D35.04 - Geosynthetic Clay Liners

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
5.1 This test method yields the flux of water through a saturated GCL specimen that is consolidated, hydrated, and permeated under a prescribed set of conditions.  
5.2 This test method can be performed to determine if the flux of a GCL specimen exceeds the maximum value stated by the manufacturer.  
5.3 This test method can be used to determine the variation in flux within a sample of GCL by testing a number of different specimens.  
5.4 This test method does not provide a flux value to be used directly in design calculations.
Note 1: Flux for in-service conditions depends on a number of factors, including confining pressure, type of hydration fluid, degree of hydration, degree of saturation, type of permeating fluid, and hydraulic gradient. Correlation between flux values obtained with this test method and flux through GCLs subjected to in-service conditions has not been fully investigated.  
5.5 This test method does not provide a value of hydraulic conductivity. Although hydraulic conductivity can be determined in a manner similar to the method described in this test method, the thickness of the specimen is needed to calculate hydraulic conductivity. This test method does not include procedures for measuring the thickness of the GCL nor of the clay component within the GCL. Refer to Appendix X2 for calculation of hydraulic conductivity.  
5.6 The apparatus used in this test method is commonly used to determine the hydraulic conductivity of soil specimens. However, flux values measured in this test are typically much lower than those commonly measured for most natural soils. It is essential that the leakage rate of the apparatus used in this test be less than 10 % of the flux.
SCOPE
1.1 This test method covers an index test that covers laboratory measurement of flux through saturated geosynthetic clay liner (GCL) specimens using a flexible wall permeameter.  
1.2 This test method is applicable to GCL products having geotextile backing(s). It is not applicable to GCL products with geomembrane backing(s), geofilm backing(s), or polymer coating backing(s).  
1.3 This test method provides a measurement of flux under a prescribed set of conditions that can be used for manufacturing quality control. The test method can also be used to check conformance. The flux value determined using this test method is not considered to be representative of the in-service flux of GCLs.  
1.4 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.  
1.5 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.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 For optimum performance, GCLs must be installed in a manner that does not impact their physical, mechanical, or hydraulic properties.  
4.2 This guide identifies the proper installation procedures and equipment for use by GCL designers, inspectors, and installers.
SCOPE
1.1 This guide covers directions for the installation of geosynthetic clay liners (GCLs) under field conditions typically present in environmental lining applications.  
1.2 This guide contains general installation guidelines. It is not intended to replace project-specific installation requirements as found in the contract drawings or specifications. In the event of a conflict, the requirement of the project specifications will supersede the requirements of this guide.  
1.3 This guide does not purport to establish specific procedure for all climatic, geographical, hydraulic, or topographical conditions that may exist at a site. Appropriate installation procedures under atypical field conditions should be modified as necessary to maintain the integrity of the GCL and adjacent lining system components.  
1.4 Different GCLs have different materials of construction with different physical properties. The procedures contained in this guide, therefore, may not be universally applicable to all GCLs under all field conditions.  
1.5 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard. No other units of measurement are included in this standard.  
1.6 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.  
1.7 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.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
5.1 The bonding strength test for the top and bottom layers of the geosynthetic clay liner is intended to be an index test. It is anticipated that the results of the test will be used to evaluate the quality of the bonding process.
SCOPE
1.1 This test method covers the laboratory determination of the average bonding strength between the top and bottom layers of a sample of a geosynthetic clay liner (GCL).  
1.2 The values stated in either SI units or inch-pound units are to be regarded separately as standard. The values stated in each system may not be exact equivalents; therefore, each system shall be used independently of the other. Combining values from the two systems may result in nonconformance with the standard.  
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, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.  
1.4 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.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
5.1 This test method is used to determine if the GCL material meets specifications for mass per unit area at approximately 0 % moisture content, by oven drying. It can be used as an index test for quality control or quality assurance to determine specimen conformance.
SCOPE
1.1 This test method covers the laboratory determination of the mass per unit area of a sample of a geosynthetic clay liner (GCL). The test method is also applicable to a multicomponent GCL. The dry mass of the clay can be found by simply subtracting the manufacturer's reported nominal mass of the geosynthetic component(s) from the total mass of the dry GCL. The moisture content of the GCL can also be determined by subtracting the initial total mass of the GCL from the total mass of the dry GCL.  
1.2 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard. No other units of measurement are included in this standard.  
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, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. See Section 8 for specific precautionary statements.  
1.4 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.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 This guide is intended as a starting place for those wishing to investigate the chemical compatibility of the clay portion of a geosynthetic clay liner to test liquids. Within the scope of this guide, the clay portion of a geosynthetic clay liner that is chemically compatible with a test liquid may be expected to maintain its swelling characteristics. Conversely, the clay portion of a geosynthetic clay liner that is incompatible with a test liquid may be expected not to maintain its swelling characteristics. In instances where the compatibility of the clay portion of a GCL is questionable, additional hydraulic testing under the expected site conditions may be warranted.
SCOPE
1.1 This guide covers procedures and test methods that can be used in the evaluation of the ability of the clay portion of a geosynthetic clay liner to resist change due to exposure to liquids. These liquids may come from a site, or be generated in a laboratory from a site-specific soil.  
1.2 The scope of this guide is limited to short-term screening and is not intended to replace evaluation procedures that measure a performance property such as EPA 9100, Test Method D6766, or other suitable ASTM standards as they become available. This guide does not address potential adverse effects of wet-dry cycling.  
1.3 This guide applies to the clay component of a GCL. The swell index and fluid loss tests referenced in Section 8 may not be applicable to clay with polymer or other chemical treatment. However, the flux tests referenced in Section 9 are applicable to clay with polymer or other chemical treatment. It is acknowledged that some use the swell index or fluid loss procedure, or both, on clay with polymer or other chemical treatment. However, such use of the standard would be considered a modification of the procedure and must be reported as such. The synthetic carrier components are covered independently as described in Practice D5322.  
1.4 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard. No other units of measurement are included in this standard.  
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.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
5.1 The ability to maintain design function (for example, barrier) or design properties (for example, peel strength, chemical resistance, etc.), or both, of a geosynthetic clay liner may be affected by damage to the physical structure of the GCL due to the rigors of field installation. The effect of damage may be assessed by analyzing specimens cut from sample(s) retrieved after installation in a representative test pad. Analysis may be performed with visual examination or laboratory testing of specimens from the control sample(s), and from the exhumed sample(s).  
5.2 A uniform practice for installing and retrieving representative sample(s) from a test pad is needed to assess installation damage using project-specific or generally accepted, representative materials and procedures. Damage of a specific grade and type of GCL under specific installation procedures may be assessed with sample(s) exhumed from a full-scale test pad.
SCOPE
1.1 This practice covers standardized procedures for obtaining samples of geosynthetic clay liners (GCLs) from a test pad for use in assessment of the effects immediately after installation caused only by the installation techniques. The assessment may include physical testing. This practice is applicable to GCLs only.  
1.2 This practice is limited to full-scale test pads, and does not address laboratory modeling of field conditions. This practice does not address which test method(s) to use for quantifying installation damage.  
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, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.  
1.4 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.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 GCLs must be properly manufactured in a manner consistent with a minimum level of quality control as determined by in-house testing of the final product. This practice suggests the types of tests, the methods of the testing, and the minimum testing frequencies.  
MD = machine direction.
CD = cross-machine direction.
Minimum = lowest result for the produced lot from which the supplied rolls were selected.
Maximum = highest result for the produced lot from which the supplied rolls were selected.
n/a = not applicable. (A) The tests on the bentonite are to be performed on the as-received material before fabrication into the GCL product.(B) Cert letter from component manufacturer or QA from GCL manufacturer, or both. Cert letters must arrive and be checked before the components are used for the GCL production.(C) If the moisture content from the bentonite added during production did not change, the mass per unit area and moisture content of the bentonite (evaluated according to 1.3 in Table 1) can be used to determine the values of the finished GCL product.(D) Components from finished GCL product should not be separated and tested, because the production process may alter the properties of the components.(E) MARV–minimum average roll value, only evaluated for a one-year production period with an average value minus 2 standard deviations. If the production period is less than one year, for example, for job-specific products, a MARV value may not be able to be evaluated, then the minimum value shall be reported.(F) Dried bentonite should be defined as 0 % moisture content.(G) Internal shear testing (Test Method D6243/D6243M) may be applicable to quality control of the bonding strength of non-needle-punched reinforced and stitch-bonded GCLs.(H) This test is not applicable for multi-component GCLs (for example, products with geomembrane backing(s), geofilm backing(s), or polymer backing(s)).  
