ASTM D6495/D6495M-18(2022)
(Guide)Standard Guide for Acceptance Testing Requirements for Geosynthetic Clay Liners
Standard Guide for Acceptance Testing Requirements for Geosynthetic Clay Liners
ABSTRACT
This guide covers guidelines for the acceptance testing requirements for geosynthetic clay liner (GCL) materials, describing types of tests, test methods, and recommended verifications and is intended to aid purchasers, installers, contractors, owners, operators, designers and agencies in establishing a minimum level of effort for product acceptance testing and verification. This guide suggests the types of tests, the methods of the testing, and verification requirements for acceptance testing of GCL materials. It should be recognized that parties, organizations or representatives may perform additional tests and/or at other frequencies than required in this standard guide. In this case, the project-specific acceptance plan will then take precedence over this standard guide. Different properties such as clay mass per unit area, swell index, fluid loss, grab tensile strength, tensile strength, density and thickness of geomembrane support, and bonding peel strength shall be determined by subjecting the material to different test methods.
SCOPE
1.1 This guide covers guidelines for the acceptance testing requirements for geosynthetic clay liner (GCL) materials, describing types of tests, test methods, and recommended verifications.
1.2 This guide is intended to aid purchasers, installers, contractors, owners, operators, designers, and agencies in establishing a minimum level of effort for product acceptance testing and verification. This is intended to ensure that the supplied GCL rolls meet accepted material specifications.
1.3 The values stated in either SI units or inch-pound units are to be regarded separately as standard. The values stated in each system are not necessarily exact equivalents; therefore, to ensure conformance with the standard, each system shall be used independently of the other, and values from the two systems shall not be combined.
1.4 This guide offers an organized collection of information or a series of options and does not recommend a specific course of action. This guide cannot replace education or experience and should be used in conjunction with professional judgment. Not all aspects of this guide may be applicable in all circumstances. This guide is not intended to represent or replace the standard of care by which the adequacy of a given professional service must be judged, nor should this guide be applied without consideration of a project's many unique aspects. The word “Standard” in the title of this guide means only that the guide has been approved through the ASTM consensus process.
1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
1.6 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
General Information
- Status
- Published
- Publication Date
- 30-Sep-2022
- Technical Committee
- D35 - Geosynthetics
- Drafting Committee
- D35.04 - Geosynthetic Clay Liners
Relations
- Effective Date
- 01-Nov-2023
- Effective Date
- 01-May-2020
- Effective Date
- 15-Mar-2020
- Effective Date
- 01-Aug-2019
- Refers
ASTM D5199-12(2019) - Standard Test Method for Measuring the Nominal Thickness of Geosynthetics - Effective Date
- 15-Jun-2019
- Effective Date
- 01-May-2019
- Effective Date
- 01-May-2019
- Effective Date
- 01-May-2019
- Effective Date
- 01-May-2019
- Effective Date
- 01-Aug-2018
- Effective Date
- 01-Jun-2018
- Effective Date
- 01-Jun-2018
- Effective Date
- 01-Jun-2018
- Effective Date
- 01-Sep-2016
- Effective Date
- 01-Jul-2016
Overview
ASTM D6495/D6495M-18(2022), titled Standard Guide for Acceptance Testing Requirements for Geosynthetic Clay Liners, provides comprehensive guidelines for acceptance testing of geosynthetic clay liner (GCL) materials. Developed by ASTM International, this standard supports industry stakeholders in verifying product quality and compliance before installation. The document defines types of tests, outlines recommended methods, and specifies verification requirements designed to ensure that supplied GCL rolls meet established specifications. Its practical approach aids purchasers, installers, contractors, owners, operators, designers, and regulatory agencies in implementing a minimum and consistent level of acceptance testing effort for GCLs.
Key Topics
Acceptance Testing for GCL Materials
- Outlines procedures for inspecting, sampling, and testing GCL products prior to and after site delivery.
- Helps distinguish finished product performance from raw material attributes.
Recommended Test Types and Methods
- Provides guidance on the selection of test methods for essential GCL properties, such as:
- Clay mass per unit area
- Swell index
- Fluid loss
- Tensile strength
- Density and thickness of geomembrane or membrane support
- Bonding peel strength
- Provides guidance on the selection of test methods for essential GCL properties, such as:
Verification Procedures
- Emphasizes the need for verification through letters of certification, manufacturer’s quality control (MQC) data, and additional quality assurance (QA) testing.
- Encourages systematic documentation and reporting, including records of acceptance activities and identification of non-compliant material.
Flexible Application
- Recognizes that additional or more frequent tests may be required for specific projects.
- Supports the use of project-specific acceptance plans that may supersede the baseline recommendations of the standard guide.
Units and Applicability
- Permits the use of either SI or inch-pound units as standard, but prohibits mixing values from different measurement systems.
