Wisconsin Administrative Code
Department of Natural Resources
NR 500-599 - Environmental Protection - Solid Waste Management
Chapter NR 516 - Landfill Construction Documentation
Section NR 516.07 - Soil and geomembrane testing requirements

Universal Citation: WI Admin Code ยง NR 516.07

Current through August 26, 2024

Testing shall be performed during the construction and closure of any landfill areas. At a minimum, this testing shall include:

(1) LINER SYSTEM AND FINAL COVER SYSTEM CONSTRUCTION. For all recompacted clay soil construction, the following tests shall be performed:

(a) Dry density and as-placed moisture content shall be determined on an approximate 100-foot grid pattern for each one-foot thickness of clay placed. The grid pattern shall be offset on each subsequent layer of tests. A minimum of 2 density and moisture content tests for each one-foot thickness of clay placed shall be performed to fully define the degree of soil compaction obtained in confined areas where equipment movement is hindered or hand compaction is necessary.

(b) One moisture-density curve or line of optimums analysis shall be developed for every 5,000 cubic yards or less of clay placed and for each major soil type utilized. At least 5 points shall be established on each curve. If a line of optimums analysis is performed, at least 2 curves shall be included for each analysis. A representative sample for every 5,000 cubic yards or less of clay placed shall be analyzed for grain size distribution through the .002 millimeter particle size and for Atterberg limits. If apparent changes in soil quality are observed during clay placement, a one-point Proctor analysis shall be utilized to verify the applicability of previously analyzed moisture-density curves.

(c) A minimum of one undisturbed sample for each acre or less for every one-foot thickness of clay placement shall be retrieved and analyzed for Atterberg limits, grain size distribution through the .002 millimeter particle size, moisture content and dry density. Laboratory hydraulic conductivity tests using effective stresses less than or equal to 5 psi and hydraulic gradients less than or equal to 30 shall be performed on every third undisturbed sample. The department may require that a portion of the hydraulic conductivity testing for liner documentation be performed using leachate.

(1m) SUBGRADE AND BERM COMPACTION. For all recompacted soil used in subgrade and berm construction, the following tests shall be performed:

(a) Dry density and as-placed moisture content shall be determined on an approximate 100 foot grid pattern for each one foot thickness of soil placed. The grid pattern shall be offset on each subsequent layer of tests. A minimum of 2 density and moisture content tests for each one foot thickness of soil placed shall be performed to fully define the degree of soil compaction obtained in confined areas where equipment movement is hindered or hand compaction is necessary.

(b) One moisture-density curve or line of optimums analysis shall be developed for every 5,000 cubic yards or less of soil placed and for each major soil type utilized. At least 5 points shall be established on each curve. If a line of optimums analysis is performed, at least 2 curves shall be included for each analysis. A representative sample for every 5,000 cubic yards or less of soil placed shall be analyzed for grain size distribution through the .002 millimeter particle size and for Atterberg limits. If apparent changes in soil quality are observed during soil placement, a one-point Proctor analysis shall be utilized to verify the applicability of previously analyzed moisture-density curves.

(2) GEOMEMBRANE. For all geomembrane installations the following testing shall be performed. The testing shall be performed by the quality assurance engineer or another laboratory not affiliated with the quality control testing.

(a) Conformance sampling and testing shall be conducted on geomembrane materials delivered on site and used in construction. Sampling shall be conducted by the quality assurance engineer or qualified technician.
1. Geomembrane thickness shall be measured at the facility in a minimum of 5 places per roll to ensure that the material delivered meets the approved specifications.

2. Geomembrane tensile properties shall be tested at a minimum of one test per 100,000 ft2 of geomembrane installed and a minimum of one test on rolls from each batch of resin used to manufacture rolls delivered on site. Tensile properties shall include strength and elongation in yield and break. If the selected resin does not exhibit a distinct yield point, tensile properties shall include strength and elongation in break.

