Bituminous geomembrane

Bituminous Geomembrane sample

Bituminous geomembrane (BGM) is a type of geomembrane consisting of a reinforcing geotextile to provide mechanical strength and elastomeric bitumen (often called asphalt in U.S.) 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 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

Typical Intrinsic Properties of Bituminous Geomembranes
PropertyStandardUnitsValueApplication Relevance
Coefficient of Linear Thermal ExpansionASTM D 696°C⁻¹10−5A low coefficient of thermal expansion prevents problematic wrinkling with exposure to temperature variation.
DensityASTM D 792-20g/cm31.27High density (greater than water) is useful for submersed applications, limiting wind uplift, and safer installation in windy conditions.
Elongation at BreakASTM D 7275%>60Elongation capacity combined with tensile strength provides toughness allowing light traffic during installation and accommodating differential settlement in service.
Friction Angle (sand side)NF EN 495-2°39.5A high friction angle allows for safer installation and greater slope stability.
Cold Bending - Lowest TemperatureASTM D 746°C-20Cold bending relates to the ability to use and manipulate the geomembrane in cold conditions.
Water PermeabilityASTM E 96m/s< 6.10⁻¹⁴The extremely low water permeability of a BGM aligns with the high standards typical of geomembranes.
Gas Permeability (Methane Transmission Rate)ASTM D 1434-82m3/(m2.d.atm)< 2.10⁻⁴A useful index for gas barrier applications.

History

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

Bituminous geomembrane during installation on a mine tailings storage facility.

The earliest reported use of a BGM in the United States was reported by Daniel W. Kappes P.E. in 1973 at the Manhattan mine in Nevada, where a polypropylene geotextile was coated on-site with asphalt emulsion to create an impermeable layer for heap leach extraction. This application predates known European BGM applications by as much as one year and marked an early milestone in the use of geosynthetics in mining. Published literature describing the modern development of the bituminous geomembrane can be traced back to the first double-liner 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.

Welding

A propane torch is followed by a weighted roller for a typical torch weld of a bituminous geomembrane

Most seams are formed by torch welding. A typical crew consists of a welder and a helper who rolls the seam. The seam area is cleaned of sand and debris, the protective release film is removed, and the torch is applied between the layers to heat an overlapped area approximately 20 cm wide. The upper sheet is then rolled by a weighted roller to achieve intimate contact and extrude a continuous bitumen bead from the overlap. The typical welder operating temperature range cited for some products extends from about –35 °C to +40 °C, a larger operating window compared to other types of geomembranes, particularly for cold climates.

While torch welding is the most common practice, electrically powered hot-air-welding is an established alternative for applications where an open flame is undesirable.

Quality control

Seam evaluation methods for geomembranes, including those applicable to bituminous geomembranes, are addressed in standard guides and practices that identify destructive, non-destructive, and electrical leak-location techniques.

Destructive testing

Shear testing of field seams is performed according to ASTM D7056 using a tensiometer with appropriate jaws. Minimum critical values can be specified with consideration for product grade and thickness (for example, a required minimum weld strength of 80% of the minimum parent material strength). Sampling frequencies such as one test per 150 lineal meters can be specified by the design engineer. Test locations are repaired by welding a patch of the parent BGM material over the test cut-out location.

Non-destructive testing

  • Mechanical point stressing (probing with a round-tipped trowel after the bitumen has cooled) is often applied to check for separation; absence of a continuous bitumen bead receives particular attention.
  • Air-lance testing (ASTM D4437) directs a jet of air at the seam edge; defects that allow the upper layer to lift are identified and repaired. This method is frequently specified for a high percentage of seams.
  • Vacuum-box testing uses a transparent bell and soap solution; bubbles indicate leaks. This method is recommended for statistical inspection, especially at specific points such as triple overlaps.
  • Ultrasonic testing places a probe across the seam (with coupling agent) after calibration; defects trigger additional testing between the failed point and the nearest passing points.