Applications
Purchasing and Material Verification
- Enables material purchasers and project managers to verify that incoming GCL rolls comply with project and regulatory requirements before installation.
- Assists in detecting and documenting any product damage or specification deviation upon arrival and before material use.
Quality Assurance during Construction
- Informs contractors and installers about required testing protocols to ensure that GCL products in use adhere to accepted standards.
- Provides a standardized approach for reporting, addressing, and resolving irregularities or damages found during inspection.
Design and Regulatory Compliance
- Offers designers and regulatory agencies a common framework for specifying and verifying key performance characteristics of GCLs.
- Supports compliance with internationally recognized best practices in the geosynthetics industry, reducing project risk.
Project Documentation
- Facilitates clear, organized recordkeeping of all acceptance activities, including personnel involved, test results, and product identification for transparency and traceability.
Related Standards
Several ASTM and international standards support or are referenced by ASTM D6495/D6495M-18(2022) for testing and verification of geosynthetic clay liners, including:
- ASTM D5993 - Measuring mass per unit area of GCLs
- ASTM D5890 - Swell index of clay mineral components
- ASTM D5891/D5891M - Fluid loss of clay components
- ASTM D6768/D6768M - Tensile strength of GCLs
- ASTM D6496/D6496M - Determining bonding peel strength between top and bottom layers
- ASTM D5887/D5887M - Measurement of index flux through saturated GCL specimens
- ASTM D6072/D6072M - Practice for sampling GCLs
- ASTM D5888 - Storage and handling of geosynthetic clay liners
- ISO 10318 - Geosynthetics-Terms and definitions
These related standards collectively establish a robust framework for ensuring the quality, durability, and proper application of geosynthetic clay liners in engineering and environmental projects.
Keywords: geosynthetic clay liners, ASTM D6495, GCL acceptance testing, geosynthetics, quality assurance, verification, testing standards, construction materials, environmental containment.
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Frequently Asked Questions
ASTM D6495/D6495M-18(2022) is a guide published by ASTM International. Its full title is "Standard Guide for Acceptance Testing Requirements for Geosynthetic Clay Liners". This standard covers: ABSTRACT This guide covers guidelines for the acceptance testing requirements for geosynthetic clay liner (GCL) materials, describing types of tests, test methods, and recommended verifications and is intended to aid purchasers, installers, contractors, owners, operators, designers and agencies in establishing a minimum level of effort for product acceptance testing and verification. This guide suggests the types of tests, the methods of the testing, and verification requirements for acceptance testing of GCL materials. It should be recognized that parties, organizations or representatives may perform additional tests and/or at other frequencies than required in this standard guide. In this case, the project-specific acceptance plan will then take precedence over this standard guide. Different properties such as clay mass per unit area, swell index, fluid loss, grab tensile strength, tensile strength, density and thickness of geomembrane support, and bonding peel strength shall be determined by subjecting the material to different test methods. SCOPE 1.1 This guide covers guidelines for the acceptance testing requirements for geosynthetic clay liner (GCL) materials, describing types of tests, test methods, and recommended verifications. 1.2 This guide is intended to aid purchasers, installers, contractors, owners, operators, designers, and agencies in establishing a minimum level of effort for product acceptance testing and verification. This is intended to ensure that the supplied GCL rolls meet accepted material specifications. 1.3 The values stated in either SI units or inch-pound units are to be regarded separately as standard. The values stated in each system are not necessarily exact equivalents; therefore, to ensure conformance with the standard, each system shall be used independently of the other, and values from the two systems shall not be combined. 1.4 This guide offers an organized collection of information or a series of options and does not recommend a specific course of action. This guide cannot replace education or experience and should be used in conjunction with professional judgment. Not all aspects of this guide may be applicable in all circumstances. This guide is not intended to represent or replace the standard of care by which the adequacy of a given professional service must be judged, nor should this guide be applied without consideration of a project's many unique aspects. The word “Standard” in the title of this guide means only that the guide has been approved through the ASTM consensus process. 1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. 1.6 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
ABSTRACT This guide covers guidelines for the acceptance testing requirements for geosynthetic clay liner (GCL) materials, describing types of tests, test methods, and recommended verifications and is intended to aid purchasers, installers, contractors, owners, operators, designers and agencies in establishing a minimum level of effort for product acceptance testing and verification. This guide suggests the types of tests, the methods of the testing, and verification requirements for acceptance testing of GCL materials. It should be recognized that parties, organizations or representatives may perform additional tests and/or at other frequencies than required in this standard guide. In this case, the project-specific acceptance plan will then take precedence over this standard guide. Different properties such as clay mass per unit area, swell index, fluid loss, grab tensile strength, tensile strength, density and thickness of geomembrane support, and bonding peel strength shall be determined by subjecting the material to different test methods. SCOPE 1.1 This guide covers guidelines for the acceptance testing requirements for geosynthetic clay liner (GCL) materials, describing types of tests, test methods, and recommended verifications. 1.2 This guide is intended to aid purchasers, installers, contractors, owners, operators, designers, and agencies in establishing a minimum level of effort for product acceptance testing and verification. This is intended to ensure that the supplied GCL rolls meet accepted material specifications. 1.3 The values stated in either SI units or inch-pound units are to be regarded separately as standard. The values stated in each system are not necessarily exact equivalents; therefore, to ensure conformance with the standard, each system shall be used independently of the other, and values from the two systems shall not be combined. 1.4 This guide offers an organized collection of information or a series of options and does not recommend a specific course of action. This guide cannot replace education or experience and should be used in conjunction with professional judgment. Not all aspects of this guide may be applicable in all circumstances. This guide is not intended to represent or replace the standard of care by which the adequacy of a given professional service must be judged, nor should this guide be applied without consideration of a project's many unique aspects. The word “Standard” in the title of this guide means only that the guide has been approved through the ASTM consensus process. 1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. 1.6 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
ASTM D6495/D6495M-18(2022) is classified under the following ICS (International Classification for Standards) categories: 91.100.50 - Binders. Sealing materials. The ICS classification helps identify the subject area and facilitates finding related standards.
