GEOMEMBRANE

FIELD
INSTALLATION
CONTENTS

Introduction

Quality Control and Quality Assurance

Types of lining systems

Basic Lining Design

Executive Lining Design

Basic Lining Design Specification

Executive Lining Design Specification

Prior to the Field Installation

Rolls Reception, Storage and Handling

Geomembrane Installation

1. Earthwork
2. Concrete Surfaces Anchor
3. Interferences
4. Liner Deployment
5. Field Seaming
6. Field Tests Procedures
6.1. Non‐Destructive Seam Testing
6.2. Destructive Seam Testing

Installation Quality Control

Quality Assurance Inspection

Introduction

The purpose of this manual is to give information to the designers of the

correct way to have a well succeeded geomembrane field installation,
having in mind the good performance of the liner system as a whole.
This information does not address design guidelines, selection of
geomembrane and installation specifications.

Quality Control and Quality Assurance

Quality Control: A collection of procedures and tests done by the

manufacturer or installer, according to appropriate standards, that give the
guarantee of the good product or field installation services quality.
Quality Assurance: A collection of activities scheduled to verify if the
manufactured product, the product delivered or the field installation
services are being carried out in agreement with the appropriate technical
standard and the executive design specifications.

Types of lining systems

For classification, in this recommendation, one defines three construction

types:
I. Construction in which the lining system failure causes environmental
and heritage outstanding damage.
II. Construction with intermediary risks between me and III.
III. Construction in which the lining system failure doesn’t cause
environmental damage and can be easily repaired.

Basic Lining Design

The basic lining design shall analyze the following items:

1. The conception of the whole lining system.
2. Geotechnical aspects considering: the local characteristics and its
peculiarities, the accidental previous contamination, the support soil
bearing capacity, the slopes and covers (protection systems, drainage
layers and cover) stability.
3. The water presence by the water level elevation or by gases and
liquids previous contamination.
4. The construction types I and II, one must verify the following: the
waste and wastewater characteristics that will be storage, evaluating
its risks, the elements that could have dangerous interactions and its
maximum concentration, from a judgement characterization carried
out by specialists.
5. The local environmental characteristics.

The basic lining design shall define:

1. The geometry of the lining area.

2. The interferences (pipes, concrete etc.) location.
 3. The several drainage systems for fluid and gases collection and
conduction under and above the geomembrane, in the cover cap and
in the periphery lining system.
4. For the construction I an II, the mechanical and physic‐ chemical
solicitation acting in the geomembrane.
5. The reduction factors when necessary.
6. The minimum possible interferences (see item Interferences).

Executive Lining Design

The executive lining design shall detailed all items defined in the basic
lining design plus the geomembrane selection and its specification, the
installation plan, the lining acceptance criteria, the anchorage details, the
interferences and others, the execution recommendations and notes about
the careful with the lining operation and maintenance.

Basic Lining Design Specification

For the geomembrane specification, in the basic design, one shall take into
account the mechanical and physic‐chemical solicitations, the diffusion
characteristics required, as well as the solicitations lasting, considering the
installation and the lifetime phases.
The basic design specifies the properties of the geomembrane and the other
geosynthetics and products involved, in relation to the lining installation
and lifetime solicitations.

Executive Lining Design Specification

The executive design shall indicate the qualification and the quantification
of the select geomembrane, including the polymer type, the density, and
thickness according to the construction use. It also shall indicate the items
to be verified in the field installation quality control, the recommendations
about the geomembrane reception, as well as its verification related with
the visual and physical characteristics. The manufacturer’s quality
certificate, delivered with the geomembrane, shall be checked, and it is
important also the definition of the lining acceptance criteria and the rolls
storage conditions.
In constructions types I and II, the executive design shall have the follow
items:
1. Indicate the minimum geomembrane selected characteristics. As a
suggestion one recommend: density, nominal thickness, tensile
properties at yield and at break, puncture resistance and tests that
identify the relevant characteristics for the design aim, as the
chemical and weathering resistance.
2. To set up the reception and the approval criteria for the
geomembrane reception and installation works.
3. To set up the installation quality control tests including non‐
destructive and destructive frequency tests.
 4. The quantity of geomembrane, the plan for liner deployment with
rolls’ identification, seams location and the anchorage system. The
geomembrane quantity also shall consider the anchorage length, the
seam overlap, the interferences (pipes, concrete walls …) and the
rolls' loses modulation.
5. A good drainage system in the bottom, under the geomembrane, to
fluids and gases drainage.

