Overview
EN ISO 9864:2005 (CEN) specifies a standardised test method for determination of mass per unit area of geotextiles and geotextile-related products. The method is intended for product identification and for reporting consistent values in technical data sheets. It is applicable to all geotextiles and geotextile-related products, including materials with open mesh structures such as geogrids and geonets.
Key Topics
- Specimen preparation: Cut no fewer than ten specimens in accordance with EN ISO 9862. Nominal specimen size is 100 cm² using a die, unless a larger size is required to represent the product structure.
- Measurement accuracy: Measure specimen dimensions to an accuracy of 0.5 %.
- Special structures: For products with large mesh sizes (e.g. geogrids, geonets) cut specimens halfway between constituent links. Each specimen shall include at least five constituent elements in both directions and the area of each specimen shall be determined individually.
- Conditioning: Condition specimens in the atmosphere specified by ISO 554 for 24 h unless it can be demonstrated that conditioning does not affect results.
- Weighing: Weigh each specimen to an accuracy of 10 mg.
- Calculation: Compute mass per unit area ρ (g/m²) for each specimen using: ρ = (m × 10 000) / A, where m is specimen mass in grams and A is specimen area in cm². Report the mean mass per unit area (rounded to the nearest g/m²) and the coefficient of variation.
- Test reporting: Include statement of compliance, number of specimens, conditioning atmosphere, specimen size (if >100 cm²), mean mass per unit area, coefficient of variation, deviations from procedure and test date.
Applications
EN ISO 9864:2005 provides practical value across manufacturing, testing laboratories and project specifications by enabling:
- Consistent product identification and traceability of geotextile grades.
- Reliable quality control checks during production and on delivered materials.
- Standardised values for technical data sheets, procurement and performance comparisons.
- Useful input for design verification where mass per unit area is used as a descriptor of material construction.
This method supports routine laboratory testing and acceptance testing for geosynthetics used in filtration, separation, reinforcement and drainage applications.
Related Standards
- ISO 554 - Standard atmospheres for conditioning and/or testing (referenced for specimen conditioning).
- EN ISO 9862 - Geosynthetics - Sampling and preparation of test specimens (cuts and specimen selection).
- EN 965:1995 - This document supersedes EN 965:1995.
By following EN ISO 9864:2005, testing bodies ensure reproducible mass-per-area data for geotextiles and geotextile-related products, supporting quality assurance and accurate specification in geotechnical projects.