3. Geomembrane density and melt index of the polymer shall be tested at a rate of one test per 100,000 ft2 of geomembrane installed and a minimum of one test for each batch of resin used to manufacture rolls delivered on site, unless documentation is provided which shows the manufacturer performed testing at the same frequencies.

4. Geomembrane environmental stress cracking resistance documentation shall be provided which shows that the manufacturer performed a minimum of one test for each batch of resin used to manufacture rolls delivered on site.

(b) Pre-qualification tests for geomembrane fusion and extrusion welding machines shall be conducted by pre-qualification seams run on each welding machine by each seaming technician performing geomembrane welding with that machine. At least one test shall be performed at the start of each work day for each machine to be used and by each technician that will be using the machine. The test shall be repeated at intervals of no greater than 5 hours and with additional test runs following work interruptions, weather changes, changes to machine settings for temperature or speed or as directed by the quality assurance engineer or qualified technician. A portion of each pre-qualification specimen shall be tested in the field for acceptable tensile strength. Test results shall be collated for documentation along with notes on date, ambient temperature, the technician and seaming machine used to make the seam, welding temperature, machine speed setting, and results of field tests. Testing of prequalification weld samples shall be conducted using the requirements of par. (c) 4. Acceptable test results shall meet the requirements of par. (c) 5.

(c) Constructed geomembrane seam testing and sampling shall be completed by or observed by the quality assurance engineer or qualified technician.
1. Nondestructive field seam testing shall be performed on all seams of geomembrane attached by welding or by mechanical attachments to other geomembrane sheet, plastic plate and pipe penetrations.

2. Destructive seam test samples shall be taken at a rate of one sample per 500 feet of fusion seam accomplished, unless another frequency or spacing is approved by the department. For landfills conducting leak location testing in accordance with par. (d), destructive seam test samples shall be taken at a rate of one sample per 1,000 feet of fusion seam accomplished, unless another frequency or spacing is approved by the department. A portion of the sample shall be tested both in the field and in the laboratory for shear and peel with a minimum of 5 samples for each test type. The quality assurance engineer or qualified technician shall choose the location of the destructive seam samples.

3. Destructive samples shall be taken from at least one end of each fusion weld greater than 100 feet long and tested. Samples shall be subjected to a minimum of one field test each in shear and peel mode.

4. Field shear and peel tests of geomembrane seams and geomembranes shall be performed using standardized specimen sizes in tensile testing machines. The tensile testing machine shall be equipped with electrically controlled and smoothly moving jaw separation apparatus, shall be capable of adjustments and defined settings for jaw separation rate, and shall display jaw separation rates and tensile loadings exerted on the geomembrane samples. Tensile testing machines shall be accompanied by documentation for calibration conducted within 3 months of the start of geomembrane installation. Geomembrane samples shall be prepared for field analyses by use of templates and cutting tools that prepare uniformly sized samples.

5. Field and laboratory shear and peel testing of geomembrane seam samples shall include a minimum of 5 peel tests and 5 shear tests. Fusion welds shall be tested on both sides of the air channel track. Acceptable test results shall be defined by a minimum of 4 of the 5 samples for peel and shear testing meeting or exceeding minimum tensile strength and elongation requirements and 5 of the 5 samples exhibiting acceptable weld separation behavior.

(d) Leak location testing of the installed geomembrane shall be completed by or observed by the quality assurance engineer or qualified technician. Leak location testing shall be conducted after the leachate collection layer has been placed on the base grades and lower half of the sideslopes. Documentation of the testing method shall include description of the procedures and photo documentation. Documentation of all detected defects and repairs shall include the testing data for geomembrane sheet and welding and photo documentation of the defect prior to and after repairs.

(2m) GEOSYNTHETIC CLAY LINERS AND SOIL BARRIER LAYERS. Testing shall be performed on the GCL and soil barrier layer. At a minimum, this testing shall include:

(a) Testing of the GCL material delivered to the site shall include the following, unless documentation is provided for testing performed by the GCL manufacturer prior to shipping panels to the landfill:
1. Clay mass per unit area shall be tested at a rate of one test per 40,000 ft2 of GCL installed; results shall be reported at 0% moisture content.