4.2 It should be clearly recognized that manufacturers may perf...
SCOPE
1.1 This practice covers the manufacturing quality control of geosynthetic clay liners (GCLs), describing types of tests, the proper test methods, and the minimum testing frequencies.  
1.2 This practice is intended to aid manufacturers, suppliers, purchasers, and users of GCLs in establishing a minimum level of effort for manufacturing quality control.  
1.3 This practice does not address manufacturing quality assurance, product acceptance testing, or conformance testing. These are independent activities taken by organizations other than the GCL manufacturer.  
1.4 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.  
1.5 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.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 The shear strength of soil-geosynthetic interfaces and geosynthetic-geosynthetic interfaces is a critical design parameter for many civil engineering projects, including, but not limited to: waste containment systems, mining applications, dam designs involving geosynthetics, mechanically stabilized earth structures, reinforced soil slopes, and liquid impoundments. Since geosynthetic interfaces often serve as a weak plane on which sliding may occur, shear strengths of these interfaces are needed to assess the stability of earth materials resting on these interfaces, such as a waste mass or ore body over a lining system or the ability of a final cover to remain on a slope. Accordingly, project-specific shear testing using representative materials under conditions similar to those expected in the field is recommended for final design. Shear strengths of geosynthetic interfaces are obtained by either Test Method D5321/D5321M (geosynthetics) or D6243/D6243M (geosynthetic clay liners). This guide touches upon some of the issues that should be considered when evaluating shear strength data. Because of the large number of potential conditions that could exist, there may be other conditions not identified in this guide that could affect interpretation of the results. The seemingly infinite combinations of soils, geosynthetics, hydration and wetting conditions, normal load distributions, strain rates, creep, pore pressures, etc., will always require individual engineering evaluations by qualified practitioners. Along the same lines, the list of references provided in this guide is not exhaustive, nor are the findings and suggestions of any particular reference meant to be considered conclusive. The references and their related findings are presented herein only as examples available in the literature of the types of considerations that others have found useful when evaluating direct shear test results.  
4.2 The figures included in this guide are only examples intended t...
SCOPE
1.1 This guide presents a summary of available information related to the evaluation of direct shear test results involving geosynthetic materials.  
1.2 This guide is intended to assist designers and users of geosynthetics. This guide is not intended to replace education or experience and should only be used in conjunction with professional judgment. 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 document be applied without consideration of a project’s many unique aspects. Not all aspects of this practice may be applicable in all circumstances. The word “Standard” in the title of this document means only that the document has been approved through the ASTM consensus process.  
1.3 This guide is applicable to soil-geosynthetic and geosynthetic-geosynthetic direct shear test results, obtained using either Test Method D5321/D5321M or D6243/D6243M.  
1.4 This guide does not address selection of peak or large-displacement shear strength values for design. References on this topic include Thiel (1),2 Gilbert (2), Koerner and Bowman (3), and Stark and Choi (4).  
1.5 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.  
1.6 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.  
1.7 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardizatio...

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 This test method applies to one-dimensional, laminar flow of aqueous solutions, such as chemical solutions, landfill leachate, and contaminated water (from here on referred to as “test liquid”), through saturated/hydrated GCL specimen that is consolidated and permeated under a prescribed or requested set of conditions.  
4.2 This test method assumes that Darcy’s law is valid and that the hydraulic conductivity is essentially unaffected by hydraulic gradient. The validity of Darcy’s law may be evaluated by measuring the hydraulic conductivity of the specimen at three different hydraulic gradients; if all measured values are similar (within about 25 %), then Darcy's law may be taken as valid. However, when the hydraulic gradient acting on a test specimen is changed, the state of stress will also change and, if the specimen is compressible, the volume of the specimen will change. Thus, some change in hydraulic conductivity may occur when the hydraulic gradient is altered, even in cases where Darcy's law is valid.  
4.3 This test method provides tools for determining flux and hydraulic conductivity values for a given GCL under the following two different scenarios, which should be specified by the requester:  
4.3.1 Scenario 1 – Hydrated/Saturated with Water Prior to Contact with Test Liquid—This scenario simulates the field conditions where the GCL is well hydrated with water prior to contact with actual test liquid. It should be noted that initial degree of saturation/hydration greatly affects the hydraulic properties of a GCL product. The test has two phases: (Phase 1) hydrate, saturate, consolidate, and permeate with water as Test Liquid 1, and (Phase 2) switch to permeation with test liquid as Test Liquid 2.  
4.3.2 Scenario 2 – Hydrated/Saturated with Test Liquid (Worst Case)—This scenario simulates the field conditions where the GCL is in contact with test liquid prior to being fully hydrated with water. It should be noted that this scenario may result in...
SCOPE
1.1 This test method covers laboratory measurement of both flux and hydraulic conductivity (also referred to as coefficient of permeability) of geosynthetic clay liner (GCL) specimens permeated with chemical solutions and leachates utilizing a flexible wall permeameter. For test measurement of index hydraulic properties of geosynthetic clay liners, refer to Test Method D5887/D5887M. For hydraulic conductivity compatibility of soils with aqueous chemical solutions and leachates, refer to Test Method D7100.  
1.2 This test method may be utilized with GCL specimens that have a hydraulic conductivity less than or equal to 1 × 10–5 m/s (1 × 10–3 cm/s).  
1.3 This test method is applicable to GCL products having geotextile backing(s). It is not applicable to GCL products with geomembrane backing(s), geofilm backing(s), or polymer coating backing(s).  
1.4 This test method allows the requester to evaluate the hydraulic properties of a GCL with site-specific or laboratory-prepared solution under different test conditions; thus, the test method also may be used to check performance or conformance, or both.  
1.5 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the standard, unless other units are specifically given. By tradition in U.S. practice, hydraulic conductivity is reported in centimeters per second, although the common SI units for hydraulic conductivity are meters per second.  
1.6 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.  
1.7 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 i...

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
5.1 This test method may be used for the acceptance testing of commercial shipments of GCLs, but caution is advised since information about between-laboratory precision is incomplete. Comparative tests as directed in 5.1.1 may be advisable.  
5.1.1 In cases of a dispute arising from differences in reported test results when using this test method for acceptance of shipments, the purchaser and the supplier should conduct comparative tests to determine if there is a statistical bias. The two parties should take a group of test samples that are as homogeneous as possible and which are from the lot of material in question.  
5.2 Some modification of clamping techniques may be necessary for a given GCL, depending upon its structure. Specimen clamping may be modified as required at the discretion of the individual laboratory, provided a representative tensile strength is obtained. In any event, the procedure described in Section 10 of this test method for obtaining tensile strength must be maintained.  
5.3 This test method is applicable for testing GCLs as received. It is used with a constant rate of extension type tension apparatus.
SCOPE
1.1 This test method establishes the procedures for the measurement of tensile strength of a geosynthetic clay liner (GCL). This test method is strictly an index test method to be used to verify the tensile strength of GCLs. Results from this test method should not be considered as an indication of actual or long-term performance of the geosynthetic(s) in field applications.  
1.2 The values stated in either SI units or inch-pound units are to be regarded separately as standard. The values stated in each system may not be exact equivalents; therefore, each system shall be used independently of the other. Combining values from the two systems may result in nonconformance with the standard.  
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, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.  
1.4 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.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
5.1 The procedure described in this test method for determination of the shear resistance for the GCL or the GCL interface is intended as a performance test to provide the user with a set of design values for the test conditions examined. The test specimens and conditions, including normal stresses, are generally selected by the user.  
5.2 This test method may be used for acceptance testing of commercial shipments of GCLs, but caution is advised as outlined in 5.2.1.  
5.2.1 The shear resistance can be expressed only in terms of actual test conditions (see Notes 2 and 3). The determined value may be a function of the applied normal stress, material characteristics (for example, of the geosynthetic), soil properties, size of sample, moisture content, drainage conditions, displacement rate, magnitude of displacement, and other parameters.
Note 2: In the case of acceptance testing requiring the use of soil, the user must furnish the soil sample, soil parameters, and direct shear test parameters. The method of test data interpretation for purposes of acceptance should be mutually agreed to by the users of this standard.
Note 3: Testing under this test method should be performed by laboratories qualified in the direct shear testing of soils and meeting the requirements of Practice D3740, especially since the test results may depend on site-specific and test conditions.  
5.2.2 This test method measures the total resistance to shear within a GCL or between a GCL and adjacent material. The total shear resistance may be a combination of sliding, rolling, and interlocking of material components.  
