Long-term performance of bituminous geomembranes for waste containment and mining applications

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Geomembranes (thin sheets that can be either polymeric or bituminous), are used as the liners in waste containment and mineral extraction facilities to protect the surrounding environment from the migration of the contaminants. Environmental awareness and high demand for mineral resources increased the demand for geomembranes and have created economic opportunities for Canadian companies with an estimated revenue of the geomembrane market reaching $417 million in 2022. Additionally, the mining sector is of strategic importance since Canada is one of the largest mining nations in the world, producing more than 60 minerals/metals that directly employs more than 377,000 workers and contributed $70B to Canada's GDP in 2020. Although bituminous geomembranes (BGM; multicomponent products comprised of a combination of a waterproof bituminous binder with a geotextile layer) have been used for 20-30 years, historically their use has been largely limited to use in canals, potable water reservoirs, and other low environmental risk applications. Recently, BGMs are considered as a strong candidate for the liner materials in waste containment and mining applications due to their claimed high puncture resistance and durability despite a lack of knowledge of their behaviour. This project seeks to understand how BGMs will interact with aggressive field conditions found in geoenvironmental application by examining their durability, contaminant diffusion, and interface shear resistance. The proposed work aims to reduce the risks associated with the current uncertainty regarding BGMs' long-term performance to provide more effective and reliable groundwater and surface water protection. Queen's University has the unique expertise and equipment necessary for simulating the field exposure conditions in the laboratory. Collaboration with a leading geosynthetic installer will ensure experimental conditions reflect common field conditions and that the research findings are applied to real life challenges that are currently facing the industry. The research will involve training of three HQP.