Geomembrane: Advantages, Benefits and Functions

Geomembrane

Geomembrane is a type of geosynthetic in the form of an impermeable sheet available in various thicknesses, and its benefits make it a staple of construction projects. It is made from synthetic material such as plastic. Geomembrane is impermeable to liquids and can be shaped, joined and easily worked with hot wedge or extruder machines.

In general, this geosynthetic comes in three different materials: HDPE (high density polyethylene), LDPE (low density polyethylene) and PVC (polyvinyl chloride). Geomembrane is excellent at waterproofing and is easy to repair if the material is damaged.

Geomembrane and Geosynthetics

Geomembrane is one of several geosynthetic materials that function as a waterproof or impermeable liner. It is also commonly used to separate liquids from solids, for example water from soil or waste from soil.

Advantages of Geomembrane

Many users already trust this material for construction projects. These plastic sheets are laid on the ground as a watertight, waterproof layer. On the Indonesian market, the most widely used geomembrane material is HDPE.

Compared with ordinary tarpaulin, geomembrane offers better function and quality thanks to its advantages. One of them is that it can be used as a waterproof layer to separate solids and liquids, whether waste or not.

When used in a landfill, the material is laid over the subgrade so that the waste stays contained and does not pollute the surrounding environment, thanks to its impermeability.

Geomembrane Benefits and Functions

Many people may not yet know what geomembrane is, even though we encounter and use it often in everyday life. Here are some examples of its benefits:

Landfills

A landfill (TPA) is a disposal site designed to hold and manage waste from collection, transfer and processing through to final disposal. It is built so that the final waste is kept safely away from the environment and does not disturb the surrounding nature.

If such a site is designed or built incorrectly, the result is pollution that seriously harms the environment, because leachate from rainwater ponding becomes or contains hazardous organic substances. This cannot be allowed, as it would harm the surrounding nature and other living things. A well-built structure using geomembrane is therefore required.

Groundwater pollution can also occur if a landfill is built without proper calculation or without geomembrane, and water is the source of life for all creatures on earth. Geomembrane therefore plays an active role in landfill construction, because it keeps waste from entering the soil, where it would damage or pollute water sources, and contains microorganisms from refuse and hazardous waste.

Geomembrane plays an important role in landfill construction as the liner in the anti-seepage system. Geomembrane is also commonly used as the main material for landfill capping, because once a landfill is full it must be covered to keep out bacteria and the foul odors that are harmful to the surrounding area. The benefits of geomembrane for landfills are as follows:

1. Its airtightness makes geomembrane suitable for sealing landfills – Geomembrane is made from high-density polyethylene that is impermeable to water and air, so it can prevent the breeding of flies and bacteria. It also keeps unpleasant waste odors in.
2. A good waterproof material – Besides preventing flies, bacteria and the spread of odors, geomembrane also stops rainwater, dew and moisture from entering the waste pile, so that it does not pollute the surrounding environment.
3. Long service life – Geomembrane behaves like plastic and does not decompose easily. When buried underground, it has a service life of more than 50 years, and when exposed to direct sunlight above ground it can last more than five years.

Landfills should use HDPE geomembrane. HDPE is made from high-density polyethylene resin with additives such as carbon black, antioxidants, ultraviolet absorbers and heat stabilizers, which give it the following properties:

• Good waterproofing.
• Resistance to corrosion and other chemicals.
• Good mechanical properties and easy repair.
• Withstands low temperatures.
• Available in a range of thicknesses.

Using geomembrane brings many benefits, such as relatively low cost, light weight and easy installation and welding. The product is also very effective at preventing water seepage in landfill projects.

Geomembrane for Fish Ponds and Aquaculture Ponds

Geomembrane can also be used for fish or shrimp farming. Because it is impermeable, it is well suited to aquaculture, such as fish and shrimp farming, where it prevents pond water from being lost through tidal fluctuations. Geomembrane is therefore very useful in keeping the farmed fish or shrimp alive.

As technology has developed, geomembrane has replaced ordinary tarpaulin, which has many drawbacks: it leaks easily, cannot withstand heat and rain, and above all has a short service life. HDPE geomembrane is commonly used as a liner for shrimp or fish ponds because its high density makes it tougher and more durable.

The puncture resistance of HDPE geomembrane used for fish or shrimp ponds is very high, so it can be used on any type of soil, such as hot or corrosive soil. It can also withstand acids in direct contact with the material for more than 10 years of use.

Such a long service life also reduces costs, since fish or aquaculture ponds do not need to be rebuilt for more than 10 years. Here are some benefits of using geomembrane for fish or shrimp farming:

• Healthier fish – Why are fish or shrimp healthier with geomembrane? Because ponds lined with geomembrane are easy to monitor and control, which protects the stock from microorganisms and disease
• Stable pond water temperature – Geomembrane-lined ponds are very suitable for farming because they reduce temperature fluctuations in the pond. Geomembrane also withstands UV exposure and protects the water from overheating.
• Harvested fish do not smell of soil – Fish from unlined ponds usually have an earthy smell. Fish from ponds lined with geomembrane do not.
• Very easy to install – Its flexible structure makes geomembrane very easy to install for fish and shrimp ponds.

Artificial Lakes with Geomembrane

Artificial lakes are common, created deliberately by people. Natural lakes, formed by nature, can be fed by any source, such as springs, groundwater, rivers and rain.

An artificial lake, by contrast, is not formed naturally but created by people, for example by damming a river. Artificial lakes serve several functions, including:

• Water reserve storage (embung, small retention reservoir).
• Nature tourism or recreation.
• Flood control.
• Fish or plant cultivation.
• Plantation irrigation.

An artificial lake built with geomembrane is durable and protected against leaks, because the walls of an artificial lake may crack even when they are cast in concrete. Geomembrane prevents water from leaking out through cracks in the cast walls. Bacteria in the soil where the lake is built also cannot get in, so the lake water stays clean.

Geomembrane as a Road Construction Layer

To prevent road settlement caused by expansive soil (soil that swells and shrinks significantly), the road subgrade can be improved using geomembrane. Installing geomembrane over the road subgrade helps stabilize the subgrade structure.

Road Cracking

Geomembrane is installed over expansive soil to separate the subgrade from the fill material. Keeping the subgrade from mixing with the fill helps reduce changes in soil moisture content and prevents the road body from cracking due to uneven moisture changes in the soil.

Using geomembrane in road construction involves several project activities, such as:

• Excavation
• Backfilling
• Road compaction with heavy equipment
• Bridge construction
• Drainage projects.