Note: PGi-1104 has been superceded by ASTM D7176 -06 standard Specification for non-reinforced pvc geomembranes used in buried applications.

 

PGI-1104 PVC Geomembrane Specification
 Effective January 1, 2004

The PVC Geomembrane Institute released the new PGI-1104 minimum specification for PVC geomembranes in January 2003. This step forward for the PVC geomembrane industry is a replacement of the PGI-1197 Specification.

Certified Properties

 ASTM

PVC 10

PVC 20

PVC 30

PVC 40

PVC 50

PVC 60

Thickness

D-5199

 

10 +0.5 mil
0.25+.013mm

20 +1 mil
0.51 + .03 mm

30 +1.5 mil
0.76 + .04 mm

40 +2 mil
1.02 + .05 mm

50 +2.5 mil
1.27 + .06 mm

60 + 3 mil
1.52 + .08 mm

Tensile Properties3

Strength at Break


Elongation

 Modulus at 100%

D-882
Min

 

24  lbs/in
4.2  kN/m

250%

10 lbs/in
1.8  kN/m

 

48 lbs/in
8.4  kN/m 

360%

21 lbs/in
3.7  kN/m

  

73  lbs/in
12.8  kN/m 

380% 

32 lbs/in
5.6 kN/m

  

97 lbs/in
17.0  kN/m 

430%

40 lbs/in
7.0  kN/m

   

116 lbs/in
20.3  kN/m 

430%

50 lbs/in
8.8 kN/m

  

137 lbs/in
24.0  kN/m 

450%

60 lbs/in
10.5  kN/m

Tear Strength

D-1004
Min

2.5 lbs
11 N

6 lbs
27 N

8 lbs
35 N

10 lbs
44 N

13 lbs
58 N

15 lbs
67 N

Dimensional Stability

D-1204
Max Chg

4%

4%

3%

3%

3%

3%

Low Temperature
Impact

D-1790
Pass

-10o F
-23o C

-15o F
-26o C

-20o F
-29o C

-20o F
-29o C

-20o F
-29o C

-20o F
-29o C

Index Properties

 ASTM

PVC 10

PVC 20

PVC 30

PVC 40

PVC 50

PVC 60

Specific Gravity

D-792
Typical

1.2 g/cc

1.2 g/cc

1.2 g/cc

1.2 g/cc

1.2 g/cc

1.2 g/cc

Water Extraction
Percent Loss (max)

 D-1239
Max Loss

0.15%

0.15%

0.15%

0.20%

0.20%

0.20%

Volatile Loss

D-1203
Max Loss

1.5%

0.9%

0.7%

0.5%

0.5%

0.5%

Soil Burial

 

     Break Strength

     Elongation

     Modulus at 100%

G160
Max Chg

 

 

5%

20%

20%

 

 

5%

20%

20%

 

 

5%

20%

20%

 

 

5%

20%

20%

 

 

5%

20%

20%

 

 

5% 

20%

20%

Hydrostatic Resistance

D-751
Min

42 psi
290 kPa

68 psi
470 kPa

100 psi
690 kPa

120 psi
830 kPa

150 psi
1030 kPa

180 psi
1240 kPa

 Seam Strengths

ASTM

PVC 10

PVC 20

PVC 30

PVC 40

PVC 50

PVC 60

Shear Strength3

 

D-882
Min

20 lbs/in
3.47 kN/m

38.4 lbs/in
6.7 kN/m

58.4 lbs/in
10 kN/m

77.6 lbs/in
14 kN/m

96 lbs/in
17 kN/m

116 lbs/in
20kN/m

Peel Strength3

    

D-882
Min

10 lbs/in
1.8 kN/m

12.5 lbs/in
2.2 kN/m

15 lbs/in
2.6 kN/m

15 lbs/in
2.6 kN/m

15 lbs/in
2.6 kN/m

15 lbs/in
2.6 kN/m

*FTB = Film Tearing Bond   *MD = Machine Direction   *TD = Transverse Direction

Notes:
1. PGI 1104 replaces PGI 1197 Specification effective 1/1/04.
2. Certified properties are tested by lot as specified in PGI 1104 Appendix A.
3. Metric values are converted from US values and are rounded to the available significant digits.
4. Modifications or further details of test are described in PGI 1104 Appendix B.
5. Index properties are tested once per formulation as specified in PGI 1104 Appendix A.    

The PGI 1104 Specification was developed with the cooperation of PGI member companies in order to meet the stringent requirements of today’s geosynthetic applications. To assure this level of quality, be sure to specify that your PVC geomembrane is produced and fabricated by a PGI member.