5.2.3 This test method does not distinguish between individual mechanisms, which may be a function of the soil and GCL used, method of material placement and hydration, normal and shear stresses applied, means used to hold the GCL in place, rate of horizontal displacement, and other factors. Every effort should be made to identify, as closely as is practicable, the sheared...
SCOPE
1.1 This test method covers a procedure for determining the internal shear resistance of a geosynthetic clay liner (GCL) or the interface shear resistance between the GCL and an adjacent material under a constant rate of deformation.  
1.2 This test method is intended to indicate the performance of the selected specimen by attempting to model certain field conditions.  
1.3 This test method is applicable to all GCLs. Remolded or undisturbed soil samples can be used in the test device. See Test Method D5321/D5321M for interface shear testing of non-GCL geosynthetics. See Guide D7702/D7702M for a summary of available information related to the evaluation of direct shear results obtained using this test method.  
1.4 This test method is not suited for the development of exact stress-strain relationships within the test specimen due to the nonuniform distribution of shearing forces and displacement.  
1.5 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.  
1.6 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.  
1.7 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.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 Clay mineral is the functional component of GCL that reduces the hydraulic conductivity of industrial waste or ground water through the liner.  
4.2 Clay mineral quality can vary significantly and affect the hydraulic conductivity of the GCL composite. This test method evaluates a significant property of clay mineral that relates to performance.
SCOPE
1.1 This test method covers an index method that enables the evaluation of fluid loss properties of a clay mineral film deposited on a filter paper from a 6 % solids slurry of clay mineral at 100-psi (kPa) pressure as a measure of its usefulness for permeability or hydraulic conductivity reduction in geosynthetic clay liners (GCL). This test method is not applicable for clays with polymers.  
1.2 This test method is adapted from American Petroleum Institute drilling fluid specifications for bentonite.  
1.3 Powdered clay mineral is tested as produced; granular clay mineral should be ground to 100 % passing a 100 mesh U.S. Standard Sieve with a minimum of 65 % passing a 200 mesh U.S. Standard Sieve with the whole ground product used for testing.  
1.4 The values stated in either SI units or inch-pound units are to be regarded separately as standard. The values stated in each system may not be exact equivalents; therefore, each system shall be used independently of the other. Combining values from the two systems may result in non-conformance with the standard.  
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.2  
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.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 For optimum performance, GCLs must be stored and handled prior to their installation in a manner that does not impact their hydraulic or physical properties, or both. Adherence to these storage and handling guidelines will help to ensure that acceptable GCL performance will be achieved.
FIG. 1 GCLs Stored Off the Ground and Evenly Supported On Pallets
SCOPE
1.1 This guide covers guidelines for the proper storage and handling of geosynthetic clay liners received at the job site by the end user.  
1.2 This guide contains general guidelines and is not intended to replace project-specific requirements as found in the contract drawings or specifications. In the event of a conflict, the requirements of the project specifications will supersede the requirements of this guide.  
1.3 The values given in SI units are to be regarded as the standard. The inch-pound units given in parentheses are for information only.  
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 document cannot replace education or experience and should be used in conjunction with professional judgement. Not all aspects of this guide may be applicable in all circumstances. This ASTM standard 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 document be applied without consideration of a project's many unique aspects. The word “standard” in the title of this document means only that the document 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.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 Clay mineral is a major functional component of GCL systems that reduces the hydraulic conductivity of industrial, waste, or ground water through the liner.  
4.2 Clay mineral quality can vary significantly and affect the hydraulic conductivity of the GCL composite. This test method evaluates a significant property of clay mineral that relates to performance.
SCOPE
1.1 This test method covers an index method that enables the evaluation of swelling properties of a clay mineral in reagent water for estimation of its usefulness in geosynthetic clay liners (GCLs). This test method is not applicable for clays with polymers.  
1.2 It is adapted from United States Pharmacopeia (USP-NF-XVII) test method for bentonite.  
1.3 Powdered clay mineral is tested after drying to constant weight at 105 ± 5 °C; granular clay mineral should be ground to 100 % passing a 150-µm (No. 100) U.S. Standard Sieve with a minimum of 65 % passing a 75-µm (No. 200) U.S. Standard Sieve. The bentonite passing the 150-µm U.S. Standard Sieve is used for testing after drying to constant weight at 105 ± 5 °C.  
1.4 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard.  
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. Specific precautionary statements are given in Section 8.  
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.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 This practice provides a procedure by which samples of GCL should be obtained for laboratory testing. The practice applies to materials obtained prior to installation (either at a job site or at a production facility) or exhumed material after installation.  
4.2 Only GCL samples obtained in accordance with 5.1 of this practice will be considered representative of the actual manufactured GCL for quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) purposes.  
4.3 The quantity of GCL received by the laboratory should be sufficient for the preparation of several representative test specimens for the standardized physical, hydraulic, and mechanical tests to be performed on the GCLs.  
4.4 The procedures in this practice should be used by plant and field personnel for obtaining GCL samples for laboratory testing.
SCOPE
1.1 This practice covers procedures for sampling geosynthetic clay liners (GCLs) for the purpose of laboratory testing. These procedures are designed to ensure that representative samples are obtained and properly packaged for submittal to a testing laboratory.  
1.2 The procedures in this practice may be applied to either samples of unhydrated GCLs obtained at the project site prior to installation (or at the production facility, prior to shipment to the project site) or samples exhumed from a project site after installation.  
1.3 It is assumed that the number of samples to be obtained has already been determined in the project specification, standard test method, or by prior agreement between the purchaser and seller. This practice covers only the methods for obtaining a pre-arranged number of samples and does not describe methods for obtaining individual specimens from the sample.  
1.4 The values stated in either SI units or inch-pound units are to be regarded separately as standard. The values stated in each system may not be exact equivalents; therefore, each system shall be used independently of the other. Combining values from the two systems may result in nonconformance with the standard.  
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.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
5.1 The bonding strength test for the top and bottom layers of the geosynthetic clay liner is intended to be an index test. It is anticipated that the results of the test will be used to evaluate the quality of the bonding process.
SCOPE
1.1 This test method covers the laboratory determination of the average bonding strength between the top and bottom layers of a sample of a geosynthetic clay liner (GCL).  
1.2 The values stated in either SI units or inch-pound units are to be regarded separately as standard. The values stated in each system may not be exact equivalents; therefore, each system shall be used independently of the other. Combining values from the two systems may result in nonconformance with the standard.  
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, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.  
1.4 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.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
5.1 This test method yields the flux of water through a saturated GCL specimen that is consolidated, hydrated, and permeated under a prescribed set of conditions.  
5.2 This test method can be performed to determine if the flux of a GCL specimen exceeds the maximum value stated by the manufacturer.  
5.3 This test method can be used to determine the variation in flux within a sample of GCL by testing a number of different specimens.  
5.4 This test method does not provide a flux value to be used directly in design calculations.
Note 1: Flux for in-service conditions depends on a number of factors, including confining pressure, type of hydration fluid, degree of hydration, degree of saturation, type of permeating fluid, and hydraulic gradient. Correlation between flux values obtained with this test method and flux through GCLs subjected to in-service conditions has not been fully investigated.  
5.5 This test method does not provide a value of hydraulic conductivity. Although hydraulic conductivity can be determined in a manner similar to the method described in this test method, the thickness of the specimen is needed to calculate hydraulic conductivity. This test method does not include procedures for measuring the thickness of the GCL nor of the clay component within the GCL. Refer to Appendix X2 for calculation of hydraulic conductivity.  
5.6 The apparatus used in this test method is commonly used to determine the hydraulic conductivity of soil specimens. However, flux values measured in this test are typically much lower than those commonly measured for most natural soils. It is essential that the leakage rate of the apparatus used in this test be less than 10 % of the flux.
SCOPE
1.1 This test method covers an index test that covers laboratory measurement of flux through saturated geosynthetic clay liner (GCL) specimens using a flexible wall permeameter.  
1.2 This test method is applicable to GCL products having geotextile backing(s). It is not applicable to GCL products with geomembrane backing(s), geofilm backing(s), or polymer coating backing(s).  
1.3 This test method provides a measurement of flux under a prescribed set of conditions that can be used for manufacturing quality control. The test method can also be used to check conformance. The flux value determined using this test method is not considered to be representative of the in-service flux of GCLs.  
1.4 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.  
1.5 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.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
5.1 This test method yields the flux of water through a saturated GCL specimen that is consolidated, hydrated, and permeated under a prescribed set of conditions.  
5.2 This test method can be performed to determine if the flux of a GCL specimen exceeds the maximum value stated by the manufacturer.  
5.3 This test method can be used to determine the variation in flux within a sample of GCL by testing a number of different specimens.  
