To build a pond, landfill, dam, or lake, and so on, the first thing is to choose the waterproof impermeable liner. But, there are many kinds of flexible liners — often called “geomembranes”. Your liner should stay stable under the hottest and coldest temperatures your area may experience, and it should not be damaged, punctured, or torn as the objects or irregularities. If the liner is exposed, it must be anti-UV.

Chemical resistance, flexibility, the cost can all vary as well. For these reasons, it is better to know a little about different liner materials before you invest.

HDPE Geomembrane (High-Density Polyethylene Geomembrane)

HDPE Geomembrane Liner has a very good UV resistance and functions well in cold temperatures. It is also strong and very stiff. HDPE Geomembrane Liner’s most desirable characteristic, though, might be its superior resistance to a wide range of chemicals. With its cheap price and the fact that many sheets can be joined using a welding machinery and accessories, HDPE Geomembrane become one of the most popular geomembrane types worldwide. HDPE Geomembrane Liner is used for landfills and chemical containment projects, but it is also safe and well-suited for fish ponds.HDPE Geomembrane Liner is very durable, the life can last upwards of 50 years when covered.

Unfortunately, HDPE Geomembrane Liner is far from perfect, Because it is stiff and heavy, HDPE Geomembrane Liner may be expensive to ship and can’t be customized shaped or assembled in a factory. Instead, you’ll have to pay extra installation costs to install on-site by professionals. These expenses make HDPE Geomembrane Liner most cost-effective for larger projects.

HDPE Geomembrane Liner’s lack of flexibility can also make installation more difficult, You must be careful when installing the HDPE Geomembrane Liner on the rough subgrade, since the material is vulnerable to punctures, and surface scratches that can become cracks over time.

HDPE Geomembrane Liner Advantages:

Excellent chemical resistance

Good UV resistance

Cheap

Weldable

Fish safe

Very durable

50years lifespan when covered

Performs well in cold temperatures

HDPE Geomembrane Liner Disadvantages:

Poor flexibility

Heavyweight makes it more expensive to ship, difficult to install

Less custom fabrication; welded on-location

Poor resistance to stress cracking

Comparing various geomembranes for your next geosynthetic application? Don’t overlook high-density polyethylene (HDPE) LLDPE geomembrane. HDPE has been in use for decades and during that time a number of studies have been conducted to test its longevity and ability to meet environmental sustainability project requirements. Here, we explore some of those studies to examine the benefits of HDPE compared with other geomembranes types such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

How Does HDPE Compare With PVC and Other Geomembrane Types?

As a waterproofing liner, a HDPE geomembrane is favored over other materials for its modest economic and operational advantage. Economically, HDPE geomembrane is superior thanks to its relatively straightforward manufacturing process, which has driven up supply and kept prices low in contrast to other kinds of geomembranes. As more design engineers become familiar with the material, growing competence in its use further promotes its market dominance and economic edge over competing products.

Secondly, HDPE has been favored for its physical properties (See Table 1). While tests run on PVC and HDPE show very few practical differences, HDPE does tend to outperform PVC and other geomembranes in areas such as resistance to folding damage and dynamic impact (2). Furthermore, the material is a very stable polyolefin that is chemically inert and able to maintain long-term integrity and durability. These properties make the HDPE geomembrane a popular choice to waterproof and seal landfills and other containment applications.

HDPE geomembrane can also be manufactured with additives to amplify certain qualities.

How Does the HDPE Geomembrane Contribute to Environmental Sustainability?

Compared with other geomembranes, HDPE has the highest theoretical unexposed service life at >100 years. This high service life potential makes HDPE a powerful tool for environmental sustainability efforts such as the safe closure of a landfill.

In the case of exposed liner, one study, a HDPE geomembrane exposed to 10 years of ultraviolet radiation and wastewater showed no significant change in physical properties (e.g., tensile, tear, puncture, and carbon black). The only observed difference was in tensile elongation and melt index, both believed to be a result of material cross-linking as a result of UV exposure. However, sunlight exposure over the 10-year period did little to impact most of the material’s properties insomuch that it was nearly indistinguishable from a newly manufactured sample (3).

The study demonstrates the capable role of HDPE geomembrane in environmental sustainability. Furthermore, it suggests that today’s HDPE can be expected to perform at a higher level thanks to technological improvements in resin stabilization and sheet manufacturing techniques.