ABSTRACT
Construction and testing sequences at large facilities can require multiple hectares of geomembrane to remain exposed for some time between installation and placement of cover materials. Winds create uplift pressure that can lift an unballasted geomembrane, creating risks ranging from moving the membrane out of place to complete destruction of an installed geomembrane.
The sloped ridge/valley topography used for drainage and stability in landfill cells often resembles an airfoil shape that creates uplift pressure that enhances risk of uplifting an exposed geomembrane to damage.
Previous efforts have defined the mechanics of wind uplift for exposed geomembranes in smaller pond configurations where geomembranes can remain exposed during their service life. However testing and cover aggregate availability often prevent covering a geomembrane during construction, leaving it at risk of being uplifted, displaced, damaged, or even destroyed in sudden high winds.
This paper re-examines wind uplift mechanics for exposed geomembranes and proposes a potential risk/time-weighted procedure for different topographies to minimize the risk of geomembrane damage and loss due to sudden and extreme wind events that occur during construction.