5.4 This test method does not provide a flux value to be used directly in design calculations.
Note 1: Flux for in-service conditions depends on a number of factors, including confining pressure, type of hydration fluid, degree of hydration, degree of saturation, type of permeating fluid, and hydraulic gradient. Correlation between flux values obtained with this test method and flux through GCLs subjected to in-service conditions has not been fully investigated.  
5.5 This test method does not provide a value of hydraulic conductivity. Although hydraulic conductivity can be determined in a manner similar to the method described in this test method, the thickness of the specimen is needed to calculate hydraulic conductivity. This test method does not include procedures for measuring the thickness of the GCL nor of the clay component within the GCL. Refer to Appendix X2 for calculation of hydraulic conductivity.  
5.6 The apparatus used in this test method is commonly used to determine the hydraulic conductivity of soil specimens. However, flux values measured in this test are typically much lower than those commonly measured for most natural soils. It is essential that the leakage rate of the apparatus used in this test be less than 10 % of the flux.
SCOPE
1.1 This test method covers an index test that covers laboratory measurement of flux through saturated geosynthetic clay liner (GCL) specimens using a flexible wall permeameter.  
1.2 This test method is applicable to GCL products having geotextile backing(s). It is not applicable to GCL products with geomembrane backing(s), geofilm backing(s), or polymer coating backing(s).  
1.3 This test method provides a measurement of flux under a prescribed set of conditions that can be used for manufacturing quality control. The test method can also be used to check conformance. The flux value determined using this test method is not considered to be representative of the in-service flux of GCLs.  
1.4 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.  
1.5 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.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 For optimum performance, GCLs must be installed in a manner that does not impact their physical, mechanical, or hydraulic properties.  
4.2 This guide identifies the proper installation procedures and equipment for use by GCL designers, inspectors, and installers.
SCOPE
1.1 This guide covers directions for the installation of geosynthetic clay liners (GCLs) under field conditions typically present in environmental lining applications.  
1.2 This guide contains general installation guidelines. It is not intended to replace project-specific installation requirements as found in the contract drawings or specifications. In the event of a conflict, the requirement of the project specifications will supersede the requirements of this guide.  
1.3 This guide does not purport to establish specific procedure for all climatic, geographical, hydraulic, or topographical conditions that may exist at a site. Appropriate installation procedures under atypical field conditions should be modified as necessary to maintain the integrity of the GCL and adjacent lining system components.  
1.4 Different GCLs have different materials of construction with different physical properties. The procedures contained in this guide, therefore, may not be universally applicable to all GCLs under all field conditions.  
1.5 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard. No other units of measurement are included in this standard.  
1.6 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.  
1.7 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.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
5.1 The bonding strength test for the top and bottom layers of the geosynthetic clay liner is intended to be an index test. It is anticipated that the results of the test will be used to evaluate the quality of the bonding process.
SCOPE
1.1 This test method covers the laboratory determination of the average bonding strength between the top and bottom layers of a sample of a geosynthetic clay liner (GCL).  
1.2 The values stated in either SI units or inch-pound units are to be regarded separately as standard. The values stated in each system may not be exact equivalents; therefore, each system shall be used independently of the other. Combining values from the two systems may result in nonconformance with the standard.  
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, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.  
1.4 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.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
5.1 This test method yields the flux of water through a saturated GCL specimen that is consolidated, hydrated, and permeated under a prescribed set of conditions.  
5.2 This test method can be performed to determine if the flux of a GCL specimen exceeds the maximum value stated by the manufacturer.  
5.3 This test method can be used to determine the variation in flux within a sample of GCL by testing a number of different specimens.  
5.4 This test method does not provide a flux value to be used directly in design calculations.
Note 1: Flux for in-service conditions depends on a number of factors, including confining pressure, type of hydration fluid, degree of hydration, degree of saturation, type of permeating fluid, and hydraulic gradient. Correlation between flux values obtained with this test method and flux through GCLs subjected to in-service conditions has not been fully investigated.  
5.5 This test method does not provide a value of hydraulic conductivity. Although hydraulic conductivity can be determined in a manner similar to the method described in this test method, the thickness of the specimen is needed to calculate hydraulic conductivity. This test method does not include procedures for measuring the thickness of the GCL nor of the clay component within the GCL. Refer to Appendix X2 for calculation of hydraulic conductivity.  
5.6 The apparatus used in this test method is commonly used to determine the hydraulic conductivity of soil specimens. However, flux values measured in this test are typically much lower than those commonly measured for most natural soils. It is essential that the leakage rate of the apparatus used in this test be less than 10 % of the flux.
SCOPE
1.1 This test method covers an index test that covers laboratory measurement of flux through saturated geosynthetic clay liner (GCL) specimens using a flexible wall permeameter.  
1.2 This test method is applicable to GCL products having geotextile backing(s). It is not applicable to GCL products with geomembrane backing(s), geofilm backing(s), or polymer coating backing(s).  
1.3 This test method provides a measurement of flux under a prescribed set of conditions that can be used for manufacturing quality control. The test method can also be used to check conformance. The flux value determined using this test method is not considered to be representative of the in-service flux of GCLs.  
1.4 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.  
1.5 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.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 This test method applies to one-dimensional, laminar flow of aqueous solutions, such as chemical solutions, landfill leachate, and contaminated water (from here on referred to as “test liquid”), through saturated/hydrated GCL specimen that is consolidated and permeated under a prescribed or requested set of conditions.  
4.2 This test method assumes that Darcy’s law is valid and that the hydraulic conductivity is essentially unaffected by hydraulic gradient. The validity of Darcy’s law may be evaluated by measuring the hydraulic conductivity of the specimen at three different hydraulic gradients; if all measured values are similar (within about 25 %), then Darcy's law may be taken as valid. However, when the hydraulic gradient acting on a test specimen is changed, the state of stress will also change and, if the specimen is compressible, the volume of the specimen will change. Thus, some change in hydraulic conductivity may occur when the hydraulic gradient is altered, even in cases where Darcy's law is valid.  
4.3 This test method provides tools for determining flux and hydraulic conductivity values for a given GCL under the following two different scenarios, which should be specified by the requester:  
4.3.1 Scenario 1 – Hydrated/Saturated with Water Prior to Contact with Test Liquid—This scenario simulates the field conditions where the GCL is well hydrated with water prior to contact with actual test liquid. It should be noted that initial degree of saturation/hydration greatly affects the hydraulic properties of a GCL product. The test has two phases: (Phase 1) hydrate, saturate, consolidate, and permeate with water as Test Liquid 1, and (Phase 2) switch to permeation with test liquid as Test Liquid 2.  
4.3.2 Scenario 2 – Hydrated/Saturated with Test Liquid (Worst Case)—This scenario simulates the field conditions where the GCL is in contact with test liquid prior to being fully hydrated with water. It should be noted that this scenario may result in...
SCOPE
1.1 This test method covers laboratory measurement of both flux and hydraulic conductivity (also referred to as coefficient of permeability) of geosynthetic clay liner (GCL) specimens permeated with chemical solutions and leachates utilizing a flexible wall permeameter. For test measurement of index hydraulic properties of geosynthetic clay liners, refer to Test Method D5887/D5887M. For hydraulic conductivity compatibility of soils with aqueous chemical solutions and leachates, refer to Test Method D7100.  
1.2 This test method may be utilized with GCL specimens that have a hydraulic conductivity less than or equal to 1 × 10–5 m/s (1 × 10–3 cm/s).  
1.3 This test method is applicable to GCL products having geotextile backing(s). It is not applicable to GCL products with geomembrane backing(s), geofilm backing(s), or polymer coating backing(s).  
1.4 This test method allows the requester to evaluate the hydraulic properties of a GCL with site-specific or laboratory-prepared solution under different test conditions; thus, the test method also may be used to check performance or conformance, or both.  
1.5 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the standard, unless other units are specifically given. By tradition in U.S. practice, hydraulic conductivity is reported in centimeters per second, although the common SI units for hydraulic conductivity are meters per second.  
1.6 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.  
1.7 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 i...

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
5.1 The bonding strength test for the top and bottom layers of the geosynthetic clay liner is intended to be an index test. It is anticipated that the results of the test will be used to evaluate the quality of the bonding process.
SCOPE
1.1 This test method covers the laboratory determination of the average bonding strength between the top and bottom layers of a sample of a geosynthetic clay liner (GCL).  
1.2 The values stated in either SI units or inch-pound units are to be regarded separately as standard. The values stated in each system may not be exact equivalents; therefore, each system shall be used independently of the other. Combining values from the two systems may result in nonconformance with the standard.  
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, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.  
