DURABILITY OF HDPE GEOMEMBRANES: AN OVERVIEW

The polymer demand for geotechnical applications has been growing. The geomembrane is a geosynthetic, manufactured, polymeric product and is often specified in environmental projects. Geomembranes started to be used in the 1930s but became more widespread in the 1940s. In the 1970s, geomembranes began to be specified for landfills. Over the past forty years, millions of square meters of HDPE geomembrane have been used in different applications. One of the most important issues for HDPE geomembranes is durability, involving very long-term property requirements. A rupture in the liner that has a geomembrane may provide losses in terms of human lives, environmental impacts, and financial costs. This paper summarizes the mechanisms and concepts involved in the HDPE geomembrane aging and describes the important contributions of laboratory and field studies over the years around the world. Different conditions and exposures drive the HDPE geomembrane behavior, including field temperature conditions and contact with different chemical substances. Accelerated laboratory testing with HDPE geomembrane simulating field boundary conditions is critical to ensure proper use of this geosynthetic in the future.