Aspects of fluid flow through small flaws in membrane liners

Fluid flow through flaws (punctures, seams, or tears) in geomembranes used as flow barriers in the liners of landfills and surface impoundments is examined. Performance of a geomembrane deteriorates fairly rapidly with the first few flaws, much greater than their small area would suggest. As the membrane is penetrated with a greater number of flaws, the degradation asymptotes toward a proportionality with total flaw area. The rate of flow through the flawed membrane is frequently directly proportional to the permeability of the adjacent porous media. Geomembranes that are not used in conjunction with adjacent low-permeability porous materials are unlikely to give satisfactory performance in the event that flaws occur. A better understanding of design aspects that tend to minimize the impacts of flaws in geomembranes can lead to improved performance of landfills and surface impoundments.