ASTM D6495/D6495M-18(2022) has the following relationships with other standards: It is inter standard links to ASTM D5887/D5887M-23, ASTM D6768/D6768M-20, ASTM D6243/D6243M-20, ASTM D5891/D5891M-19, ASTM D5199-12(2019), ASTM D5890-19, ASTM D6496/D6496M-19, ASTM D6768/D6768M-19, ASTM D5888-19, ASTM D5890-18, ASTM D6072/D6072M-18, ASTM D6768/D6768M-18, ASTM D6496/D6496M-18, ASTM D5887/D5887M-16, ASTM D5889/D5889M-16. Understanding these relationships helps ensure you are using the most current and applicable version of the standard.
ASTM D6495/D6495M-18(2022) is available in PDF format for immediate download after purchase. The document can be added to your cart and obtained through the secure checkout process. Digital delivery ensures instant access to the complete standard document.
Standards Content (Sample)
This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
Designation: D6495/D6495M − 18 (Reapproved 2022)
Standard Guide for
Acceptance Testing Requirements for Geosynthetic Clay
Liners
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D6495/D6495M; the number immediately following the designation indicates the
year of original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last
reapproval. A superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope ization established in the Decision on Principles for the
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recom-
1.1 This guide covers guidelines for the acceptance testing
mendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical
requirements for geosynthetic clay liner (GCL) materials,
Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
describing types of tests, test methods, and recommended
verifications.
2. Referenced Documents
1.2 This guide is intended to aid purchasers, installers,
2.1 ASTM Standards:
contractors, owners, operators, designers, and agencies in
D792 Test Methods for Density and Specific Gravity (Rela-
establishing a minimum level of effort for product acceptance
tive Density) of Plastics by Displacement
testing and verification. This is intended to ensure that the
D882 Test Method for Tensile Properties of Thin Plastic
supplied GCL rolls meet accepted material specifications.
Sheeting
1.3 The values stated in either SI units or inch-pound units D1505 Test Method for Density of Plastics by the Density-
are to be regarded separately as standard. The values stated in
Gradient Technique
each system are not necessarily exact equivalents; therefore, to D5199 Test Method for Measuring the Nominal Thickness
ensure conformance with the standard, each system shall be
of Geosynthetics
used independently of the other, and values from the two D5887/D5887M Test Method for Measurement of Index
systems shall not be combined.
Flux Through Saturated Geosynthetic Clay Liner Speci-
mens Using a Flexible Wall Permeameter
1.4 This guide offers an organized collection of information
D5888 Guide for Storage and Handling of Geosynthetic
or a series of options and does not recommend a specific
Clay Liners
course of action. This guide cannot replace education or
D5889/D5889M Practice for Quality Control of Geosyn-
experience and should be used in conjunction with professional
thetic Clay Liners
judgment. Not all aspects of this guide may be applicable in all
D5890 Test Method for Swell Index of Clay Mineral Com-
circumstances. This guide is not intended to represent or
ponent of Geosynthetic Clay Liners
replace the standard of care by which the adequacy of a given
D5891/D5891M Test Method for Fluid Loss of Clay Com-
professional service must be judged, nor should this guide be
ponent of Geosynthetic Clay Liners
applied without consideration of a project’s many unique
D5993 Test Method for Measuring Mass per Unit Area of
aspects. The word “Standard” in the title of this guide means
Geosynthetic Clay Liners
only that the guide has been approved through the ASTM
D5994/D5994M Test Method for Measuring CoreThickness
consensus process.
