Balinas, P

Mamawag, R

GEOMEMBRANE
Orlopia, R
Pontillas, A
Raganas, M
Rosales, J
GEOMEMBRANE:
A very low permeability synthetic
membrane liner or barrier

Made from thin continuous polymeric

sheets
GEOMEMBRANE:
can also be made from the infusion of
geotextiles with asphalt, elastomer, or
polymer sprays.

Used to control fluid and gas migration

in a human made structures
Geomembranes are relatively
impermeable compared to
Geomembrane
other geosynthetics with a
typical permeability values of
vs
1x10^-12 to 1x10^-15 m/s as Other
measured by water-vapor Geosynthetics
transmission test
Widely used Geomembrane

1. High Density Polyethylene (HDPE)

2. Linear Low Density Polyethylene (LLDPE)

3. Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)

HIGH DENSITY POLYETHYLENE (HDPE)

Made from high density polyethylene

combined with specified quantity
carbon black, antioxidant, anti-aging
agent and UV resistance components
The most chemically resistant
member of the polyethylene family
due to its dense configuration.
Less flexible than LLDPE
LINEAR LOW DENSITY POLYETHYLENE (LLDPE)

Low density type polymer with a

density between about 0.915 and 0.930
g/cm3
Flexible with high impact strength
A copolymer of ethylene and other
alkenes such as butene, hexene or
octene.
 POLYVINYL CHLORIDE (PVC)

highly flexible thermoplastic

waterproofing geomembrane
manufactured from a mixture of vinyl
compounds, plasticizers, and
stabilizers.
High puncture resistance due to high
deformability
 1. Excellent chemical resistance

2. Good UV resistance

3. Fish safe

4. Very durable (more or less 50 years

lifespan)

ADVANTAGES
OF USING
GEOMEMBRANES
 DISADVANTAGES OF
USING GEOMEMBRANES

1. Heavy weight makes it more expensive to ship

2. Poor resistance to stress cracking
3. Susceptible to puncture
PROPERTIES OF
GEOMEMBRANE
Understanding the properties of
geomembranes is crucial for selecting the
appropriate type for a specific project. The key
properties of geomembranes, including their
physical, mechanical, environmental
characteristics, and life span
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
Depending on the type of geomembrane there are 3 types of thickness to be considered:

SMOOTH SHEET

This surface type has minimal surface texturing, providing a uniform

appearance and a smooth touch. Smooth geomembranes are used in various
containment applications where the primary purpose is to provide a barrier
against fluid or gas migration, without the need for additional surface
friction. ASTM D5199 AND ISO 09863 are the methods used in measuring the
thickness of geomembrane.
 PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
TEXTURED SHEET
The roughened surface of a textured geomembrane results in a significant
increase in interface friction with adjacent material versus the same
geomembrane with smooth sheet. Unlike smooth geomembranes, which have a
plain and smooth surface, textured geomembranes have irregularities or raised
patterns on their surface. The texturing provides the geomembrane with
enhanced frictional properties and increases its resistance to slippage or sliding
on the subgrade.

ASPERITY HEIGHT

Generally, the asperities on textured geomembranes are designed to provide enhanced friction and stability,
but they are not typically very thick. They may range from a fraction of a millimeter (a few mils) to a few
millimeters in height. The
 MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
TENSILE STRENGTH
The HDPE geomembrane responded in a characteristic fashion by showing pronounced yield point at 10 to 15%
strain, and then extending in strain to approximately 1000% when failure actually occured.

IMPACT/PUNCTURERESISTANCE

The HDPE geomembrane test showed that using such device. it is clearly that the thicker geomembrane have
the greater impact resistance.

DENSITY
the comment of HDPE geomembrane should be made. based on the ASTM classification for geomembrane
HDPE resin requires a density >0.94 mg/l
ANIMALS

thus, geomembrane is vulnerable to burrowing animals like rats. there are no established
procedure test but it can be assumed that thicker geomembrane better its resistance in
animal attack.

BACTERIA

The greatest concern about bacteria regarding geomembranes is not polymeric

degradation.

LIFE SPAN

HDPE geomembranes are known for their durability and can have a service life of 20 to 40
years or more, depending on the thickness, and environmental conditions. Some HDPE
geomembranes are designed for extended UV resistance, which can further extend their
lifespan.
 CHEMICAL RESISTANCE