1.4 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.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
5.1 This test method may be used for the acceptance testing of commercial shipments of GCLs, but caution is advised since information about between-laboratory precision is incomplete. Comparative tests as directed in 5.1.1 may be advisable.  
5.1.1 In cases of a dispute arising from differences in reported test results when using this test method for acceptance of shipments, the purchaser and the supplier should conduct comparative tests to determine if there is a statistical bias. The two parties should take a group of test samples that are as homogeneous as possible and which are from the lot of material in question.  
5.2 Some modification of clamping techniques may be necessary for a given GCL, depending upon its structure. Specimen clamping may be modified as required at the discretion of the individual laboratory, provided a representative tensile strength is obtained. In any event, the procedure described in Section 10 of this test method for obtaining tensile strength must be maintained.  
5.3 This test method is applicable for testing GCLs as received. It is used with a constant rate of extension type tension apparatus.
SCOPE
1.1 This test method establishes the procedures for the measurement of tensile strength of a geosynthetic clay liner (GCL). This test method is strictly an index test method to be used to verify the tensile strength of GCLs. Results from this test method should not be considered as an indication of actual or long-term performance of the geosynthetic(s) in field applications.  
1.2 The values stated in either SI units or inch-pound units are to be regarded separately as standard. The values stated in each system may not be exact equivalents; therefore, each system shall be used independently of the other. Combining values from the two systems may result in nonconformance with the standard.  
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, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.  
1.4 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.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 This practice provides a procedure by which samples of GCL should be obtained for laboratory testing. The practice applies to materials obtained prior to installation (either at a job site or at a production facility) or exhumed material after installation.  
4.2 Only GCL samples obtained in accordance with 5.1 of this practice will be considered representative of the actual manufactured GCL for quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) purposes.  
4.3 The quantity of GCL received by the laboratory should be sufficient for the preparation of several representative test specimens for the standardized physical, hydraulic, and mechanical tests to be performed on the GCLs.  
4.4 The procedures in this practice should be used by plant and field personnel for obtaining GCL samples for laboratory testing.
SCOPE
1.1 This practice covers procedures for sampling geosynthetic clay liners (GCLs) for the purpose of laboratory testing. These procedures are designed to ensure that representative samples are obtained and properly packaged for submittal to a testing laboratory.  
1.2 The procedures in this practice may be applied to either samples of unhydrated GCLs obtained at the project site prior to installation (or at the production facility, prior to shipment to the project site) or samples exhumed from a project site after installation.  
1.3 It is assumed that the number of samples to be obtained has already been determined in the project specification, standard test method, or by prior agreement between the purchaser and seller. This practice covers only the methods for obtaining a pre-arranged number of samples and does not describe methods for obtaining individual specimens from the sample.  
1.4 The values stated in either SI units or inch-pound units are to be regarded separately as standard. The values stated in each system may not be exact equivalents; therefore, each system shall be used independently of the other. Combining values from the two systems may result in nonconformance with the standard.  
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.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 Clay mineral is a major functional component of GCL systems that reduces the hydraulic conductivity of industrial, waste, or ground water through the liner.  
4.2 Clay mineral quality can vary significantly and affect the hydraulic conductivity of the GCL composite. This test method evaluates a significant property of clay mineral that relates to performance.
SCOPE
1.1 This test method covers an index method that enables the evaluation of swelling properties of a clay mineral in reagent water for estimation of its usefulness in geosynthetic clay liners (GCLs). This test method is not applicable for clays with polymers.  
1.2 It is adapted from United States Pharmacopeia (USP-NF-XVII) test method for bentonite.  
1.3 Powdered clay mineral is tested after drying to constant weight at 105 ± 5 °C; granular clay mineral should be ground to 100 % passing a 150-µm (No. 100) U.S. Standard Sieve with a minimum of 65 % passing a 75-µm (No. 200) U.S. Standard Sieve. The bentonite passing the 150-µm U.S. Standard Sieve is used for testing after drying to constant weight at 105 ± 5 °C.  
1.4 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard.  
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. Specific precautionary statements are given in Section 8.  
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.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
5.1 The ability to maintain design function (for example, barrier) or design properties (for example, peel strength, chemical resistance, etc.), or both, of a geosynthetic clay liner may be affected by damage to the physical structure of the GCL due to the rigors of field installation. The effect of damage may be assessed by analyzing specimens cut from sample(s) retrieved after installation in a representative test pad. Analysis may be performed with visual examination or laboratory testing of specimens from the control sample(s), and from the exhumed sample(s).  
5.2 A uniform practice for installing and retrieving representative sample(s) from a test pad is needed to assess installation damage using project-specific or generally accepted, representative materials and procedures. Damage of a specific grade and type of GCL under specific installation procedures may be assessed with sample(s) exhumed from a full-scale test pad.
SCOPE
1.1 This practice covers standardized procedures for obtaining samples of geosynthetic clay liners (GCLs) from a test pad for use in assessment of the effects immediately after installation caused only by the installation techniques. The assessment may include physical testing. This practice is applicable to GCLs only.  
1.2 This practice is limited to full-scale test pads, and does not address laboratory modeling of field conditions. This practice does not address which test method(s) to use for quantifying installation damage.  
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, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.  
1.4 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.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
5.1 The bonding strength test for the top and bottom layers of the geosynthetic clay liner is intended to be an index test. It is anticipated that the results of the test will be used to evaluate the quality of the bonding process.
SCOPE
1.1 This test method covers the laboratory determination of the average bonding strength between the top and bottom layers of a sample of a geosynthetic clay liner (GCL).  
1.2 The values stated in either SI units or inch-pound units are to be regarded separately as standard. The values stated in each system may not be exact equivalents; therefore, each system shall be used independently of the other. Combining values from the two systems may result in nonconformance with the standard.  
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, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.  
1.4 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.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
5.1 This test method may be used for the acceptance testing of commercial shipments of GCLs, but caution is advised since information about between-laboratory precision is incomplete. Comparative tests as directed in 5.1.1 may be advisable.  
5.1.1 In cases of a dispute arising from differences in reported test results when using this test method for acceptance of shipments, the purchaser and the supplier should conduct comparative tests to determine if there is a statistical bias. The two parties should take a group of test samples that are as homogeneous as possible and which are from the lot of material in question.  
5.2 Some modification of clamping techniques may be necessary for a given GCL, depending upon its structure. Specimen clamping may be modified as required at the discretion of the individual laboratory, provided a representative tensile strength is obtained. In any event, the procedure described in Section 10 of this test method for obtaining tensile strength must be maintained.  
5.3 This test method is applicable for testing GCLs as received. It is used with a constant rate of extension type tension apparatus.
SCOPE
1.1 The test method establishes the procedures for the measurement of tensile strength of a geosynthetic clay liner (GCL). This test method is strictly an index test method to be used to verify the tensile strength of GCLs. Results from this test method should not be considered as an indication of actual or long-term performance of the geosynthetic(s) in field applications.  
1.2 The values stated in either SI units or inch-pound units are to be regarded separately as standard. The values stated in each system may not be exact equivalents; therefore, each system shall be used independently of the other. Combining values from the two systems may result in nonconformance with the standard.  
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, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.  
1.4 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.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
5.1 This test method is used to determine if the GCL material meets specifications for mass per unit area at approximately 0 % moisture content, by oven drying. It can be used as an index test for quality control or quality assurance to determine specimen conformance.
SCOPE
1.1 This test method covers the laboratory determination of the mass per unit area of a sample of a geosynthetic clay liner (GCL). The test method is also applicable to a multicomponent GCL. The dry mass of the clay can be found by simply subtracting the manufacturer's reported nominal mass of the geosynthetic component(s) from the total mass of the dry GCL. The moisture content of the GCL can also be determined by subtracting the initial total mass of the GCL from the total mass of the dry GCL.  
1.2 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard. No other units of measurement are included in this standard.  
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, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. See Section 8 for specific precautionary statements.  
1.4 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.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 This practice provides a procedure by which samples of GCL should be obtained for laboratory testing. The practice applies to materials obtained prior to installation (either at a job site or at a production facility) or exhumed material after installation.  
4.2 Only GCL samples obtained in accordance with 5.1 of this practice will be considered representative of the actual manufactured GCL for quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) purposes.  
4.3 The quantity of GCL received by the laboratory should be sufficient for the preparation of several representative test specimens for the standardized physical, hydraulic, and mechanical tests to be performed on the GCLs.  
4.4 The procedures in this practice should be used by plant and field personnel for obtaining GCL samples for laboratory testing.
SCOPE
1.1 This practice covers procedures for sampling geosynthetic clay liners (GCLs) for the purpose of laboratory testing. These procedures are designed to ensure that representative samples are obtained and properly packaged for submittal to a testing laboratory.  