of Textured Geomembranes
1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of the
D6072/D6072M Practice for Obtaining Samples of Geosyn-
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
thetic Clay Liners
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
D6243/D6243M Test Method for Determining the Internal
priate safety, health, and environmental practices and deter-
and Interface Shear Strength of Geosynthetic Clay Liner
mine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
by the Direct Shear Method
1.6 This international standard was developed in accor-
D6496/D6496M Test Method for Determining Average
dance with internationally recognized principles on standard-
Bonding Peel Strength Between Top and Bottom Layers
of Needle-Punched Geosynthetic Clay Liners
This guide is under the jurisdiction ofASTM Committee D35 on Geosynthetics
and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D35.04 on Geosynthetic Clay
Liners. For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
Current edition approved Oct. 1, 2022. Published October 2022. Originally contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM
approved in 1999. Last previous edition approved in 2018 as D6495/D6495M – 18. Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
DOI: 10.1520/D6495_D6495M-18R22. the ASTM website.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
D6495/D6495M − 18 (2022)
D6693/D6693M Test Method for Determining Tensile Prop- thetic creating a directional orientation; therefore, the direction
erties of Nonreinforced Polyethylene and Nonreinforced of allowable shear transfer is predetermined.
Flexible Polypropylene Geomembranes
3.1.11 unreinforced GCL, n—GCL that does not have a
D6768/D6768M Test Method for Tensile Strength of Geo-
discrete component to increase internal shear strength.
synthetic Clay Liners
3.2 Organizational Definitions:
2.2 United States EPA Document:
3.2.1 agency, n—in geosynthetics, the organization that
EPA/600//R-93/182 Technical Guidance Document Quality
reviews the permit application for compliance with the agen-
Assurance and Quality Control for Waste Containment
cy’s regulation and all quality assurance documentation before
Facilities
and after construction.
2.3 ISO Standard:
3.2.2 contractor, n—in geosynthetics, the party or organiza-
ISO 10318 Geosynthetics—Terms and Definitions
tion who has the responsibility for the construction of the
man-made project, structure, or system.
3. Terminology
3.2.3 designer, n—in geosynthetics, the person or organiza-
3.1 Geosynthetic Definitions:
tion who designs a man-made project, structure, or system that
3.1.1 adhered geosynthetic clay liner (GCL), n—GCLprod-
fulfillstheowner/operator’srequirementsandmeetsorexceeds
uct in which the clay component is bonded to a film or
the minimum requirements of the agency.
membrane by adhesion.
3.1.2 coated GCL, n—GCL product with at least one layer 3.2.4 installer, n—in geosynthetics, the party who installs,
of a synthetic substance applied to the GCL as a fluid and
or facilitates installation of, any materials purchased from
allowed to solidify. manufacturers or suppliers.
3.1.3 geomembrane,n—anessentiallyimpermeablegeosyn-
3.2.5 manufacturer, n—in geosynthetics, the group,
thetic composed of one or more synthetic sheets.
corporation, partnership, or individual that manufactures a
3.1.4 geosynthetic clay liner, GCL, n—factory- product.
manufactured geosynthetic hydraulic barrier consisting of clay
3.2.6 operator, n—in geosynthetics, the person or organiza-
supported by geotextiles or geomembranes, or both, that are
tion who operates the man-made project, structure, or system.
held together by needling, stitching, or a chemical adhesive
3.2.7 owner, n—in geosynthetics, the person or organization
clay geosynthetic barrier. (1) The ISO 10318 definition of a
who owns the man-made project, structure, or system.
clay geosynthetic barrier (GBR-C), which is a GCL according
to ASTM definitions, is: A GBR-C is a factory-assembled
3.2.8 purchaser, n—in geosynthetics, the person, company,
structure of geosynthetic materials in the form of a sheet that
or organization that purchases any materials or work to be
acts as a barrier. The barrier function is essentially fulfilled by
performed.
clay. It is used in contact with soil or other materials, or both,
3.3 Quality Definitions:
in geotechnical and civil engineering applications.
3.3.1 acceptance testing, n—testing performed on a product
3.1.5 geotextile, n—a permeable geosynthetic comprised
to determine whether or not an individual lot of the product
solely of textiles.
conforms with specified requirements.
3.1.6 laminatedGCL,n—GCLproductwithatleastonefilm
3.3.2 machine direction (MD), n—the direction in the plane
ormembranelayersuperimposedandbondedtotheGCLbyan
of the fabric parallel to the direction of manufacture.
adhesive, usually under heat and pressure.
3.3.3 manufacturing quality control (MQC), n—a planned
3.1.7 multicomponent GCL, n—GCL with an attached film,
system of activities by the manufacturer whose purpose is to
coating, or membrane decreasing the hydraulic conductivity or
provide a level of quality that meets the needs of product
protecting the cla
...
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