Geomembranes are synthetic membrane liners that are impervious to liquid flow. They are often made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or high density polyethylene (HDPE). Geomembrane liners are most commonly found as liners in landfills, but have many other applications. For example, geomembranes are also commonly used to line ponds and retention basins so that water does not flow out of the pond and into the soil. To control the water flow of a pond, the geomembrane liner is placed along the bottom of the pond above a compacted subgrade, as in figure 1. The liner may then be covered with a layer of soil. As long as the liner is intact, it will prevent the flow of liquid from the pond to the surrounding soils. The expected life of a geomembrane liner is around thirty years.

For more information see Protective Liner Uses. This site is was created by Virginia Tech students and gives information on the types of liners and their installation and maintenance.



Figure 1: Cutaway View




Figure 2: Retention Pond