Standardization News

Geomembranes are used as hydraulic and gas barriers for pond and canal liners, landfill liners, caps, floating covers and other applications. Factory fabricated geomembranes that require less on-site installation work are becoming more prominent, but contractors, owners and site engineers are not always familiar with these.

A proposed new ASTM International standard will provide guidance for the installation and use of factory fabricated geomembrane panels at job sites. WK38128, Guide for Identification, Packaging, Handling, Storage and Deployment of Fabricated Geomembrane Panels, is being developed by Subcommittee D35.10 on Geomembranes, part of ASTM International Committee D35 on Geosynthetics.

"Many geomembranes are delivered to the field in wide rolls of single wound sheet and require extensive welding in the field to complete an installation," says Gary Kolbasuk, director, product development, Raven Industries, and chairman of D35.10. "Factory fabricated geomembanes reduce the amount of field welding, shorten installation times and potentially improve quality since most of the seams are made in a controlled factory environment."

Kolbasuk says that the proposed standard will give contractors, owners and site engineers direction on how to proceed with installation when fabricated geomembrane panels arrive at a job site. One important aspect of the guide will be to provide definitions for commonly used terms such as fabricated panel, accordion-folded panel and fabricator.

D35.10 welcomes participation from all interested parties, particularly fabricators, design engineers, contractors, owners and third-party quality control companies that will verify identification and handling of fabricated panels on a job site. Input is encouraged from anyone who will potentially use the proposed standard, once it has been approved.

CONTACT Technical Contact: Gary M. Kolbasuk, Raven Industries EFD • Sioux Falls, S.D. • Phone: 605-331-0324 | ASTM Staff Contact: Katerina Koperna • Phone: 610-832-9728 | Upcoming Meeting: Jan. 30-Feb. 1, 2013 • January Committee Week • Jacksonville, Fla.