1.2 The procedures in this practice may be applied to either samples of unhydrated GCLs obtained at the project site prior to installation (or at the production facility, prior to shipment to the project site) or samples exhumed from a project site after installation.  
1.3 It is assumed that the number of samples to be obtained has already been determined in the project specification, standard test method, or by prior agreement between the purchaser and seller. This practice covers only the methods for obtaining a pre-arranged number of samples and does not describe methods for obtaining individual specimens from the sample.  
1.4 The values stated in either SI units or inch-pound units are to be regarded separately as standard. The values stated in each system may not be exact equivalents; therefore, each system shall be used independently of the other. Combining values from the two systems may result in nonconformance with the standard.  
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.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 This guide is intended as a starting place for those wishing to investigate the chemical compatibility of the clay portion of a geosynthetic clay liner to test liquids. Within the scope of this guide, the clay portion of a geosynthetic clay liner that is chemically compatible with a test liquid may be expected to maintain its swelling characteristics. Conversely, the clay portion of a geosynthetic clay liner that is incompatible with a test liquid may be expected not to maintain its swelling characteristics. In instances where the compatibility of the clay portion of a GCL is questionable, additional hydraulic testing under the expected site conditions may be warranted.
SCOPE
1.1 This guide covers procedures and test methods that can be used in the evaluation of the ability of the clay portion of a geosynthetic clay liner to resist change due to exposure to liquids. These liquids may come from a site, or be generated in a laboratory from a site-specific soil.  
1.2 The scope of this guide is limited to short-term screening and is not intended to replace evaluation procedures that measure a performance property such as EPA 9100, Test Method D6766, or other suitable ASTM standards as they become available. This guide does not address potential adverse effects of wet-dry cycling.  
1.3 This guide applies to the clay component of a GCL. The swell index and fluid loss tests referenced in Section 8 may not be applicable to clay with polymer or other chemical treatment. However, the flux tests referenced in Section 9 are applicable to clay with polymer or other chemical treatment. It is acknowledged that some use the swell index or fluid loss procedure, or both, on clay with polymer or other chemical treatment. However, such use of the standard would be considered a modification of the procedure and must be reported as such. The synthetic carrier components are covered independently as described in Practice D5322.  
1.4 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard. No other units of measurement are included in this standard.  
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.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 This test method applies to one-dimensional, laminar flow of aqueous solutions, such as chemical solutions, landfill leachate, and contaminated water (from here on referred to as “test liquid”), through saturated/hydrated GCL specimen that is consolidated and permeated under a prescribed or requested set of conditions.  
4.2 This test method assumes that Darcy’s law is valid and that the hydraulic conductivity is essentially unaffected by hydraulic gradient. The validity of Darcy’s law may be evaluated by measuring the hydraulic conductivity of the specimen at three different hydraulic gradients; if all measured values are similar (within about 25 %), then Darcy's law may be taken as valid. However, when the hydraulic gradient acting on a test specimen is changed, the state of stress will also change, and, if the specimen is compressible, the volume of the specimen will change. Thus, some change in hydraulic conductivity may occur when the hydraulic gradient is altered, even in cases where Darcy's law is valid.  
4.3 This test method provides tools for determining flux and hydraulic conductivity values for a given GCL under the following two different scenarios, which should be specified by the requester:  
4.3.1 Scenario 1 – Hydrated/Saturated with Water Prior to Contact with Test Liquid—This scenario simulates the field conditions where the GCL is well hydrated with water prior to contact with actual test liquid. It should be noted that initial degree of saturation/hydration greatly affects the hydraulic properties of a GCL product. The test has two phases: (Phase 1) hydrate, saturate, consolidate, and permeate with water as Test Liquid 1, and (Phase 2) switch to permeation with test liquid as Test Liquid 2.  
4.3.2 Scenario 2 – Hydrated/Saturated with Test Liquid (Worst Case)—This scenario simulates the field conditions where the GCL is in contact with test liquid prior to being fully hydrated with water. It should be noted that this scenario may result i...
SCOPE
1.1 This test method covers laboratory measurement of both flux and hydraulic conductivity (also referred to as coefficient of permeability) of geosynthetic clay liner (GCL) specimens permeated with chemical solutions and leachates utilizing a flexible wall permeameter. For test measurement of index hydraulic properties of geosynthetic clay liners, refer to Test Method D5887/D5887M. For hydraulic conductivity compatibility of soils with aqueous chemical solutions and leachates, refer to Test Method D7100.  
1.2 This test method may be utilized with GCL specimens that have a hydraulic conductivity less than or equal to 1 × 10–5 m/s (1 × 10–3 cm/s).  
1.3 This test method is applicable to GCL products having geotextile backing(s). It is not applicable to GCL products with geomembrane backing(s), geofilm backing(s), or polymer coating backing(s).  
1.4 This test method allows the requester to evaluate the hydraulic properties of a GCL with site-specific or laboratory-prepared solution under different test conditions; thus, the test method also may be used to check performance or conformance, or both.  
1.5 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the standard, unless other units are specifically given. By tradition in U.S. practice, hydraulic conductivity is reported in centimeters per second, although the common SI units for hydraulic conductivity are meters per second.  
1.6 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.  
1.7 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 i...

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 may not be exact equivalents; therefore, each system shall be used independently of the other. Combining values from the two systems may result in non-conformance with the standard.  
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.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 GCLs must be properly manufactured in a manner consistent with a minimum level of quality control as determined by in-house testing of the final product. This practice suggests the types of tests, the methods of the testing, and the minimum testing frequencies.  
MD = machine direction.
CD = cross-machine direction.
Minimum = lowest result for the produced lot from which the supplied rolls were selected.
Maximum = highest result for the produced lot from which the supplied rolls were selected.
n/a = not applicable. (A) The tests on the bentonite are to be performed on the as-received material before fabrication into the GCL product.(B) Cert letter from component manufacturer or QA from GCL manufacturer, or both. Cert letters must arrive and be checked before the components are used for the GCL production.(C) If the moisture content from the bentonite added during production did not change, the mass per unit area and moisture content of the bentonite (evaluated according to 1.3 in Table 1) can be used to determine the values of the finished GCL product.(D) Components from finished GCL product should not be separated and tested, because the production process may alter the properties of the components.(E) MARV–minimum average roll value, only evaluated for a one-year production period with an average value minus 2 standard deviations. If the production period is less than one year, for example, for job-specific products, a MARV value may not be able to be evaluated, then the minimum value shall be reported.(F) Dried bentonite should be defined as 0 % moisture content.(G) Internal shear testing (Test Method D6243/D6243M) may be applicable to quality control of the bonding strength of non-needle-punched reinforced and stitch-bonded GCLs.(H) This test is not applicable for multi-component GCLs (for example, products with geomembrane backing(s), geofilm backing(s), or polymer backing(s)).  
4.2 It should be clearly recognized that manufacturers may perf...
SCOPE
1.1 This practice covers the manufacturing quality control of geosynthetic clay liners (GCLs), describing types of tests, the proper test methods, and the minimum testing frequencies.  
1.2 This practice is intended to aid manufacturers, suppliers, purchasers, and users of GCLs in establishing a minimum level of effort for manufacturing quality control.  
1.3 This practice does not address manufacturing quality assurance, product acceptance testing, or conformance testing. These are independent activities taken by organizations other than the GCL manufacturer.  
1.4 The values stated in either SI units or inch-pound units are to be regarded separately as standard. The values stated in each system may not be exact equivalents; therefore, each system shall be used independently of the other. Combining values from the two systems may result in non-conformance with the standard.  
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.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
5.1 This test method yields the flux of water through a saturated GCL specimen that is consolidated, hydrated, and permeated under a prescribed set of conditions.  
5.2 This test method can be performed to determine if the flux of a GCL specimen exceeds the maximum value stated by the manufacturer.  
5.3 This test method can be used to determine the variation in flux within a sample of GCL by testing a number of different specimens.  
5.4 This test method does not provide a flux value to be used directly in design calculations.
Note 1: Flux for in-service conditions depends on a number of factors, including confining pressure, type of hydration fluid, degree of hydration, degree of saturation, type of permeating fluid, and hydraulic gradient. Correlation between flux values obtained with this test method and flux through GCLs subjected to in-service conditions has not been fully investigated.  
5.5 This test method does not provide a value of hydraulic conductivity. Although hydraulic conductivity can be determined in a manner similar to the method described in this test method, the thickness of the specimen is needed to calculate hydraulic conductivity. This test method does not include procedures for measuring the thickness of the GCL nor of the clay component within the GCL. Refer to Appendix X2 for calculation of hydraulic conductivity.  