The geomembrane’s
resistance must be assured for
the life of the facility. this
situation has long been
organized and manufacturers
have evaluated many
situations.
 GEOMEMBRANE
Functions of
Geomembrane
1. LIQUID CONTAINMENT (POND) LINERS
Certainly, there is a major need
for and use of geomembranes to
provide liquid containment of
surface impoundments. In fact,
the name geomembrane is
actually one that supersedes the
name pond liner, reflecting the
original use of the polymeric
materials to which this section is
devoted. In addition to
containment of the above types
of liquids,
the agriculture industry has a
pressing need to store liquid
waste and water,and hence
both the U.S. Department of
Agriculture and the U.S. Bureau
of Reclamation were involved
in early research into synthetic
pond liners.
2. COVERS FOR RESERVOIRS AND QUASI-SOLIDS
reduced air pollution (for
reservoirs holding chemicals and
agricultural waste), reduced need
for draining and cleaning,
increased safety against
There are a number of important accidental drowning, protection
reasons why liquid and quasi-solid
from natural pollution entering
containment structures should be
the reservoir (e.g., animal
covered. These include losses due to
excretion), temperature control
evaporation (up to 84% per year),
savings on chlorine treatment (for for anaerobic decomposition of
water reservoirs), savings on algae agricultural and organic wastes,
control chemicals (for water and protection from intentional
reservoirs), pollution (i.e., terrorism).
a.Fixed covers are usually used in conjunction with small-diameter tanks
whose sides are made of wood, concrete, or steel. The geomembrane is fixed
at the upper edge of the tank and takes a catenary shape toward the center.

b. Floating covers of polymeric materials

have made a strong impact on reservoir
and liquid-holding facilities. Important in
all floating cover designs are access
hatches (which are normally provided),
projecting structures (which are very
troublesome), and strategies for dealing
with ice (which can cause puncture and
tear). Attachment to the edge anchorage
is very important since wind-generated
stresses can exert large tear and shear
forces.
c.Quasi-Solids Covers
Many times it is necessary
to cover quasi-solid (or
semiliquid) substances. An
emerging application area
is the covering of odorous
substances, such as
manure and other
biodegradable farm wastes
3. WATER CONVEYANCE (CANAL) LINERS
An important element in the
economic functioning of such
water conveyance canals is that
they hold the water placed in
them during the journey from
source to user. Excessive leakage
is obviously unacceptable, or another. These include soil liners
making the liner of the canal a (mainly clay soil), nonflexible liners
key element in a successful (bricks, paving blocks, concrete,
system. With this in mind, shotcrete, gunite, etc.), and flexible
engineers have tried almost liners (bituminous panels, spray-on
everything to line their water chemicals, geomembranes, and
conveyance canals at one time geosynthetic clay liners).
4. SOLID-MATERIAL (LANDFILL) LINERS
rainfall and snowmelt interacting
with the already placed waste
and forming a liquid called
leachate.
As a groundwater pollution-
Although both the quantity and
control mechanism, the use of
quality of leachate are of
some type of liner on the bottom
concern, it is the quality that can
and sides of a landfill has been
have horrendous characteristics
considered necessary since the
while at the same time being
1970s when several notable
extremely variable in its
incidents occurred. This necessity
composition.
is created by the moisture in the
incoming materials augmented by
5. LANDFILL COVERS AND CLOSURES

Because landfills hold hazardous waste, a double

liner system for the geomembrane cover is
essential for providing leak containment. The
landfill geomembrane is double-lined to protect
the area.
6.WET (BIOREACTOR) LANDFILLS

To purposely add leachate back into or onto a municipal

solid waste landfill is certainly not a new idea. Owners and
operators have long used this liquid strategy, not only to
temporarily avoid leachate treatment but also to enhance
organic waste degradation, thereby gaining airspace and
generating landfill gas.
a. leachate recirculation - is the redistribution of
exiting landfill leachate back into the waste mass
b.anaerobic bioreactors - the site's leachate must
be augmented to get the waste to an optimum
moisture content called "field capacity."
c. aerobic bioreactors - is a landfill that is at field
capacity moisture and then purposely has air
injected into it using perforated wells within the
waste mass
 Laboratory

