ASTM D6747-04

Standard Guide for Selection of Techniques for Electrical Detection of Potential Leak Paths in Geomembrane

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
Types of potential leak paths have been related to the quality of the sub-grade material, quality of the cover material, care in the cover material installation and quality of geomembrane installation.
Experience demonstrates that geomembranes can have leaks caused during their installation and placement of material(s) on the liner.
The damage to a geomembrane can be detected using electrical leak location systems. Such systems have been used successfully to locate leak paths in electrically-insulating geomembranes such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, chlorosulfonated polyethylene and bituminous geomembranes installed in basins, ponds, tanks, ore and waste pads, and landfill cells.
The principle behind these techniques is to place a voltage across a synthetic geomembrane liner and then locate areas where electrical current flows through discontinuities in the liner (as shown schematically in Fig. 1). Insulation must be secured prior to a survey to prevent pipe penetrations, flange bolts, steel drains, and batten strips on concrete to conduct electricity through the liner and mask potential leak paths. The liner must act as an insulator across which an electrical potential is applied. This electric detection method of locating potential leak paths in a geomembrane can be performed on exposed liners, on liners covered with water, or on liners covered by a protective soil layer, or both.
FIG. 1 Schematic of Electrical Leak Detection Method
SCOPE
1.1 This standard guide is intended to assist individuals or groups in assessing different options available for locating potential leak paths in installed geomembranes through the use of electrical methods. For clarity, this document uses the term potential leak path to mean holes, punctures, tears, knife cuts, seam defects, cracks and similar breaches over the partial or entire area of an installed geomembrane.
1.2 This guide does not cover systems that are restricted to seam testing only, nor does it cover systems that may detect leaks non-electrically. It does not cover systems that only detect the presence, but not the location of leaks.
1.3 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 and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory requirements prior to use.

General Information

• Status: Historical
• Publication Date: 31-Oct-2004
• ICS: 59.080.70 - Geotextiles
• Technical Committee: D35 - Geosynthetics
• Drafting Committee: D35.10 - Geomembranes

Relations

• Replaces: ASTM D6747-02e1 - Standard Guide for Selection of Techniques for Electrical Detection of Potential Leak Paths in Geomembrane
• Effective Date: 01-Nov-2004
• Replaced By: ASTM D6747-12 - Standard Guide for Selection of Techniques for Electrical Detection of Leaks in Geomembranes
• Effective Date: 15-Feb-2012
• Referred By: ASTM D6455-11(2018) - Standard Guide for the Selection of Test Methods for Prefabricated Bituminous Geomembranes (PBGMs)
• Effective Date: 01-Nov-2004
• Referred By: ASTM D7931/D7931M-21a - Standard Guide for Specifying Drainage Geocomposites
• Effective Date: 01-Nov-2004
• Referred By: ASTM D7852-23 - Standard Practice for Use of an Electrically Conductive Geotextile for Leak Location Surveys
• Effective Date: 01-Nov-2004
• Referred By: ASTM D7703-22 - Standard Practice for Electrical Leak Location on Exposed Geomembranes Using the Water Lance Method
• Effective Date: 01-Nov-2004
• Referred By: ASTM D7007-16 - Standard Practices for Electrical Methods for Locating Leaks in Geomembranes Covered with Water or Earthen Materials
• Effective Date: 01-Nov-2004
• Referred By: ASTM D7909-21a - Standard Guide for Placement of Intentional Leaks During Electrical Leak Location Surveys of Geomembranes
• Effective Date: 01-Nov-2004
• Referred By: ASTM D7953-20 - Standard Practice for Electrical Leak Location on Exposed Geomembranes Using the Arc Testing Method
• Effective Date: 01-Nov-2004
• Referred By: ASTM D7002-22 - Standard Practice for Electrical Leak Location on Exposed Geomembranes Using the Water Puddle Method
• Effective Date: 01-Nov-2004
• Referred By: ASTM D7700-22 - Standard Guide for Selecting Test Methods for Geomembrane Seams
• Effective Date: 01-Nov-2004
• Referred By: ASTM D7240-18 - Standard Practice for Electrical Leak Location Using Geomembranes with an Insulating Layer in Intimate Contact with a Conductive Layer via Electrical Capacitance Technique (Conductive-Backed Geomembrane Spark Test)
• Effective Date: 01-Nov-2004

