Available Technologies to Approach Zero Leaks: Fid-Bau Portal

Available Technologies to Approach Zero Leaks

Beck, Abigail

Field-proven technologies are currently available for reducing leakage through installed geomembranes, which are cost effective and non-disruptive to a typical geomembrane construction schedule. These technologies include electrical leak location (ELL) methods and wrinkle management strategies. ELL methods are optimized by employing wrinkle reduction or elimination strategies. A design tool for estimating the effectiveness of ELL technologies, alone or in tandem with wrinkle reduction and elimination, has not previously been presented. This paper takes a deep look at the actual leakage reported through the installed primary geomembrane of double-lined landfills and the equations used to estimate geomembrane leakage. Backed by landfill leakage statistics and case studies, a novel design approach is presented for estimating anticipated leakage after the implementation of the technologies presented. The leakage estimations take into account the limitations of each available technology. With accurate estimations of anticipated leakage, the probability of exceeding a given action leakage rate (ALR) can then be calculated. The probabilities of exceeding a given ALR is presented for the use of the following; a dipole method ELL survey, a bare geomembrane survey followed by a dipole method ELL survey, a bare geomembrane survey followed by dipole method ELL survey where wrinkles have been reduced by 10%, and a bare geomembrane survey followed by a dipole method ELL survey where wrinkles have been eliminated completely. Design guidelines are presented for sites aiming to use the aforementioned technologies to confidently achieve leakage volumes of less than 187 liters per hectare per day (lphd) (20 gpad), 46 lphd (5 gpad), and less than 46 lphd.