5.6 The apparatus used in this test method is commonly used to determine the hydraulic conductivity of soil specimens. However, flux values measured in this test are typically much lower than those commonly measured for most natural soils. It is essential that the leakage rate of the apparatus used in this test be less than 10 % of the flux.
SCOPE
1.1 This test method covers an index test that covers laboratory measurement of flux through saturated geosynthetic clay liner (GCL) specimens using a flexible wall permeameter.  
1.2 This test method is applicable to GCL products having geotextile backing(s). It is not applicable to GCL products with geomembrane backing(s), geofilm backing(s) or polymer coating backing(s).  
1.3 This test method provides a measurement of flux under a prescribed set of conditions that can be used for manufacturing quality control. The test method can also be used to check conformance. The flux value determined using this test method is not considered to be representative of the in-service flux of GCLs.  
1.4 The values stated in either SI units or inch-pound units are to be regarded separately as standard. The values stated in each system may not be exact equivalents; therefore, each system shall be used independently of the other. Combining values from the two systems may result in non-conformance with the standard.  
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 and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 GCLs must be properly manufactured in a manner consistent with a minimum level of quality control as determined by in-house testing of the final product. This practice suggests the types of tests, the methods of the testing and the minimum testing frequencies.  
MD = machine direction
CD = cross-machine direction
Minimum = lowest result for the produced lot from which the supplied rolls were selected
Maximum = highest result for the produced lot from which the supplied rolls were selected
n/a = not applicable (A) The tests on the bentonite are to be performed on the as-received material before fabrication into the GCL product.(B) Cert letter from component manufacturer or QA from GCL manufacturer, or both. Cert letters must arrive and be checked before the components are used for the GCL production.(C) If the moisture content from the bentonite added during production did not change, the mass per unit area and moisture content of the bentonite (evaluated according to 1.3 in Table 1) can be used to determine the values of the finished GCL product.(D) Components from finished GCL product should not be separated and tested, because the production process may alter the properties of the components.(E) MARV–minimum average roll value, only evaluated for a one-year production period with an average value minus 2 standard deviations. If the production period is less than one year, for example, for job-specific products, a MARV value may not be able to be evaluated, then the minimum value shall be reported.(F) Dried bentonite should be defined as 0 % moisture content.(G) Internal shear testing (Test Method D6243/D6243M) may be applicable to quality control of the bonding strength of non-needle-punched reinforced and stitch-bonded GCLs.(H) This test is not applicable for multi-component GCLs (for example, products with geomembrane backing(s), geofilm backing(s), or polymer backing(s)).  
4.2 It should be clearly recognized that manufacturers may perform ad...
SCOPE
1.1 This practice covers the manufacturing quality control of geosynthetic clay liners (GCLs), describing types of tests, the proper test methods, and the minimum testing frequencies.  
1.2 This practice is intended to aid manufacturers, suppliers, purchasers and users of GCLs in establishing a minimum level of effort for manufacturing quality control.  
1.3 This practice does not address manufacturing quality assurance, product acceptance testing, or conformance testing. These are independent activities taken by organizations other than the GCL manufacturer.  
1.4 The values stated in either SI units or inch-pound units are to be regarded separately as standard. The values stated in each system may not be exact equivalents; therefore, each system shall be used independently of the other. Combining values from the two systems may result in non-conformance with the standard.  
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 and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 For optimum performance, GCLs must be stored and handled prior to their installation in a manner that does not impact their physical properties. Adherence to these storage and handling guidelines will help to ensure that acceptable GCL performance will be achieved.
SCOPE
1.1 This guide covers guidelines for the proper storage and handling of geosynthetic clay liners received at the job site by the end user.  
1.2 This guide contains general guidelines and is not intended to replace project-specific requirements as found in the contract drawings or specifications. In the event of a conflict, the requirements of the project specifications will supersede the requirements of this practice.  
1.3 The values given in SI units are to be regarded as the standard. The inch-pound units given in parentheses are for information only.  
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 document cannot replace education or experience and should be used in conjunction with professional judgement. Not all aspects of this guide may be applicable in all circumstances. This ASTM standard 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 document be applied without consideration of a project's many unique aspects. The word “Standard” in the title of this document means only that the document 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 and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
5.1 The procedure described in this test method for determination of the shear resistance for the GCL or the GCL interface is intended as a performance test to provide the user with a set of design values for the test conditions examined. The test specimens and conditions, including normal stresses, are generally selected by the user.  
5.2 This test method may be used for acceptance testing of commercial shipments of GCLs, but caution is advised as outlined in 5.2.1.  
5.2.1 The shear resistance can be expressed only in terms of actual test conditions (see Notes 2 and 3). The determined value may be a function of the applied normal stress, material characteristics (for example, of the geosynthetic), soil properties, size of sample, moisture content, drainage conditions, displacement rate, magnitude of displacement, and other parameters.
Note 2: In the case of acceptance testing requiring the use of soil, the user must furnish the soil sample, soil parameters, and direct shear test parameters. The method of test data interpretation for purposes of acceptance should be mutually agreed to by the users of this standard.
Note 3: Testing under this test method should be performed by laboratories qualified in the direct shear testing of soils and meeting the requirements of Practice D3740, especially since the test results may depend on site-specific and test conditions.  
5.2.2 This test method measures the total resistance to shear within a GCL or between a GCL and adjacent material. The total shear resistance may be a combination of sliding, rolling and interlocking of material components  
5.2.3 This test method does not distinguish between individual mechanisms, which may be a function of the soil and GCL used, method of material placement and hydration, normal and shear stresses applied, means used to hold the GCL in place, rate of horizontal displacement, and other factors. Every effort should be made to identify, as closely as is practicable, the sheared a...
SCOPE
1.1 This test method covers a procedure for determining the internal shear resistance of a Geosynthetic Clay Liner (GCL) or the interface shear resistance between the GCL and an adjacent material under a constant rate of deformation.  
1.2 This test method is intended to indicate the performance of the selected specimen by attempting to model certain field conditions.  
1.3 This test method is applicable to all GCLs. Remolded or undisturbed soil samples can be used in the test device. See Test Method D5321/D5321M for interface shear testing of non-GCL geosynthetics.  
1.4 This test method is not suited for the development of exact stress-strain relationships within the test specimen due to the nonuniform distribution of shearing forces and displacement.  
1.5 The values stated in either SI units or inch-pound units are to be regarded separately as standard. The values stated in each system may not be exact equivalents; therefore, each system shall be used independently of the other. Combining values from the two systems may result in non-conformance with the standard.  
1.6 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 limitations prior to use.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 Clay mineral is the functional component of GCL that reduces the hydraulic conductivity of industrial waste or ground water through the liner.  
4.2 Clay mineral quality can vary significantly and effect the hydraulic conductivity of the GCL composite. This test method evaluates a significant property of clay mineral that relates to performance.
SCOPE
1.1 This test method covers an index method that enables the evaluation of fluid loss properties of a clay mineral film deposited on a filter paper from a 6 % solids slurry of clay mineral at 100-psi (-kPa) pressure as a measure of its usefulness for permeability or hydraulic conductivity reduction in geosynthetic clay liners (GCL).  
1.2 This test method is adapted from American Petroleum Institute drilling fluid specifications for bentonite.  
1.3 Powdered clay mineral is tested as produced; granular clay mineral should be ground to 100 % passing a 100 mesh U.S. Standard Sieve with a minimum of 65 % passing a 200 mesh U.S. Standard Sieve with the whole ground product used for testing.  
1.4 The values stated in either SI units or inch-pound units are to be regarded separately as standard. The values stated in each system may not be exact equivalents; therefore, each system shall be used independently of the other. Combining values from the two systems may result in non-conformance with the standard.  
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 and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.2

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
5.1 The bonding strength test for the top and bottom layers of the geosynthetic clay liner is intended to be an index test. It is anticipated that the results of the test will be used to evaluate the quality of the bonding process.
SCOPE
1.1 This test method covers the laboratory determination of the average bonding strength between the top and bottom layers of a sample of a geosynthetic clay liner (GCL).  
1.2 The values stated in either SI units or inch-pound units are to be regarded separately as standard. The values stated in each system may not be exact equivalents; therefore, each system shall be used independently of the other. Combining values from the two systems may result in non-conformance with the standard.  
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 limitations prior to use.

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 assure 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 may not be exact equivalents; therefore, each system shall be used independently of the other. Combining values from the two systems may result in non-conformance with the standard.  
