EN 12225:2020

Geosynthetics - Method for determining the microbiological resistance by a soil burial test

This document specifies a method for the determination of the microbiological resistance of geosynthetics including those of natural fibres and biodegradable polymers by a soil burial test.
NOTE   Experience and exhumation of geosynthetics which had performed successfully, in some cases for more than two decades, indicate that geosynthetics made out of synthetic materials are generally resistant against microbial initiated decay. It can therefore be expected that most of these products commercially available at the present time will pass the soil burial test successfully and it is probably not necessary to submit them all to this test independent of their function. However, if the requirements for appropriate functioning of the geosynthetics demand proof of microbiological resistance or if they are manufactured from newly developed polymers whose resistance is in any doubt, the soil burial test can provide additional information.

Geokunststoffe - Prüfverfahren zur Bestimmung der mikrobiologischen Beständigkeit durch einen Erdeingrabungsversuch

Dieses Dokument legt ein Verfahren zur Bestimmung der mikrobiologischen Beständigkeit von Geokunststoffen, einschließlich denen, die aus Naturfasern und biologisch abbaubaren Polymeren bestehen, durch einen Erdeingrabungsversuch fest.
ANMERKUNG   Erfahrungen und die Ausgrabung von Geokunststoffen, die sich in manchen Fällen über mehr als zwei Jahrzehnte als beständig erwiesen haben, zeigen, dass Geokunststoffe aus synthetischen Materialien im Allgemeinen gegenüber mikrobiologisch ausgelöstem Zerfall resistent sind. Es kann deshalb erwartet werden, dass die meisten der gegenwärtigen handelsüblichen Produkte den Erdeingrabungsversuch erfolgreich bestehen werden und dass es wahrscheinlich nicht notwendig ist, sie alle unabhängig von ihrer Funktion dieser Prüfung zu unterziehen. Wenn jedoch die Anforderungen an ausreichende Funktion der Geokunststoffe den Nachweis der mikrobiologischen Beständigkeit erfordern oder wenn sie aus neuentwickelten Polymeren hergestellt sind, deren Beständigkeit anzuzweifeln ist, kann der Erdeingrabungsversuch zusätzliche Informationen liefern.

Géosynthétiques - Méthode pour la détermination de la résistance microbiologique par un essai d'enfouissement dans le sol

Ce document présente une méthode de détermination de la résistance microbiologique des
géosynthétiques incluant ceux constitués de fibres naturelles et de polymères biodégradables par un
essai d'enfouissement dans le sol.
NOTE L'expérience sur des géosynthétiques extraits après un enfouissement, pouvant dans certains cas
dépasser 20 ans, a montré que les produits composés de matières plastiques sont en général résistants à une
dégradation microbienne amorcée. On peut par conséquent s'attendre à ce que la plupart des produits actuellement
disponibles sur le marché obtiennent un résultat positif à l'essai d'enfouissement ; il ne sera probablement pas
nécessaire de les soumettre tous, indépendamment de leur fonction à laquelle ils sont destinés, à cet essai.
Cependant, si les exigences relatives à un emploi adéquat des produits concernés nécessitent de démontrer leur
résistance microbiologique, ou, s'ils ont été fabriqués à partir de polymères récemment mis au point pour lesquels
la résistance microbiologique n'a pas été établie, il convient d'effectuer l'essai d'enfouissement.

