The state of Electrical Leak Location: New technologies and improved methodologies

Abstract

The introduction of installed geomembranes revolutionized containment system effectiveness for the protection of groundwater quality and water resources. After over six decades of installing geomembranes and evaluating their performance, it has become clear that simply specifying the use of a geomembrane is not enough. Even the addition of Construction Quality Assurance (CQA) is often not enough. In order to ensure that an installed geomembrane will perform in accordance with its design intent, it must be tested for leaks before operation and sometimes even during operation. Several decades after the introduction of geomembranes, Electrical Leak Location (ELL) methods were developed in order to locate leaks in them once installed. The methods have undergone many stages of evolution since their inception and continue to be improved today. This paper details where the technologies began and the current state of the practice as well as the currently available state of the art. Newly developed technologies from across the globe are presented in order to showcase cutting edge capabilities. The spectrum of methodologies used by various practitioners is also presented and detailed. This paper will assist designers and facility owners to choose the best ELL solution in order to ensure containment facility performance, which is critical to the sustainability of the modern world.