ASTM D6747-15
Standard Guide for Selection of Techniques for Electrical Leak Location of Leaks in Geomembranes

Standard No.

ASTM D6747-15

Release Date

2015

Published By

American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)

Status

Be replaced

Replace By

ASTM D6747-21

Latest

ASTM D6747-21

Scope

4.1 Geomembranes are used as barriers to prevent liquids from leaking from landfills, ponds, and other containments. For this purpose, it is desirable that the geomembrane have as little leakage as practical.

4.2 The liquids may contain contaminants that, if released, can cause damage to the environment. Leaking liquids can erode the subgrade, causing further damage. Leakage can result in product loss or otherwise prevent the installation from performing its intended containment purpose.

4.3 Geomembranes are often assembled in the field, either by unrolling and welding panels of the geomembrane material together in the field, unfolding flexible geomembranes in the field, or a combination of both.

4.4 Geomembrane leaks can be caused by poor quality of the subgrade, poor quality of the material placed on the geomembrane, accidents, poor workmanship, manufacturing defects and carelessness.

4.5 Experience demonstrates that geomembranes can have leaks caused during their installation and placement of material(s) on the geomembrane.

4.6 Electrical leak location methods are an effective and proven quality assurance measure to locate leaks. Such methods have been used successfully to locate leaks in electrically-insulating geomembranes such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, chlorosulfonated polyethylene and bituminous geomembranes installed in basins, ponds, tanks, ore and waste pads, and landfill cells.

4.7 The principle behind these techniques is to place a voltage across an electrically insulating geomembrane and then locate areas where electrical current flows through leaks in the geomembrane (as shown schematically in Fig. 1). Other electrical leak paths such as pipe penetrations, flange bolts, steel drains, and batten strips on concrete and other extraneous electrical paths should be electrically isolated or insulated to prevent masking of leak signals caused by electrical short-circuiting through those preferential electrical paths. The only electrical paths should be through leaks in the geomembrane. These electrical detection methods for locating leaks in geomembranes can be performed on exposed geomembranes, on geomembranes covered with water, or on geomembranes covered with an earthen material layer.

1.1 This guide is intended to assist individuals or groups in assessing different options available for locating leaks in installed geomembranes using electrical methods. For clarity, this guide uses the term “leak” to mean holes, punctures, tears, knife cuts, seam defects, cracks, and similar breaches in an installed geomembrane (as defined in 3.2.3).

1.2 This guide does not cover systems that are restricted to seam testing only, nor does it cover systems that may detect leaks non-electrically. It does not cover systems that only detect the presence, but not the location of leaks.

1.3 (

ASTM D6747-15 Referenced Document

• ASTM D4439 Standard Terminology for Geosynthetics
• ASTM D7002 Standard Practice for Electrical Leak Location on Exposed Geomembranes Using the Water Puddle Method
• ASTM D7007 Standard Practices for Electrical Methods for Locating Leaks in Geomembranes Covered with Water or Earthen Materials
• ASTM D7240 Standard Practice for Electrical Leak Location Using Geomembranes with an Insulating Layer in Intimate Contact with a Conductive Layer via Electrical Capacitance Technique (Conductive-Backed Geomembra
• ASTM D7703 Standard Practice for Electrical Leak Location on Exposed Geomembranes Using the Water Lance Method
• ASTM D7953 Standard Practice for Electrical Leak Location on Exposed Geomembranes Using the Arc Testing Method

ASTM D6747-15 history

• 2021 ASTM D6747-21 Standard Guide for Selection of Techniques for Electrical Leak Location of Leaks in Geomembranes
• 2015 ASTM D6747-15 Standard Guide for Selection of Techniques for Electrical Leak Location of Leaks in Geomembranes
• 2012 ASTM D6747-12 Standard Guide for Selection of Techniques for Electrical Detection of Leaks in Geomembranes
• 2004 ASTM D6747-04 Standard Guide for Selection of Techniques for Electrical Detection of Potential Leak Paths in Geomembrane
• 2002 ASTM D6747-02e1 Standard Guide for Selection of Techniques for Electrical Detection of Potential Leak Paths in Geomembrane