A comparison of sample preparation methodology in the evaluation of geosynthetic clay liner (GCL) hydraulic conductivity

The method of preparing a single needle-punched GCL product for evaluation of hydraulic conductivity in a flexible wall permeameter was examined. The test protocol utilized for this evaluation was GRI Test Method GCL-2 Permeability of GCLs. The GCL product consisted of bentonite clay material supported by a woven and a non-woven geotextile on either side. The method preparation focused on the procedure for separating the test specimen from the larger sample and whether these methods produced difficulty in generating reliable test data. The methods examined included cutting with a razor knife, scissors, and a circular die with the perimeter of the test area under wet and dry conditions. In order to generate as much data as possible, tests were kept brief. Flow was monitored only long enough to determine whether or not preferential flow paths appeared to be present. The results appear to indicate that any of the methods involved will work. Difficulties arose not from the development of preferential flow paths around the edges of the specimens, but from the loss of bentonite from the edges during handling.