Geosynthetics are made of polymeric matrix widely used in geotechnical engineering projects intended to last for generations. Specifically, in coastal hydraulic projects it is important to evaluate the geomechanical and durability behavior of geosynthetic container system – GCS. Therefore, is necessary to know the characteristics of these applied materials in relation to the exogenous environment over the long term. Four woven geotextiles are considered GCS constituent: two tests were carried out on monofilament polypropylene with UV stabilizer and two on multifilament polyester. A methodology is proposed where it is the evaluation of the variations of the mechanical behavior due to degradation processes of the material, naturally in the field or accelerated in the laboratory by condensation and ultraviolet radiation. The evaluation of the mechanical behavior is done through the striped method tensile strength test. The results, according to the materials studied, the polypropylenes are less susceptible to degradation compared to polyesters with resistance loss varying between 48% and 55%, and 73% and 98%, respectively. Analysis of geotextile materials by spectrophotometry was conducted, making comparisons between laboratory and field degradation. The analyses and correlations demonstrated to be satisfactory for characterization of durability. It was concluded that the methodology for durability analysis proved to be an important tool for predicting the long-term behavior of these materials. The procedures used for field and laboratory degradation presented similar durability results and indicated that of the studied materials, polypropylenes as the best choice as GCS.
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