Standards Content (Sample)

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information
Designation: D6747 − 04
StandardGuide for
Selection of Techniques for Electrical Detection of Potential
1
Leak Paths in Geomembranes
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D6747; 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 technical engineering related material as an integral part of a
manmade project, structure, or system.
1.1 This standard guide is intended to assist individuals or
3.1.4 potential leak paths, n—for the purposes of this
groups in assessing different options available for locating
potential leak paths in installed geomembranes through the use document, a potential leak path is any unintended opening,
perforation, breach, slit, tear, puncture, crack, or seam breach.
of electrical methods. For clarity, this document uses the term
potential leak path to mean holes, punctures, tears, knife cuts, Scratches, gouges, dents, or other aberrations that do not
completely penetrate the geomembrane are not considered.
seam defects, cracks and similar breaches over the partial or
entire area of an installed geomembrane. Leakpathsdetectedduringsurveyshavebeengroupedintofive
categories: (1) Holes—round shaped voids with downward or
1.2 This guide does not cover systems that are restricted to
upward protruding rims, (2) Tears—linear or areal voids with
seam testing only, nor does it cover systems that may detect
irregular edge borders, (3) Linear cuts—linear voids with neat
leaks non-electrically. It does not cover systems that only
close edges, (4) Seam defects—area of partial or total separa-
detect the presence, but not the location of leaks.
tion between sheets, and (5) Burned through zones—areas
1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the
where the polymer has been melted during the welding
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
process.
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
4. Significance and Use
bility of regulatory requirements prior to use.
4.1 Types of potential leak paths have been related to the
2. Referenced Documents
quality of the sub-grade material, quality of the cover material,
2
care in the cover material installation and quality of geomem-
2.1 ASTM Standards:
brane installation.
D4439 Terminology for Geosynthetics
4.2 Experience demonstrates that geomembranes can have
3. Terminology
leaks caused during their installation and placement of mate-
3.1 Definitions:
rial(s) on the liner.
3.1.1 electrical leak location, n—any method which uses
4.3 The damage to a geomembrane can be detected using
electrical current or electrical potential to detect and locate
electrical leak location systems. Such systems have been used
potential leak paths.
successfully to locate leak paths in electrically-insulating
3.1.2 geomembrane, n—an essentially impermeable mem-
geomembranes such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl
brane used with foundation, soil, rock, earth or any other
chloride, chlorosulfonated polyethylene and bituminous
geotechnical engineering related material as an integral part of
geomembranes installed in basins, ponds, tanks, ore and waste
a manmade project, structure, or system.
pads, and landfill cells.
3.1.3 geosynthetic, n—a planar product manufactured from
4.4 The principle behind these techniques is to place a
polymeric material used with soil, rock, earth, or other geo-
voltage across a synthetic geomembrane liner and then locate
areas where electrical current flows through discontinuities in
1
This guide is under the jurisdiction ofASTM Committee D35 on Geosynthetics
the liner (as shown schematically in Fig. 1). Insulation must be
and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D35.10 on Geomembranes.
secured prior to a survey to prevent pipe penetrations, flange
Current edition approved Nov. 1, 2004. Published November 2004. Originally
e1
bolts, steel drains, and batten strips on concrete to conduct
approved in 2002. Last previous edition approved in 2002 as D6747–02 DOI:
10.1520/D6747-04.
electricity through the liner and mask potential leak paths. The
2
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
liner must act as an insulator across which an electrical
contact ASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of ASTM
potential is applied. This electric detection method of locating
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
the ASTM website. potential leak paths in a geomembrane can be performed on
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