2. Grab and peel tensile strength, expressed as machine direction and cross direction, shall be tested using ASTM-D6768-02 at a rate of one test per 100,000 ft2 of GCL installed.

3. Index flux shall be tested using ASTM-D6496-99 at a rate of one test per 100,000 ft2 of GCL installed.

4. Bentonite recovered from GCL sample shall be tested for free swell at a rate of one test per 100,000 ft2 of GCL installed.

(b) Testing of the soil barrier layer shall be conducted as follows:
1. Dry density and as-placed moisture content shall be determined on an approximate 100-foot grid pattern for each one-foot thickness of soil placed. The grid pattern shall be offset on each subsequent layer of tests. A minimum of 2 density and moisture content tests for each one-foot thickness of soil placed shall be performed to fully define the degree of soil compaction obtained in confined areas where equipment movement is hindered or hand compaction is necessary.

2. One moisture-density curve or line of optimums analysis shall be developed for every 5,000 cubic yards or less of soil placed and for each major soil type utilized. At least 5 points shall be established on each curve. If a line of optimums analysis is performed, at least 2 curves shall be included for each analysis. A representative sample for every 5,000 cubic yards or less of soil placed shall be analyzed for grain size distribution through the .002 millimeter particle size and for Atterberg limits. If apparent changes in soil quality are observed during soil placement, a one-point Proctor analysis shall be utilized to verify the applicability of previously analyzed moisture-density curves.

(3) DRAINAGE BLANKET. During placement of the leachate drainage blanket over the liner or the granular drain layer in the final cover, the following testing shall be performed:

(a) If sand is used, one grain size distribution to the #200 sieve for each 1,000 cubic yards of material placed. For lesser volumes, a minimum of 4 samples shall be tested. If washed stone or gravel is used, one grain size distribution to the #200 sieve for each 5,000 cubic yards of material placed. For smaller landfills where construction of a liner or cap area involves lesser volumes, a minimum of 2 samples shall be tested..

(b) One remolded laboratory hydraulic conductivity test for each 2,500 cubic yards of sand drainage material placed. The samples shall be tested at the anticipated field density. The moisture content and density of each sample shall be recorded. The department may require that a portion of the hydraulic conductivity tests be performed using leachate. For smaller landfills where construction of a liner or cap area involves lesser volumes, a minimum of 2 samples shall be tested. No hydraulic conductivity tests are required if washed stone or gravel is used.

(c) The department may require that chemical durability testing of the material when exposed to leachate be performed.

(4) BEDDING MATERIAL. During placement of leachate collection pipes, lysimeter pipes, and groundwater collection pipes, the following tests shall be performed on the backfill material:

(a) One grain size distribution to the #200 sieve for each 1,000 linear feet of trench. For construction projects with combined trench lengths of less than 3,000 feet, a minimum of 3 grain size analyses shall be conducted. Bedding for solid wall piping associated with transfer of leachate, groundwater or lysimeter fluids shall be tested at the same frequency but only to the #4 sieve.

(b) One grain size distribution to the #200 sieve for each 500 cubic yards of drainage material placed in collection sumps.

(c) The department may require that chemical durability testing of the material when exposed to leachate and laboratory hydraulic conductivity testing be performed.

(5) FINAL COVER. During construction of the final cover system, the following tests shall be performed:

(a) Thickness of a support layer in the final cover for landfills which accept primarily papermill sludge or other low strength wastes on a 100-foot grid. The source and composition of the support layer shall be documented by a description of the materials used in the support layer.

(b) One grain size distribution to the #200 sieve for each 1,000 cubic yards of gravel used for pipe bedding and drain outlets for the drain layer and toe drain.

(c) The department may require testing of samples of geotextiles, geocomposite drains or other geosynthetic materials used in construction of the final cover system.

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