GEOMEMBRANE
Testing
The following laboratory testing
standards will be according to the ASTM
International.
ASTM D5199-12(2019) (STANDARD TEST METHOD
FOR MEASURING THE NOMINAL THICKNESS OF
GEOSYNTHETICS)
Significance and Use: Thickness Gauge
Thickness values can be required for calculation of some
geosynthetics properties such as permeability and tensile
stress, among others.
Scope:
This test method covers the measurement of the nominal
thickness of geosynthetics, except textured and some
structured geomembranes where the entire surface of the
presser foot cannot come into complete contact with the
geosynthetic surface.
 ASTM D792-20 (STANDARD TEST METHODS FOR
DENSITY AND SPECIFIC GRAVITY (RELATIVE
DENSITY) OF PLASTICS BY DISPLACEMENT)
Significance and Use: MVS2pro automated system
The specific gravity or density of a solid is a property that is
conveniently measured to identify a material, to follow
physical changes in a sample, to indicate degree of uniformity
among different sampling units or specimens, or to indicate
the average density of a large item.
Scope:
These test methods describe the determination of the
specific gravity (relative density) and density of solid plastics in
forms such as sheets, rods, tubes, or molded items.
 ASTM D638-14 (STANDARD TEST METHOD FOR
TENSILE PROPERTIES OF PLASTICS)
Significance and Use: Universal Testing Machine (UTM)
This test method is designed to produce tensile property data
for the control and specification of plastic materials. These
data are also useful for qualitative characterization and for
research and development.
Scope:
This test method covers the determination of the tensile
properties of unreinforced and reinforced plastics in the form
of standard dumbbell-shaped test specimens when tested
under defined conditions of pretreatment, temperature,
humidity, and testing machine speed.
ASTM D4833/D4833M-07(2020) (STANDARD TEST
METHOD FOR INDEX PUNCTURE RESISTANCE OF
GEOMEMBRANES AND RELATED PRODUCTS)
Significance and Use: eXpert 7600
This test method is an index test for determining the puncture
resistance of geomembranes and related products. The use
of this test method is to establish an index value by providing
standard criteria and a basis for uniform reporting.
Scope:
This test method is used to measure the index puncture
resistance of geomembranes and related products.
 ASTM D3895-19 (STANDARD TEST METHOD FOR
OXIDATIVE-INDUCTION TIME OF POLYOLEFINS BY
DIFFERENTIAL SCANNING CALORIMETRY)
Oxygen permeability tester
Significance and Use:
The OIT is a qualitative assessment of the level (or degree) of
stabilization of the material tested.
Scope:
This test method outlines a procedure for the determination
of oxidative-induction time (OIT) of polymeric materials by
differential scanning calorimetry (DSC).
APPLICATION OF
GEOMEMBRANE
Landfills
Geomembranes are commonly used
in landfill construction to create a
protective barrier between the waste
materials and the underlying soil.
They prevent leachate (polluted
liquid) from entering the ground and
contaminating groundwater, which
helps in environmental protection.
Mining
The geomembrane liner is a barrier
to separation and the most important
component in the heap leaching
process for mining low-grade ores.
Geomembranes prevent soil and
groundwater contamination by
chemical solutions such as dilute
alkaline cyanide used for low-cost
extraction of low-grade ore.
SECONDARY CONTAINMENT
It is used due to their chemical
resistance, durability, and construction
viability, ensuring long-term containment
of hazardous materials. Low thermal
expansion rates eliminate the need for
protective covers, simplifying installation
and reducing costs. It acts as a spill
protection in chemical storage
containments.
CANAL LINERS
Utilized in irrigation systems and canals, these
geomembranes serve as effective barriers against
water seepage into the surrounding soil. They play a
vital role in regulating and minimizing the seepage of
water from canals.
OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY
Geomembranes are used in the
oil and gas sector to line
containment ponds for drilling
fluids and produced water.
They help control the
movement and containment of
potentially harmful fluids.
Field Application of
Geomembrane

GETTING STARTED
WITH A PRESENTATION
RYAN PHILIPPE MAMAWAG
LANDFILL OF KIBAWE, BUKIDNON
Geomembranes are essential in landfill design and
management, providing leachate containment, gas
collection, erosion control, long-term durability,
environmental protection, regulatory compliance, cost
savings, and flexibility in design. They prevent leachate from
seeping into soil and groundwater, manage harmful gases,
prevent soil erosion, and ensure regulatory compliance.
LAGAWE IFUGAO, MAGAT DAM
BFAR-Cordillera Regional Director Lilibeth Signey and
Alfonso Lista Mayor Edralin Alipio released 10,000 tilapia
fingerlings in one of the HDPE fish cage projects before the
formal turn-over to the beneficiaries. The fingerling stock is
expected to produce 1,500 kilos after a five- to six-month
culture period. Geomembranes are crucial for lining fish
ponds. They prevent water leakage, maintain water quality,
control diseases, and simplify maintenance. They are
durable and help conserve water. They also ensure
environmental protection and contribute to the success and
sustainability of fish farming operations.
CARCANMADCARLAN, SURIGAO DEL SUR
Geomembranes are essential in mining for environmental
protection, safety, and operational efficiency. They prevent
water pollution, contain hazardous materials, preserve
water resources, enhance safety, control erosion, and
manage tailings. Geomembranes also lead to cost savings
and regulatory compliance, ensuring companies adhere to
strict environmental regulations and avoid costly fines. They
are particularly beneficial in regions with limited clean water
resources.
KAYBIANG TUNNEL,CAVITE
Geomembranes in tunnels are crucial for waterproofing,
environmental protection, maintenance, safety, cost
savings, customization, and regulatory compliance. They
prevent water infiltration, contain harmful substances, and
increase tunnel lining lifespan. They also reduce the need
for frequent repairs and maintenance, making them a cost-
effective and environmentally friendly solution.
END!