Geosintetika - Metoda ugotavljanja mikrobiološke odpornosti s preskusom zakopavanja v zemljo

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 10-Nov-2020
• Withdrawal Date: 30-May-2021
• ICS: 07.100.99 - Other standards related to microbiology
• ICS: 59.080.70 - Geotextiles
• Technical Committee: CEN/TC 189 - Geotextiles and geotextile-related products
• Drafting Committee: CEN/TC 189/WG 5 - Durability
• Current Stage: 6060 - Definitive text made available (DAV) - Publishing
• Start Date: 11-Nov-2020
• Due Date: 03-May-2021
• Completion Date: 11-Nov-2020
• Directive: 305/2011 - Regulation (eu) No 305/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 march 2011 laying down harmonised conditions for the marketing of construction products and repealing council directive 89/106/eec
• Ref Project: SIST EN 12225:2021 - Geosynthetics - Method for determining the microbiological resistance by a soil burial test

Relations

• Replaces: EN 12225:2000 - Geotextiles and geotextile-related products - Method for determining the microbiological resistance by a soil burial test
• Effective Date: 21-Nov-2018

Overview

EN 12225:2020 (CEN) - "Geosynthetics - Method for determining the microbiological resistance by a soil burial test" - specifies a laboratory soil burial method to assess the microbiological resistance of geosynthetics, including products made from natural fibres and biodegradable polymers. The standard defines test soil preparation, incubation climate, specimen handling, cleaning, and tensile evaluation to determine whether a geosynthetic shows microbiologically induced degradation under controlled, biologically active soil conditions.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Scope: Evaluates microbiological attack by bacteria and fungi on geosynthetics; intended for cases where proof of resistance is required or for new polymers.
• Test specimen and sampling:
  • Five tensile specimens per direction (machine and cross-machine) and per condition.
  • Control specimens stored in standard atmosphere (EN ISO 291: 23 ±1 °C, 50 ±5 % RH).
• Test soil and biological activity:
  • Natural soil, sieved to remove particles >4 mm; moisture set to (60 ± 5) % of the soil’s SMC (saturation moisture content).
  • Soil acclimatisation: at least 28 days at ≥90 % RH and ≈28 °C (or 56 days at ≈26 °C) to establish microbial activity.
  • Biological activity check: buried cotton strips (100 × 25 mm, ~230 g/m²) must lose tensile strength to ≤25 % of original after 7 days.
• Incubation conditions:
  • Specimens buried 100–150 mm deep; container allows air exchange.
  • Ambient test climate: ~26 ±1 °C with gaseous-phase RH ≥90 % for the container above the soil.
  • Standard test duration: 16 weeks (index); extended tests up to 32 weeks may be used during product development.
• Cleaning and evaluation:
  • After exposure, clean specimens in ethanol-water (70:30) for 300 s, rinse, and dry 72 h in standard atmosphere (unless a product is sensitive to washing-then wipe and dry).
  • Tensile tests performed per EN 12226 and EN ISO 13934-1 (modified clamp distance 50 mm) and compared to controls.
• Reporting: Include reference to EN 12225, test date, sample ID, soil type, soil preparation, test conditions, and results.

Applications and users

EN 12225:2020 is used by:

• Geosynthetic manufacturers validating microbiological durability of new polymers or natural-fibre products
• Independent testing laboratories performing standardized soil-burial assessments
• Geotechnical and civil engineers specifying materials for long-term soil-contact applications (landfills, erosion control, drainage, reinforcement)
• Procurement and conformity bodies requiring documented resistance to microbial degradation

Use this method when biological decay could affect material function or when regulatory/contractual proof of microbiological resistance is required.

Related standards

• EN 12226 - General tests for evaluation following durability testing
• EN ISO 11721-1 - Soil burial test for cellulose-containing textiles
• EN ISO 13934-1 - Tensile properties of fabrics (strip method)
• EN ISO 291 - Standard atmospheres for conditioning and testing

Keywords: EN 12225:2020, geosynthetics, microbiological resistance, soil burial test, geotextiles, biodegradable polymers, CEN.

