Properties of exhumed HDPE field waves

Abstract HDPE geomembranes are the most widely used components of liner and cover systems of landfills throughout the world. Millions of square meters of HDPE geomembrane have been used as hydraulic barriers over the past twenty years. It is usually assumed that HDPE geomembranes lie flat against soil subgrade. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. It is obvious that waves (also called wrinkles) compromise the concept of intimate contact but equally important, they may influence the properties of the geomembrane. The purpose of this paper is to examine if waves remain in the backfilled geomembrane and to what extent they influence performance properties.