ABSTRACT
Because of their low permeability characteristics and d u r a b i l i t y , geomembranes are finding increased use throughout the world i n the l i n i n g of waste storage and disposal f a c i l i t i e s . The geomembranes that are being used for waste containment range from p l a s t i c i z e d polyvinyl chloride (PVC) to polyethylene (PE) and laminated composites. The selection of a geomembrane for a s p e c i f i c application i s based on a number of factors, including permeability and physical and chemical properties. C r i t i c a l factors for selecting a geomembrane include d u r a b i l i t y i n and chemical resistance to the actual environment i n which the material w i l l be exposed. Geomembranes generally have good resistance to many different environments; however, since the chemical environments i n storage and disposal f a c i l i t i e s are s i t e s p e c i f i c , i t i s d i f f i c u l t to predict accurately the a b i l i t y of a geomembrane to maintain i t s i n i t i a l properties for the l i f e t i m e of the i n s t a l l a t i o n solely on the basis of the manufacturer's product l i t e r a t u r e . Therefore, chemical compatibility tests are performed using the actual waste l i q u i d to which the geomembrane w i l l be exposed.