PVC Geomembrane Institute
University of Illinois
        Department of Civil Engineering
225 Newmark Civil Engineering Lab, MC-250
205 N. Mathews Ave.
Phone: 217-333-3929
Fax: 217-244-2839
Email: pgi-tp@uiuc.edu
Website: www.pvcgeomembrane.com
 

PVC GEOMEMBRANE INSTITUTE SPECIFICATION 1104 FOR PVC GEOMEMBRANES

This specification document is being developed by the PVC Geomembrane Institute (PGI) to help designers, engineers and regulators properly specify PVC liners. This document outlines the current industry methods for manufacturing, fabricating and installing PVC geomembranes. The following guidelines are in accordance with the best practices used at this time but are by no means the only way to fabricate and install PVC. Any deviations should be agreed upon in advance by all parties.

The PVC Geomembrane Institute is dedicated to conducting research and educating engineers and specifiers about the properties and use of PVC geomembranes. PGI conducts ongoing research in order to further the knowledge base of PVC geomembranes. 

PGI 1104 Appendix A
Testing Frequencies 
In most cases test methods do not specify testing frequencies. This appendix outlines the frequency of tests required to fulfill this specification for manufacture, fabrication, and installation frequencies.

 MANUFACTURING TESTING FREQUENCIES

Certified Properties
Certified properties are tested based on a quantity of material produced. Certified properties are tested once per lot, or once every 40,000 lbs of material (18,000 kg), whichever is more frequent. The certification properties include thickness, tensile break strength, elongation at break, modulus at 100% strain, tear resistance, dimensional stability, and low temperature impact. Thickness is to be tested once per roll unless automatic thickness measuring equipment is installed on the production equipment. Certified test reports (Mill Certificates) for the tested properties are to be provided with every order on request.

 

Index Properties
Index tests are performed when preparing and approving a geomembrane formulation. The tests are performed on the final production formulation of a geomembrane.  The index properties include specific gravity, water extraction, volatile loss, hydrostatic resistance, and soil burial resistance.  A certified statement of the test results for the formulation is to be made available to the customer on request.

 

PGI 1104 Appendix B
Testing Clarifications and Details

This appendix lists the clarifications and details of the testing methods used in the PGI specification. In some cases multiple test procedures exist within test methods and testing choices are required. This appendix makes note of the test criteria that was used to compile these specifications.

General
 When both US and metric values are shown the value for acceptance is the US value.
Metric values are conversions and may contain rounding errors.

Test Method Clarification and Details

ASTM D751           Test Methods for Coated Fabrics

For Hydrostatic Burst use Section 33, Procedure A, “Pressure Application by Mullen Type Hydrostatic Tester”
Units of pressure in pounds per square inch (psi) or kiloPascals (kPa)

ASTM D882           Tensile Properties of Thin Plastic Sheeting

Use Method A
D882 method may be used for PVC film up to 60 mil (1.5mm) thick
Units are in pounds of force per inch of width (lbs/in)
Metric units are in kiloNewtons per meter of width (kN/m), or Newtons per millimeter of width (N/mm) which are equivalent units

Factory Seam Shear Testing
Use ASTM D882 Method A
ASTM D882 may be used for thicknesses greater than 1.0 mm (40 mil) for seam testing
Use 25.4 mm wide (1”) specimens
Use grip separation of 51 mm (2 in) plus the seam width
Crosshead speed of 510 mm/min (20 in/min)

Factory Seam Peel Testing
Use ASTM D882 Method A
Use 25.4 mm wide (1”) specimens
Position grips 13 mm (1/2”) on either side of seam
Crosshead speed of 51 mm/min (2 in/min)

ASTM D1004         Initial Tear Resistance of Plastic Film and Sheeting

Units are in pounds of force to initiate tear in the specially die-cut specimen (lbs) or in Newtons of force (N)

ASTM D1203         Volatile Loss from Plastics Using Activated Carbon Methods

Use method A

ASTM D1204        Linear Dimensional Changes of Thermoplastic Film at Elevated Temp.

Test specimens at 100C for 15 minutes
Measure percent change in lineal dimensions

ASTM D1239        Resistance of Plastic Films to Extraction by Chemicals

Test specimens in 50° C (122° F) water for twenty-four hours
Measure percent change in weight

ASTM D1790         Brittleness Temperature of Plastic Sheeting by Impact

50% of specimens must pass at specified temperature

ASTM D5199         Measuring the Nominal Thickness of Geosynthetics

US units of thousandths of an inch (0.001 inches = 1 mil)
Metric unit of millimeters of thickness (mm)

ASTM G160           Evaluating Microbial Susceptibility of Nonmetallic Materials by Soil Burial

Bury sample in prepared soil for 30 days
Perform test on actual liner sheet samples
Measure maximum change in properties as shown in specification