Geomembranes are highly versatile materials engineered to withstand extreme temperatures, punctures, and stress, while resisting various environmental factors. However, proper on-site storage before installation is crucial to prevent damage and degradation, ensuring their optimal performance over time.
Key Guidelines for Geomembrane Storage
● Protection from Sunlight: Store geomembranes away from direct sunlight to avoid heat and UV degradation, which can weaken the material.
● Prepared Surfaces: Place geomembranes on surfaces prepared to prevent punctures, and avoid over-stacking rolls to maintain their lay-flat properties.
● Level and Dry Storage Area: Store geomembrane rolls on a flat, dry surface with a firm base to prevent shifting and maintain integrity.
● Shield Against Extreme Conditions: Protect geomembranes from high heat, cold, and sharp objects to prevent cuts, piercings, and other potential damage.
● Security: Prevent vandalism and theft by ensuring secure storage locations.
● Uniform Temperature During Welding: Ensure geomembrane panels are at a consistent temperature during welding to minimize wrinkling.
● Transportation Precautions: During handling, use suitable equipment like front-end loaders with slings to avoid material damage.
Proper storage and site preparation are essential to maintain the geomembrane’s effectiveness, preventing premature damage and ensuring compliance with manufacturer specifications.
Environmental Considerations for Storage
Natural elements like sunlight, moisture, and temperature can significantly impact geomembrane quality. For example, PVC and EIA geomembranes, designed primarily for buried applications, may lack robust UV resistance and should not be stored in direct sunlight to prevent degradation. Additionally, moisture exposure before installation can compromise geomembrane effectiveness. Stacking rolls for extended periods under high pressure or heat can also lead to material degradation and safety challenges for site employees.
Temperature Effects on Geomembranes
Extreme heat and cold are major threats to pre-installed geomembranes. Exposure to high temperatures can cause material degradation and reduced strength, while low temperatures increase the risk of cracking, especially in unsupported PVC or EIA membranes. Temperature-sensitive adhesives, primers, and tapes used in geomembrane seaming should be kept in a controlled environment until needed for installation.
Additional Storage Tips
Store geomembrane rolls on a level surface, considering how site climate affects material temperature before unrolling. Thermal elongation from UV exposure or rising temperatures can temporarily stretch the liner; storing rolls at consistent temperatures prevents this. Transport geomembranes to the deployment location by the most direct route, minimizing handling and reducing exposure to damaging environmental conditions. Additionally, keep the material dry and free from debris to ensure seam strength and ease of welding.
For optimal results, fabricated panels should be stored on pallets, off the ground, in a dry area with a stable base.
For further storage and fabrication questions, please contact our technical team.
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References
1. U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation (September 2018), Reclamation Managing Water in the West: Design Standards No. 13 Embankment Dams Chapter 20: Geomembranes Phase 4 (Final).
2. Pfaller, M. (2020, October 9), Material storage – it matters! ICS – INTERNATIONAL COVER SYSTEMS.
3. ASTM Standard D7865-13(2021), Standard Guide for Identification, Packaging, Handling, Storage, and Deployment of Fabricated Geomembrane Panels.
4. Ait, M. (2021, June 24), Geomembrane Explained, Industrial Plastics.
5. Kelsey, C. (2020, October 15), Best Practices for Minimizing Geomembrane Wrinkling, Geosynthetica.
6. Fabricated Geomembrane Institute (2021, August 12), Guideline for Desert Installation of Fabricated Geomembrane Panels.
