Section 329IAC10-17-7. Geomembrane component of the liner; construction and quality assurance/quality control requirements

   (a) Before geomembrane field construction, the project engineer shall review documentation of quality control testing as follows:

(1) In a review of the testing of raw materials used to manufacture the geomembrane, the project engineer shall do the following:

(A) Ensure that the quality control testing meets the specifications of the approved construction plan.

(B) Review copies of the origin and identification of the raw materials.

(C) Review copies of quality control certificates issued by the producers of the raw materials. The certificates must be accompanied by results of the following tests unless a particular test requirement is waived by the commissioner based on particular site or facility conditions:

(i) Density test.

(ii) Melt flow index test.

(iii) Any other test deemed necessary by the commissioner to verify raw material quality.

(2) In a review of the testing documentation of the geomembrane rolls that are fabricated into geomembrane, the project engineer shall do the following:

(A) Check the manufacturer's certified quality control documentation to verify that the geomembrane was continuously inspected during the manufacturing process for the following:

(i) Lack of uniformity.

(ii) Damage.

(iii) Imperfections.

(iv) Holes.

(v) Cracks.

(vi) Thin spots.

(vii) Foreign materials.

(B) Ensure that any imperfections discovered during inspection were repaired and then reinspected, either at the manufacturing facility or on-site at the MSWLF.

(C) Review the results of manufacturer's quality control tests for conformance with project specifications. These tests must include, at a minimum, the following:

(i) Stress crack resistance test.

(ii) Tensile strength test.

(iii) Tear and puncture resistance test.

(iv) Oxidative induction time (OIT) at:

(AA) standard OIT; or

(BB) high pressure OIT.

(v) Ultraviolet resistance at high pressure OIT.

(vi) Any other test deemed necessary by the commissioner to verify quality.

(3) The project engineer shall ensure that manufacturer quality control testing of the raw materials and of the finished geomembrane product was conducted:

(A) as required in the approved construction plans; or

(B) as otherwise required by the commissioner based on particular site or facility conditions.

  (b) During geomembrane field construction, the project engineer shall ensure the following:

(1) The geomembrane is installed on supporting soil that is reasonably free of the following:

(A) Stones.

(B) Organic material, except that organic material naturally occurring in the soil.

(C) Irregularities.

(D) Protrusions.

(E) Loose soil or soft spots.

(F) Standing water.

(G) Any abrupt change in grade that could damage the geomembrane.

(2) All aspects of geomembrane installation are carried out in accordance with the following:

(A) The approved construction plan.

(B) The manufacturer's recommendations.

(C) The design standards described under section 6 of this rule.

(D) Any additional requirements necessary to obtain adequate geomembrane liner construction and installation, as specified in the construction plans or as determined by the commissioner to assure the quality of the geomembrane liner.

(3) The anchor trench is excavated to the length and width prescribed in the approved construction plans.

(4) Field seaming is conducted as follows:

(A) To meet the requirements for design of the geomembrane component of the liner as described under section 6 of this rule.

(B) In a manner that leaves seams free of the following:

(i) Dust.

(ii) Dirt.

(iii) Moisture.

(iv) Debris.

(v) Foreign material of any kind.

(C) Using an appropriate method consistent with:

(i) the approved construction plan; or

(ii) a method otherwise approved by the commissioner based on equivalent environmental protection.

(D) At a time when the following conditions exist, unless otherwise approved by the commissioner based on particular site or facility conditions, or project engineer, or otherwise recommended by the manufacturer:

(i) Air temperature is at least thirty-two (32) degrees Fahrenheit but does not exceed one hundred twenty (120) degrees Fahrenheit.

(ii) Sheet temperature is at least thirty-two (32) degrees Fahrenheit but does not exceed one hundred fifty-eight (158) degrees Fahrenheit.

(iii) Wind gusts are not in excess of twenty (20) miles per hour.

(5) Quality assurance and quality control testing conducted in the field conforms with requirements of the approved construction plan and includes the following:

(A) A sample is taken from each lot number of geomembrane material that arrives on site and is tested in the following manner for the purpose of fingerprinting the material:

(i) Thickness of the sample must be measured at a rate of five (5) measurements per roll of geomembrane, at locations evenly distributed throughout the roll.

(ii) The following tests must be conducted at a rate of either once per lot or once per fifty thousand (50,000) square feet of geomembrane:

(AA) Tensile characteristics test for strength and elongation at yield and at break.

(BB) Carbon black content test.

(CC) Carbon black dispersion test, if applicable.

(DD) Any additional tests that are necessary as determined by the commissioner to demonstrate the integrity of the geomembrane.

(B) Visual inspections of the geomembrane material, followed by appropriate repairs and reinspections, are made for:

(i) lack of uniformity;

(ii) damage;

(iii) imperfections;

(iv) tears;

(v) punctures;

(vi) blisters; and

(vii) excessive folding.

(C) Test seams for shear strength and peel strength are made as follows:

(i) At the start of each work period for each seaming crew.

(ii) After every four (4) hours of continuous seaming.

(iii) Every time seaming equipment is changed.

(iv) When significant changes in geomembrane temperature, as determined by the project engineer or by manufacturer recommendation, are observed.

(v) As required in the approved construction plan.

(vi) As may be required by the commissioner.

(D) Nondestructive seam testing proceeds as follows:

(i) Testing is performed on all seams over their full length using a test method:

(AA) in accordance with the approved construction plans;

(BB) in accordance with section 17 of this rule; or

(CC) otherwise acceptable to the commissioner as an equivalent test method.

(ii) Testing is monitored by the project engineer, and seaming and patching operations are inspected for uniformity and completeness.

(iii) Results of testing are recorded by the project engineer in records that include the following information:

(AA) The location of the seam test.

(BB) The test unit number.

(CC) The name of the person conducting the test.

(DD) The results of all tests.

(EE) Any other information that may be necessary to judge the adequacy of the seaming and patching procedures.

(E) Geomembrane seams that cannot be nondestructively tested are overlain with geomembrane material of identical type.

(F) Destructive seam testing is performed at the site, or at an independent laboratory, according to the approved construction plans, and meets the following requirements:

(i) Testing is performed:

(AA) on a minimum of one (1) test per five hundred (500) feet of seam length if the seam is welded with a fusion weld; and

(BB) on a minimum of one (1) test per four hundred (400) feet of seam length if the seam is welded with an extrusion weld; and

(CC) on a minimum of one (1) test for each seaming machine; or

(DD) as otherwise required by the commissioner based on a testing frequency that will result in equivalent environmental protection.

(ii) Destructive seam testing includes:

(AA) a shear strength test; and

(BB) a peel strength test.

(iii) If a seam location fails destructive testing:

(AA) the seam is reconstructed over a minimum of ten (10) feet in each direction from the site of the failed test;

(BB) additional samples are taken for testing; and

(CC) reconstruction and retesting is repeated, as necessary, until at least eighty percent (80%) of the samples at the test location pass the destructive seam test.

(Solid Waste Management Division; 329 IAC 10-17-7; filed Mar 14, 1996, 5:00 p.m.: 19 IR 1834; filed Mar 19, 1998, 11:07 a.m.: 21 IR 2776; filed Aug 2, 1999, 11:50 a.m.: 22 IR 3815; filed Feb 9, 2004, 4:51 p.m.: 27 IR 1815, eff Apr 1, 2004)