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THE PRACTICAL LIMITS OF COLD TEMPERATURE GEOMEMBRANE INSTALLATION IN NORTHERN CANADA
Session: Barriers and Geosynthetics / Barrières et géosynthétiques
Andrew Mills, Layfield Canada Ltd (Canada)
Brian Fraser, Layfield Canada Ltd. (Canada)
Deepaksh Gulati, Layfield Canada Ltd. (Canada)
Many industry specifications for geomembranes call for a low temperature installation limit of 0C. These limits were set up for US installations and are rarely practical for more northern Canadian installations. Short Canadian summers inevitably see projects extend into the fall where any day can slip below 0C. In recent years liner installations have been extended so that now it is common for geomembranes to be installed in all months of the year. If 0C is no longer a suitable low temperature limit then what is a suitable guideline for Canadian geomembrane installations? This paper will look at a project completed in the winter of 2014. This triple-lined pond was installed in temperatures well below -30C. Cold temperature cracking of materials occurred during handling and deployment and one area of cracking developed in a unique area of the pond. Material samples were removed and tested by the manufacturer and were found to meet all project specifications. Comparing field experience with the recorded temperatures allowed us to establish reasonable guidelines for northern Canadian low temperature installations. The paper also discusses the use of newer generation flexible polyolefin geomembranes which help to reduce the amount of field welding and overall installation costs.
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