Large-Scale Quantification of Wrinkles in a Smooth Black HDPE Geomembrane
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 138, Issue 6
Abstract
Wrinkles are buckles or waves that develop from restrained thermal expansion when the geomembrane is left exposed to solar heating. Wrinkles can substantially reduce the effectiveness of the geomembrane as a hydraulic barrier if a hole is at or near a wrinkle, depending on the number, length, and width of wrinkles. Low altitude aerial photography and digital image analysis are used to quantify the nature and extent of wrinkles that developed over one hot and sunny day in a smooth, black, 1.5-mm-thick high-density polyethylene (HDPE) geomembrane over a 55 m by 140 m area. Wrinkles were found to significantly vary over the course of the day, increasing from the fewest wrinkles in the morning to a maximum just after noon before decreasing toward the late afternoon. For the specific conditions examined, wrinkles were found to occupy 3%, 21%, and 7% of the entire area surveyed at 8:45, 12:25, and 17:15, respectively. Connections between adjacent wrinkles were observed to create significant interconnected wrinkle features greater than 2,000 m long. The shortest maximum interconnected wrinkle feature of was measured at 8:45 while the longest such feature was at . The observations and results provide data to support the approach that limiting the time of day when cover is placed on geomembrane can be effective at reducing the extent of wrinkling.
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Acknowledgments
This work was funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada through a Strategic Project Grant in partnership with the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Terrafix Geosynthetics Inc., Solmax International Inc., AECOM, AMEC Earth and Environmental, Golder Associates, CTT Group, and Dr. Grace Hsuan from Drexel University. The assistance of Dr. Frank Barone in arranging access to the site is gratefully acknowledged. Mr. Sébastien Huard assisted with the field work. The Centre for Atmospheric Research Experiments at Environment Canada and Nicole Shantz at the University of Toronto provided the solar radiation data.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 138 • Issue 6 • June 2012
Pages: 671 - 679
Copyright
© 2012. American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: May 31, 2009
Accepted: Oct 19, 2010
Published online: Oct 17, 2011
Published in print: Jun 1, 2012
Published ahead of production: Jun 15, 2012
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