ribs per unit width of geogrid in the
direction of the pullout force, and
Ng = number of ribs of geogrid test specimen in the
direction of the pullout force.
10.4 Plot the test data as a graph of maximum pullout
resistance verses normal stress. Plot the pullout resistance
verses displacement for each section of specimen within the
pullout box. An example of both plots is provided in Figs. 5
and 6.

10. Calculations
10.1 Determine unit weight of soil above and below the
geosynthetic and water content of soil if appropriate.
10.2 The total normal stress applied to the test specimen is
determined by adding the applied normal stress to the normal
stress due to soil above the geosynthetic according to Eq 1 as
follows:
s N 5 s s 1 sa

(2)

11. Report
11.1 The report shall include the following:
11.1.1 Description of test apparatus.
11.1.2 Test conditions.

(1)

FIG. 5 Typical Maximum Pullout Resistance Versus Normal Stress Plot

D 6706

FIG. 6 Typical Relationship Between Pullout Load and Displacement at Front of Pullout Box and Tell-Tail Wire Displacements

11.1.3 Any departures from standard procedure.

11.1.4 Identification and description of geosynthetic
sample(s).
11.1.5 Dimensions of geosynthetic specimen within the
pullout box.
11.1.6 Identification of and descriptions of soil including
soil classification, water content, unit weight, grain size, and
other identifying information if available.
11.1.7 All basic data including normal stresses, displacement measurements, and corresponding resistance values.
11.1.8 Plot(s) of pullout resistance versus displacement and
maximum pullout resistance versus normal stress.
11.1.9 Description of the geosynthetic specimen conditions

before and after testing.

12. Precision and Bias
12.1 PrecisionThe precision of the procedure in this test
method is being established.
12.2 BiasNo justifiable statement can be made on the bias
of the procedure in this test method since the true value cannot
be established by accepted referee methods.
13. Keywords
13.1 geosynthetic; performance test; pullout resistance; soil;
soil-geosynthetic interface

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