Electrical liner integrity survey

Water-lance methods can locate holes in exposed, emergent BGMs. Dipole methods can locate holes after the geomembrane has been covered by water or soil. These techniques require specialised equipment and operators and are typically applied over the full area when selected.

All defects identified by any method are marked, recorded, and repaired (usually by welding a patch extending at least 20 cm beyond the defect on all sides).


Partial List of Noteworthy BGM Projects
ProjectCountryTypeDate Completed
Le Pont-de-Claix Water Reservoir France Water 1974
Ospedale Reservoir Corsica Water 1978
Parc des Chanteraines France Water 1982, 2020
Manche storage centre France Environmental Protection 1994
Ortolo Reservoir Corsica Water 1996
La Galaube Dam France Water 2000
Kildare Bypass Ireland Transportation 2003
Diavik Diamond Mine Canada Mining 2007
Kittilä mine Finland Mining 2007, 2008
Las Bambas copper mine Peru Mining 2012, 2014
Dolores mine Mexico Mining 2013, 2014, 2017, 2020
St. George Regional Airport United States Transportation 2019
Pench Right Canal India Water 2019, 2022
Stockton Mine New Zealand Mining 2022

References

  1. ↑ Touze-Foltz, N. & Farcas, F. (2017). "Long-term performance and binder chemical structure evolution of elastomeric bituminous geomembranes". Geotextiles and Geomembranes. 45 (2): 121–130. Bibcode:2017GtGm...45..121T. doi:10.1016/j.geotexmem.2017.01.003. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
  2. ↑ Scuero, Alberto; Vaschetti, Gabriella (2010). "Geomembrane sealing systems for dams: ICOLD Bulletin 135". Innovative Infrastructure Solutions. 2 29: 23. doi:10.1007/s41062-017-0089-0.
  3. ↑ Kendall, McIlwraith. Advanced Application of Bituminous Geomembrane (BGM) in Waste Capping: Australia. 12th International Conference on Geosynthetics. Rome, Italy: Taylor & Francis. doi:10.1201/9781003386889-194.
  4. ↑ Boëda, E.; Connan, J.; Dessort, D. (March 1996). "Bitumen as a hafting material on Middle Palaeolithic artefacts". Nature. 380 (6572): 336–338. Bibcode:1996Natur.380..336B. doi:10.1038/380336a0.
  5. ↑ Craig, William H.; Gallagher, Eugene M.; Wang, Xiaoxue (September 1, 2015). "The use of prefabricated bituminous surfacing geosynthetic in World War II and beyond". Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Ground Improvement. 168 (2): 96–105. Bibcode:2015ICEGI.168...96C. doi:10.1680/grim.13.00039.
  6. ↑ "A New Glimpse into the History of Bituminous Geomembrane (BGM) in the USA". Coletanche. Axter. 8 July 2025. Retrieved 2025-07-15.
  7. ↑ Kappes, Daniel W. (1974-04-02). "Manhattan Leach Project Report" (PDF). IKO Bynder. Retrieved 2025-07-15.
  8. ↑ Giroud, J.P; Gourc, J.P. (2014). The first double geomembrane liner forty years later. 10th International Conference on Geosynthetics. Berlin, Germany: The International Geosynthetics Society.
  9. ↑ Scuero, Alberto; Vaschetti, Gabriella (2010). "Geomembrane sealing systems for dams: ICOLD Bulletin 135". Innovative Infrastructure Solutions. 2 29: 16. doi:10.1007/s41062-017-0089-0.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 Scheirs, John (2009). A Guide to Polymeric Geomembranes: A Practical Approach. John Wiley & Sons. pp. 165–166. ISBN 978-0-470-51920-2.
  11. 1 2 3 "Installation Specifications: Coletanche Geomembranes (ES, AXTER TP)". Coletanche. 2025. Retrieved 2026-10-19.
