Many times, geomembrane leaks are caused by weather events or result from damage inflicted by personnel or equipment. As a result, the type of environment should be taken into consideration when deciding how frequently inspections occur. Some higher-risk locations that require more-frequent inspections include those that have surrounding trees and plenty of foot or vehicular traffic on the liner, subject to high winds, hurricanes or hail storms.
Once you’ve determined how at risk your geomembrane installation is based on environment, you should put an inspection and maintenance plan in writing. These are the steps you should follow to create an effective inspection and maintenance plan that will increase the service life of your geomembrane installation.
Too many times shoddy workmanship is used to patch geomembrane holes or tears. Sometimes patches are made using different materials or glue is used to adhere the patch instead of heat welding. Probably the most important step you can take to ensure a successful repair is to completely clean and dry the area to be patched before applying a hot air or extrusion weld.
By keeping detailed records of every inspection performed, you’ll be able to ensure that problem areas are properly monitored, which can potentially prevent future damage to your geomembrane installation.
What steps do you consider when developing a successful geomembrane inspection and maintenance plan? Tell us about them in the comments!