Temperature Variations of a Geomembrane Liner in a Municipal Solid Waste Landfill from Construction to Closure

Abstract

This paper explores the variations of the temperatures of a
black high-density polyethylene (HDPE) geomembrane (GMB) liner in a
municipal solid waste landfill through the lens of a field case study. The
geomembrane temperature was monitored from the start of the construction
phase to the closure phase, a span of 7 years. Solar radiation had
a significant effect on the temperature variations of the geomembrane
while exposed to the atmosphere. The more significant impact was on
the geomembrane on the side slope of the cell, where temperatures
were much higher than on the cell floor. A white geotextile cushion did
not insulate the geomembrane from solar radiation, which still experienced
elevated temperatures. However, the placement of the drainage
layer reduced the impact of solar radiation on the GMB and insulated
it. The daily temperature variation of the geomembrane covered with a
white geotextile varied from 12 °C to 38 °C at floor level but dropped to
20 °C after the placement of the drainage layer. Along the side slope,
without the drainage layer, the daily temperature variation of the GMB
fluctuated between 5 and 59 °C and dropped to 23 °C after the installation
of the drainage layer.