Temperature variations of a geomembrane liner in a municipal solid waste landfill from construction to closure

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.