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 and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 For optimum performance, GCLs must be installed in a manner that does not impact their physical, mechanical, or hydraulic properties.  
4.2 This guide identifies the proper installation procedures and equipment for use by GCL designers, inspectors, and installers.
SCOPE
1.1 This guide covers directions for the installation of geosynthetic clay liners (GCLs) under field conditions typically present in environmental lining applications.  
1.2 This guide contains general installation guidelines. It is not intended to replace project-specific installation requirements as found in the contract drawings or specifications. In the event of a conflict, the requirement of the project specifications will supersede the requirements of this guide.  
1.3 This guide does not purport to establish specific procedure for all climatic, geographical, hydraulic, or topographical conditions that may exist at a site. Appropriate installation procedures under atypical field conditions should be modified as necessary to maintain the integrity of the GCL and adjacent lining system components.  
1.4 Different GCLs have different materials of construction with different physical properties. The procedures contained in this guide, therefore, may not be universally applicable to all GCLs under all field conditions.  
1.5 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard. No other units of measurement are included in this standard.  
1.6 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 limitations prior to use.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
5.1 This test method may be used for the acceptance testing of commercial shipments of GCLs but caution is advised since information about between-laboratory precision is incomplete. Comparative tests as directed in 5.1.1 may be advisable.  
5.1.1 In cases of a dispute arising from differences in reported test results when using this test method for acceptance of shipments, the purchaser and the supplier should conduct comparative tests to determine if there is a statistical bias. The two parties should take a group of test samples that are as homogeneous as possible and which are from the lot of material in question.  
5.2 Some modification of clamping techniques may be necessary for a given GCL depending upon its structure. Specimen clamping may be modified as required at the discretion of the individual laboratory providing a representative tensile strength is obtained. In any event, the procedure described in Section 10 of this test method for obtaining tensile strength must be maintained.  
5.3 This test method is applicable for testing GCLs as received. It is used with a constant rate of extension type tension apparatus.
SCOPE
1.1 The test method establishes the procedures for the measurement of tensile strength of Geosynthetic Clay Liner (GCL). This test method is strictly an index test method to be used to verify the tensile strength of GCLs. Results from this test method should not be considered as an indication of actual or long-term performance of the geosynthetic(s) in field applications.  
1.2 The values stated in either SI units or inch-pound units are to be regarded separately as standard. The values stated in each system may not be exact equivalents; therefore, each system shall be used independently of the other. Combining values from the two systems may result in non-conformance with the standard.  
1.3 This standard may involve hazardous materials, operations, and equipment. 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 limitations prior to use.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 This practice provides a procedure by which samples of GCL should be obtained for laboratory testing. The practice applies to materials obtained prior to installation (either at a job site or at a production facility) or exhumed material after installation.  
4.2 Only GCL samples obtained in accordance with 5.1 of this practice will be considered representative of the actual manufactured GCL for quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) purposes..  
4.3 The quantity of GCL received by the laboratory should be sufficient for the preparation of several representative test specimens for the standardized physical, hydraulic, and mechanical tests to be performed on the GCLs.  
4.4 The procedures in this practice should be used by plant and field personnel for obtaining GCL samples for laboratory testing.
SCOPE
1.1 This practice covers procedures for sampling geosynthetic clay liners (GCLs) for the purpose of laboratory testing. These procedures are designed to ensure that representative samples are obtained and properly packaged for submittal to a testing laboratory.  
1.2 The procedures in this practice may be applied to either samples of unhydrated GCLs obtained at the project site prior to installation (or at the production facility, prior to shipment to the project site) or samples exhumed from a project site after installation.  
1.3 It is assumed that the number of samples to be obtained has already been determined in the project specification, standard test method, or by prior agreement between the purchaser and seller. This practice covers only the methods for obtaining a pre-arranged number of samples and does not describe methods for obtaining individual specimens from the sample.  
1.4 The values stated in either SI units or inch-pound units are to be regarded separately as standard. The values stated in each system may not be exact equivalents; therefore, each system shall be used independently of the other. Combining values from the two systems may result in non-conformance with the standard.  
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 and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
5.1 This test method is used to determine if the GCL material meets specifications for mass per unit area at approximately 0 % moisture content, by oven-drying. It can be used as an index test for quality control or quality assurance to determine specimen conformance.
SCOPE
1.1 This test method covers the laboratory determination of the mass per unit area of a sample of a geosynthetic clay liner (GCL). The test method is also applicable to a multicomponent GCL. The dry mass of the clay can be found by simply subtracting the manufacturer's reported nominal mass of the geosynthetic component(s) from the total mass of the dry GCL. The moisture content of the GCL can also be determined by subtracting the initial total mass of the GCL from the total mass of the dry GCL.  
1.2 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard. No other units of measurement are included in this standard.  
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 limitations prior to use. See Section 8 for specific precautionary statements.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 This guide is intended as a starting place for those wishing to investigate the chemical compatibility of the clay portion of a geosynthetic clay liner to test liquids. Within the scope of this guide, the clay portion of a geosynthetic clay liner that is chemically compatible with a test liquid may be expected to maintain its swelling characteristics. Conversely, the clay portion of a geosynthetic clay liner that is incompatible with a test liquid may be expected not to maintain its swelling characteristics. In instances where the compatibility of the clay portion of a GCL is questionable, additional hydraulic testing under the expected site conditions may be warranted.
SCOPE
1.1 This guide covers procedures and test methods that can be used in the evaluation of the ability of the clay portion of a geosynthetic clay liner to resist change due to exposure to liquids. These liquids may come from a site, or be generated in a laboratory from a site-specific soil.  
1.2 The scope of this guide is limited to short-term screening and is not intended to replace evaluation procedures that measure a performance property such as EPA 9100, Test Method D6766, or other suitable ASTM standards as they become available. This guide does not address potential adverse effects of wet-dry cycling.  
1.3 This guide applies to the clay component of a GCL. The synthetic carrier components are covered independently as described in Practice D5322.  
1.4 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard. No other units of measurement are included in this standard.  
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 and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

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 assure that the supplied GCL rolls meet accepted material specifications.  
1.3 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the standard.  
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 and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 The shear strength of soil-geosynthetic interfaces and geosynthetic-geosynthetic interfaces is a critical design parameter for many civil engineering projects, including, but not limited to waste containment systems, mining applications, dam designs involving geosynthetics, mechanically stabilized earth structures, and reinforced soil slopes, and liquid impoundments. Since geosynthetic interfaces often serve as a weak plane on which sliding may occur, shear strengths of these interfaces are needed to assess the stability of earth materials resting on these interfaces, such as a waste mass or ore body over a lining system or the ability of a final cover to remain on a slope. Accordingly, project-specific shear testing using representative materials under conditions similar to those expected in the field is recommended for final design. Shear strengths of geosynthetic interfaces are obtained by either Test Method D5321/D5321M (geosynthetics) or D6243/D6243M (geosynthetic clay liners). This guide touches upon some of the issues that should be considered when evaluating shear strength data. Because of the large number of potential conditions that could exist, there may be other conditions not identified in this guide that could affect interpretation of the results. The seemingly infinite combinations of soils, geosynthetics, hydration, and wetting conditions, normal load distributions, strain rates, creep, pore pressures, etc., will always require individual engineering evaluations by qualified practitioners. Along the same lines, the list of references provided in this guide is not exhaustive, nor are the findings and suggestions of any particular reference meant to be considered conclusive. The references and their related findings are presented herein only as examples available in the literature of the types of considerations that others have found useful when evaluating direct shear test results.  
4.2 The figures included in this guide are only examples intend...
SCOPE
1.1 This guide presents a summary of available information related to the evaluation of direct shear test results involving geosynthetic materials.  
1.2 This guide is intended to assist designers and users of geosynthetics. This guide is not intended to replace education or experience and should only be used in conjunction with professional judgment. 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 document be applied without consideration of a project’s many unique aspects. Not all aspects of this practice may be applicable in all circumstances. The word “Standard” in the title of this document means only that the document has been approved through the ASTM consensus process.  
1.3 This guide is applicable to soil-geosynthetic and geosynthetic-geosynthetic direct shear test results, obtained using either Test Method D5321/D5321M or D6243/D6243M.  
1.4 This guide does not address selection of peak or large-displacement shear strength values for design. References on this topic include Thiel (1)2, Gilbert (2), Koerner and Bowman (3), and Stark and Choi (4).  
1.5 The values stated in either SI units or inch-pound units are to be regarded separately as standard. The values stated in each system may not be exact equivalents; therefore, each system shall be used independently of the other. Combining values from the two systems may result in non-conformance with the standard.  
1.6 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 limitations prior to use.