Prior to the Field Installation

Several cares shall be taken for the geomembrane field installation success,
besides the good seaming process. Before starting installation services, one
shall verify some requirements and analyze the impermeabilization design in
relation to:
1. Geomembrane specification, rolls’ modulation and anchorage system.
2. Geomembrane quantity.
3. Details: the interferences unions and others relevant details.
4. Quality assurance criteria for:
a) The product delivery quality.
b) The field installation stages.
c) The field seaming
d) The lining system acceptance and control.
5. Weather conditions

Rolls Reception, Storage and Handling

1. Reception: The rolls have to have the identification number.
2. Quality control certificate: Every rolls batch received shall have the
quality control certificate.
3. Rolls unloading: The rolls unloading shall be done with equipments
that ensure its security transportation.
4. Visual rolls inspection: It is recommended to do the visual rolls
inspection, just after the unloading. The external roll side shall have
free of holes, tears and bubbles.
5. Storage surface: The rolls shall be laid down in wood platforms or in
sandy mattress. The storage surface shall be plane and free of stones,
puncture materials, mud and grease. It is recommended to avoid rolls
storage near chemical agents and heat sources.
6. Location of storage space: The storage location shall be in a location
such that site transportation and handling are minimized.
Geomembrane Installation

1. Earthwork
1.1. Surface Preparation
The surface shall be prepared, prior to the liner installation, according to
the executive design guidelines.
The surface to be lined shall be smooth and free of sharp objects and
stones, free of all foreign and organic material and debris of any kind.
When the lining system includes compacted clay layer, the compacted
surface shall have no sharp changes or abrupt breaks in grade and shall be
free of sharp materials.
Stones and rocks over 9,52 mm diameter shall not be allowed in the top 15
cm of soil sub grade.
One recommends that the surface be lined immediately after its preparation
to avoid deterioration caused by rain, wind, lost of moisture or local traffic.
All surfaces shall be carefully inspected immediately before to be lined to
verify if all above recommendations were followed.
1.2. Anchor Trench
The anchor trenches shall excavate a little before the geomembrane
placement to avoid rain damages and in case of clay soil, its desiccation.
The anchor trench shall be excavated according to the design dimensions.
The anchor trenches corners shall be slightly rounded to avoid sharp bends
in the geomembrane.
The backfilling of the anchor trench shall be carefully to avoid the
geomembrane damage.

2. Concrete Surfaces Anchor

The concrete surfaces anchor is done by put in concrete an extruded HDPE
profile, named embedment anchor. The geomembrane is welded to this
anchor by extrusion welding.

3. Interferences
The interferences with pipes, entrance and exit boxes and other surfaces
shall be treated according to the design details.

4. Liner Deployment
Immediately before the liner deployment one shall be verify if the surface is
according to the recommendations the item surface preparation.
1. Roll identification: One shall be registered the number, the location and
the placement date of each roll and shall be done the daily geomembrane
deployment as built.
2. Deployment:
The rolls shall be placement according to its number and position in the
executive design.
The geomembrane shall be deployed vertically up and down the slope.
The geomembrane shall be deployed in such a way that has a minimum of
wrinkle.
Adequate temporary anchoring (sand bags or tires), that cause no damage to
the geomembrane, shall be placed to prevent uplift by the wind. In cases of
high wind, continuous loading is recommended along the edges of panels to
minimize risk of wind flow under the geomembrane.
If it is inevitable the vehicle traffic on the deployed geomembrane, one
shall be foresee a protection layer above it (geotextile, extra geomembrane
or soil layer), in such a way that the vehicle passes on that layer.

5. Field Seaming

1. The seaming shall be done vertically up and down the slope.

2. In corners and odd‐shaped geometric locations, the numbers of seams
shall be minimizing.
3. One recommends that no horizontal seam shall be done less than 1,50 m
from the toe of the slope or areas of potential stress concentration.
4. The overlaps between panels shall be 10 cm for fusion welding and 7,5
cm for extrusion welding.
5. Immediately before welding start the overlaps shall be dry and clear.
6. Trial seams
Trial seams are done to verify the equipment and the operator. This
verification shall be made at the beginning of each seaming period (start of
day, midday and anytime equipment is turned off and allowed to cool down)
for each seaming equipment used. Trial seams shall be done under the same
conditions as geomembrane’s seams.
The trial seam sample shall be 1 m long and 0,30 m wide, with the seam
centered lengthwise. The seam overlap shall be 10 cm for hot wedge
welding and 7,5 cm for extrusion welding.
From the welding sample shall be cut five (2,5 cm wide and 30 cm long)
specimens to be tested respectively in shear and peel, using a field
tensiometer. These samples should not fail in the seam. If one specimen
fails, the entire operation shall be repeated and the equipment and its
operator should be accepted only when all lacking be corrected and the test
is well done.
In cases of “fish mouths” or wrinkles at the seam overlaps, they shall be cut
along the ridge of the wrinkle, in order to achieve a flat overlap. The
geomembrane portion cut shall be seamed and any portion where overlap is
inadequate shall be patched with an oval or round patch of the same
geomembrane, extending a minimum of 15 cm beyond the cut in all
directions.

