Development of a methodology for the evaluation of geomembrane strain and relative performance of cushion geotextiles

The protection of liners in landfill sites is of the utmost importance in the calculation of the usable design life of a landfill system. This research presents the establishment of an improved method for analysing the strain induced on a geomembrane using laser scanning technology to better determine the design life of the geomembrane. The ability to reproduce results with a high degree of accuracy under a range of test conditions was investigated. The results of this research showed that the use of high-definition laser scanning techniques produces repeatable and highly accurate results allowing precise indication of potential stress crack failure while providing a realistic comparison of cushion geotextile performance.