Standards Content (Sample)

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-januar-2021
Nadomešča:
SIST EN 12225:2001
Geosintetika - Metoda ugotavljanja mikrobiološke odpornosti s preskusom
zakopavanja v zemljo
Geosynthetics - Method for determining the microbiological resistance by a soil burial
test
Geokunststoffe - Prüfverfahren zur Bestimmung der mikrobiologischen Beständigkeit
durch einen Erdeingrabungsversuch
Géosynthetics - Méthode pour la détermination de la résistance microbiologique par un
essai d'enfouissement
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN 12225:2020
ICS:
07.100.99 Drugi standardi v zvezi z Other standards related to
mikrobiologijo microbiology
59.080.70 Geotekstilije Geotextiles
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

EN 12225
EUROPEAN STANDARD
NORME EUROPÉENNE
November 2020
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
ICS 59.080.70; 07.100.99 Supersedes EN 12225:2000
English Version
Geosynthetics - Method for determining the
microbiological resistance by a soil burial test
Géosynthétiques - Méthode de détermination de la Geokunststoffe - Prüfverfahren zur Bestimmung der
résistance microbiologique par un test mikrobiologischen Beständigkeit durch einen
d'enfouissement dans le sol Erdeingrabungsversuch
This European Standard was approved by CEN on 11 October 2020.

CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this
European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references
concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre or to any CEN
member.
This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by
translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC Management
Centre has the same status as the official versions.

CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and
United Kingdom.
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION

EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG

CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2020 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. EN 12225:2020 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.

Contents   Page
European foreword . 3
1 Scope . 4
2 Normative references . 4
3 Terms and definitions . 4
4 Principle . 5
5 Reagents and apparatus . 5
5.1 Test soil . 5
5.2 Cotton fabric . 6
5.3 Microbicides . 6
5.4 Container . 6
6 Specimens . 6
7 Test climate . 6
8 Procedure. 6
8.1 Biological activity . 6
8.2 Testing of specimens . 7
8.2.1 Active test . 7
8.2.2 Incubation . 7
8.2.3 Cleaning of specimens . 7
8.2.4 Evaluation of tests . 7
9 Test report . 8

European foreword
This document (EN 12225:2020) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 189
“Geosynthetics”, the secretariat of which is held by NBN.
This European Standard shall be given the status of a national standard, either by publication of an
identical text or by endorsement, at the latest by May 2021, and conflicting national standards shall be
withdrawn at the latest by May 2021.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. CEN shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
This document supersedes EN 12225:2000.
Compared with EN 12225:2000 the following modifications have been made:
— revision of the entire document and adaptation to the current rules of structuring and drafting;
— revision of the normative references in the entire document and Clause 2;
— references to the terminological databases of ISO and IEC included in Clause 3;
— the bibliography has been deleted.
According to the CEN-CENELEC Internal Regulations, the national standards organisations of the
following countries are bound to implement this European Standard: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria,
Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland,
Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of
North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and the
United Kingdom.
1 Scope
This document specifies a method for the determination of the microbiological resistance of
geosynthetics including those of natural fibres and biodegradable polymers by a soil burial test.
NOTE Experience and exhumation of geosynthetics which had performed successfully, in some cases for
more than two decades, indicate that geosynthetics made out of synthetic materials are generally resistant against
microbial initiated decay. It can therefore be expected that most of these products commercially available at the
present time will pass the soil burial test successfully and it is probably not necessary to submit them all to this
test independent of their function. However, if the requirements for appropriate functioning of the geosynthetics
demand proof of microbiological resistance or if they are manufactured from newly developed polymers whose
resistance is in any doubt, the soil burial test can provide additional information.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
EN 12226, Geosynthetics — General tests for evaluation following durability testing
EN ISO 291, Plastics — Standard atmospheres for conditioning and testing (ISO 291)
EN ISO 11721-1:2001, Textiles — Determination of the resistance of cellulose-containing textiles to micro-
organisms — Soil burial test — Part 1: Assessment of rot-retardant finishing (ISO 11721-1:2001)
EN ISO 13934-1, Textiles — Tensile properties of fabrics — Part 1: Determination of maximum force and
elongation at maximum force using the strip method (ISO 13934-1)
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— IEC Elec
...