6. Field Tests Procedures

6.1. Non‐Destructive Seam Testing

All field seams shall be tested over its full length. Non‐destructive testing
check the integrity of the weld by using air‐pressure testing to the fusion
welds, vacuum testing to extrusion welds and sometimes the spark test for
some extrusion one. These testing shall be carried out at the same time the
seams works as.
Vacuum Testing
It consists of placing the vacuum box assembly over a wetted area, with a
soapy solution, and compress. Create a vacuum of 20 kPa, having ensured
that a leak tight is done. For a period of 10 ‐15 seconds observed the
geomembrane through the viewing box for the presence of soap bubbles. If
no bubbles occur after this time, one move the box the next adjoining area
with a minimum of 7,5 cm overlap and one repeats the process. The areas
where have bubbles formation shall be marked and repaired and then
retested.
Spark Test
It is used when the seam cannot be tested by vacuum test, as irregular
surfaces or curves. In this test, one puts a thin conductor wire through the
superior geomembrane edged with the diameter smaller than its thickness,
so that when the extrusion weld is done it keep in the seam. A device
similar to a metal brush, connected to a 20 kV electric source, shall be
guided through the seam. If there is defect in the seam there will be a
spark.
Air Pressure Testing
It is done through the tunnel created by the fusion weld, energizing the air
pump to a pressure between 160 to 200 kPa, sealing both ends of the seam
and inserting the pressure feed device in one of them. One energizes the air
pump to a pressure between 160 and 200 kPa and close valve. Allow 2
minutes for the injected air to come to equilibrium in the channel, and
sustain pressure for approximately 5 minutes. The loss pressure cannot
exceed 30 kPa. If the loss pressure exceeds this limit value, the faulty area
shall be locate, repaired and retested.

6.2. Destructive Seam Testing

The purpose of these tests is to evaluate the seam strength by specimens
2,5 cm wide and 30 cm long, with the seam centered lengthwise. The tests
shall be done to five specimens. Destructive tests should be minimized to
preserve the integrity of the liner. Usually these test are done once per 150
m of seam length, but is recommended to follow the design specifications.
These tests shall follow the standards recommendations ASTM D 4437, ASTM
D 413, ASTM D 3083 and ASTM D 638, and to attend the two basics
properties:

Shear Testing
Consists in apply a tensile stress from the top sheet through the weld and
into the bottom sheet, at a speed depending on geomembrane raw type,
and register the maximum resistance and location the fail occurs. This
property is verified by ASTM D 3083 modified according to NSF54 – Appendix
A. In this test to take the adequate resistance, one recommend results
upper then 80 to 95 % from geomembrane yield resistance. There are
designs that specify 95% of the geomembrane yield stress.

Peel Testing
It peels the top sheet back against the overlapped edge of the bottom sheet
in order to observe how separation occurs. This test is verified by ASTM D
413 modified according to NSF54 – Appendix A. One considers attended the
resistance if the result be greater than 70% of the geomembrane yield
resistance.

Pass – Fail Criteria

1. For out five specimens shall be considered approved.

2. The specimens shall not fail within the seam area. The fail shall be by
geomembrane tear FTB.

Installation Quality Control

The installer shall to prove the installation quality by presentation tables
with register of all tasks executed, including the non‐destructive and
destructive tests.

Quality Assurance Inspection

The Quality Assurance inspection shall verify all installation steps at the
same time the works are going executed. One shall check if the steps follow
the design specifications and standards. One suggests verify the follow
items:

1. Surface condition immediately before the geomembrane placement

2. Geomembrane deployment and panel’s identification
3. Temporary anchorage
4. The anchor trench conditions and the geomembrane placement in it
5. Welding equipments type and operation conditions:
Fusion welding
Extrusion welding
Hot air apparatus
6. Quality Control tests devices
Air pressure
Vacuum test
Spark test
Tensiometer
7. Fusion welding seaming
8. Extrusion welding seaming
9. Repairs
10. Pipe penetrations
11. Seam crossing
12. As built
13. Documentation

Roll’s deployment identification

Seaming control
Non‐destructive and destructive tests
Daily report
IMAGES