  12. ↑ "Coletanche Design & Application Handbook". Coletanche. Retrieved 2026-10-19.
  13. ↑ "ASTM D7056-07 Standard Test Method for Determining the Tensile Shear Strength of Pre-Fabricated Bituminous Geomembrane Seams". ASTM International.
  14. ↑ "ASTM D4437/D4437M-16(2021) Standard Practice for Nondestructive Testing (NDT) for Determining the Integrity of Seams Used in Joining Flexible Polymeric Sheet Geomembranes". ASTM International.
  15. ↑ Giroud, J.P; Gourc, J.P. (2014). The first double geomembrane liner forty years later. 10th International Conference on Geosynthetics. Berlin, Germany: The International Geosynthetics Society.
  16. ↑ Turley, M.; Gautier, J-L. (2004). Twenty five years experience using bituminous geomembranes as upstream waterproofing for structures (PDF). Canterbury, Kent: Proceedings of the British Dam Society.
  17. ↑ Ossena, G.; Breul, B.; Herment, R. (1994). Bituminous Membrane Cap of a Radioactive Waste Landfill – Quality Program. Singapore: Proceedings of the International Geosynthetics Society ICG 5.
  18. ↑ Turley, M.; Gautier, J-L. (2004). Twenty five years experience using bituminous geomembranes as upstream waterproofing for structures (PDF). Canterbury, Kent: Proceedings of the British Dam Society.
  19. ↑ Breul, Bernard; Breul, Bertrand; Daly, Natalie (April 1, 2018). "Bituminous Geomembranes on a French Dam." Geosynthetics Magazine. [Online] Available: https://geosyntheticsmagazine.com/2018/04/01/bituminous-geomembranes-on-a-french-dam/
  20. ↑ Coppinger, J.; Farrell, E. R.; Cherrill, H.; Stenson, G.; Breul, B.; Caquel, F.; Giroud, J. P. (2002). Use of bituminous geomembrane to reduce environmental impact of road in aquifer (PDF). Geosynthetics – 7th ICG. Nice, France: Swets & Zeitlinger, Lisse. pp. 921–926. ISBN 90-5809-523-1.
  21. ↑ Cunning, John; Isidoro, Allison; Eldridge, Terry; Reinson, Jeff (2008). Dam Construction at Diavik using Bituminous Geomembrane Liners (PDF). Edmonton, Alberta, Canada: Proceedings of the GeoEdmonton 2008 Conference. pp. 933–939.
  22. ↑ Bruel, B.; Huru, M.; Palolahti, A. (2009). Using a bituminous geomembrane liner at the Kittilä Gold Mine in northern Finland. Edinburgh, United Kingdom: Proceedings of the EuroGeo4 Conference.
  23. ↑ Daly, Natalie; Escobar, Emilio; Breul, Bertrand (2020). Bituminous Geomembranes (BGM), 15 years of presence in Latin America for Hydraulic Applications (PDF). Rio De Janeiro, Brazil: Proceedings of the GeoAmericas 2020 Conference.
  24. ↑ Daly, Natalie; Aguirre, Ted; Bruel, Bernard; Barfett, Ben (2018). Bituminous geomembranes (BGM) for heap leach pads and dumps for solid wastes in mine construction (PDF). Edmonton, Alberta, Canada: Proceedings of the GeoEdmonton 2018 Conference.
  25. ↑ Havens, Emily. (July 10, 2019). "A Closer View: St. George Regional Airport's Massive Runway Reconstruction Is on Track." The Spectrum. [Online] Available: https://www.thespectrum.com/story/news/2019/07/10/closer-view-st-george-regional-airports-runway-project-track/1693296001/
  26. ↑ Llinas, Pau; Breul, Bertrand (2023). Bituminous Geomembrane (BGM) in hot climates for hydraulic construction. 4th African Regional Conference on Geosynthetics (GeoAfrica 2023). Art. 02011. doi:10.1051/e3sconf/202336802011. Retrieved 2024-04-18.
  27. ↑ "Greener Solution To Contain Coal Mining By-Product In New Zealand" (PDF). International Geosynthetics Society. August 24, 2023. Retrieved 2024-04-18.