Standard Practices for Electrical Methods for Mapping Leaks in Installed Geomembranes

Importancia y uso:

4.1 Geomembranes are used as impermeable barriers to prevent liquids from leaking from landfills, ponds, and other containment facilities. The liquids may contain contaminants that, if released, can cause damage to the environment. Leaking liquids can erode the subgrade, causing further damage. Leakage can result in product loss or otherwise prevent the installation from performing its intended containment purpose. For these reasons, it is desirable that the geomembrane have as little leakage as practical.

4.2 Geomembrane leaks can be caused by poor quality of the subgrade, poor quality of the material placed on the geomembrane, accidents, poor workmanship, manufacturing defects, and carelessness.

4.3 The most significant causes of leaks in geomembranes that are covered with only water are related to construction activities, including pumps and equipment placed on the geomembrane, accidental punctures, and punctures caused by traffic over rocks or debris on the geomembrane or in the subgrade.

4.4 The most significant cause of leaks in geomembranes covered with earthen materials is construction damage caused by machinery that occurs while placing the earthen material on the geomembrane. Such damage also can breach additional layers of the lining system such as geosynthetic clay liners.

4.5 Electrical leak location methods are used to detect and locate leaks for repair. These practices can achieve a zero-leak condition at the conclusion of the survey(s). If any of the requirements for survey area preparation and testing procedures is not adhered to, then leaks could remain in the geomembrane after the survey. Not all of the survey area requirements are possible to achieve at some sites, but the closer the site can come to the ideal condition, the more successful the method will be.

Subcomité:

D35.10

Referida por:

D7700-22, D6747-21, D7909-21A, D8551-24A

Volúmen:

04.13

Número ICS:

91.100.50 (Binders. Sealing materials)

Palabras clave:

construction quality assurance; dipole method; electrical leak location survey; geoelectric leak location; geomembrane; leak detection; leak location;