Lifetime prediction of polyolefin geosynthetics utilizing acceleration tests based on temperature

A major issue in the use of geosynthetic products is to estimate the material's lifetime under various application environments. The degradation mechanism of the geosynthetic is governed by the polymer type and formulation used in manufacturing the product. This paper focuses on the oxidation degradation mechanisms of polyolefin geosynthetics, which are made from either polyethylene or polypropylene. The test data obtained from a durability study based on a high-density polyethylene (HDPE) geomembrane are used to illustrate the lifetime prediction methodology. The study utilized elevated temperatures alone to accelerate the oxidation degradation. The results of the study indicated that the antioxidant package plays a significant role in preserving the mechanical properties of the HDPE geomembrane. Such phenomenon should also apply to other polyolefin geosynthetic products. In addition, a brief description of the on-going high-pressure durability study on three different oriented polyolefin geosynthetics is presented.