Bituminous geomembrane (BGM) is a type of

geomembrane A geomembrane is very low permeability synthetic membrane liner or barrier used with any geotechnical engineering related material so as to control fluid (liquid or gas) migration in a human-made project, structure, or system. Geomembranes are m ...

consisting of a reinforcing

geotextile Geotextiles are versatile permeable fabrics that, when used in conjunction with soil, can effectively perform multiple functions, including separation, filtration, reinforcement, protection, and drainage. Typically crafted from polypropylene or ...

to provide mechanical strength and elastomeric

bitumen Bitumen ( , ) is an immensely viscosity, viscous constituent of petroleum. Depending on its exact composition, it can be a sticky, black liquid or an apparently solid mass that behaves as a liquid over very large time scales. In American Engl ...

(often called asphalt in

U.S. The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 contiguous ...

) to provide impermeability. Other components such as sand, a glass fleece, and/or a polyester film can be incorporated into the layers of a BGM. Bituminous geomembranes are differentiated from

bituminous waterproofing Bituminous waterproofing systems are designed to protect residential and commercial buildings. Bitumen (asphalt or coal-tar pitch) is a material made up of organic liquids that are highly sticky, viscous, and waterproof. Systems incorporating bi ...

materials used in buildings due in part to their wide roll width, which can exceed 5m, and their substantial thickness of up to 6.0mm. These properties are designed for environmental protection, civil infrastructure, and mining applications.

Properties

Bituminous geomembrane installation on a mine tailings storage facility

History

The earliest estimated use of bitumen dates back 40,000 years to the

Paleolithic The Paleolithic or Palaeolithic ( years ago) ( ), also called the Old Stone Age (), is a period in human prehistory that is distinguished by the original development of stone tools, and which represents almost the entire period of human prehist ...

age and the historical use of bitumen as a waterproofing layer is extensive and well documented. In 1926, successful experiments were conducted by the South Carolina Highway Department in which cotton fabric was installed on-site in combination with hot bitumen for road surface treatment. Continued experimentation and practical experience led to the development of prefabricated hessian woven fabrics with factory coated bitumen. Known as 'bithess' this material was made in significant quantities for rapid deployment in airfields and roads in

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. By controlling the moisture content to maintain subgrade strength, this early geomembrane was credited by General William Slim to have played a significant role in the advance of the Burma campaign, a theater famous for its challenging jungle terrain and wet weather conditions. Bitumen emulsion applied to

polypropylene Polypropylene (PP), also known as polypropene, is a thermoplastic polymer used in a wide variety of applications. It is produced via chain-growth polymerization from the monomer Propene, propylene. Polypropylene belongs to the group of polyolefin ...

geotextiles was reported by Daniel W. Kappes P.E. to have been used in a Nevada heap leach mining installation as early as 1973. Published literature describing the modern development of the bituminous geomembrane can be traced back to the first

double-liner A double liner is a fluid barrier system that incorporates two impermeable layers separated by a permeable drainage layer also called a leak detection layer. Typically the impermeable layers are made from geomembranes with a permeable layer in betwe ...

system conceived of in 1974 by geosynthetics pioneer, J.P. Giroud. This novel bituminous geomembrane was made by spraying hot bitumen in-situ onto a polyester geotextile. Soon after these early installations, factory manufactured BGMs were developed with factory impregnation of bitumen into the geotextile allowing a high standard of quality control. Spray applied BGMs went entirely out of favor by 1988.

References

{{Reflist Geosynthetics Mining Landfill