Bentomat^® Geosynthetic Clay Liners

 

Product Description

CETCO is the world leader in the production of geosynthetic clay liners. Our Bentomat^® geosynthetic clay liners (GCLs) are high performance environmental liners manufactured with durable high-strength geotextiles and a uniform layer of low-permeability granular Volclay® sodium bentonite. The Bentomat patented manufacturing process utilizes a needle punched technique which encapsulates the sodium bentonite between two layers of geotextile, inhibiting migration of the clay in its dry or hydrated state. The geotextiles offer a long lasting resistance to physical and chemical break-down in harsh environments. The bentonite’s high swelling capacity and low permeability provide an effective hydraulic seal. With a total thickness of less than one inch, CETCO GCLs provide better hydraulic performance than several feet of compacted clay.  CETCO laminated GCL products consist of two water barriers-bentonite clay and an additional flexible plastic membrane. The membrane is permanently laminated to the outer textile surface.

Applications

• Sediment disposal cells
• Dewatering facilities
• In situ capping

Bentomat^®  GCL's have been installed in numerous waste containment applications throughout the world. Our GCLs offer several advantages over traditional compacted clay liners – improved hydraulic performance, easier installation and use of less air space within a disposal cell. Because of their unique self-healing sodium bentonite base, our liners resist cracking that typically occurs in compacted clay liners subjected to repeated freeze/thaw conditions. GCLs have become the standard clay component of composite lining and cover systems and are typically used in combination with geomembranes, drainage geocomposites, and geotextiles.

 

PCB contaminated sediment dewatering facility and disposal cell

 

Sediment dewatering pad lined with CETCO Bentomat^® ST GCL used in combination with a geomembrane

 

Sub-aqueous installation of Bentomat^® CL laminated GCL

 

For projects requiring an impermeable in-situ cap, CETCO GCLs make excellent sub-aqueous, hydraulic barriers. GCLs effectively separate contaminated sediment from surface waters, provide scouring and bio-intrusion protection and minimize advective contaminant transport.

 

Available Products

 

		Bentomat ST is the most commonly specified GCL in the world, proving ideal for standard applications involving slopes up to 3H: 1V. Bentomat ST consists of a layer of Volclay sodium bentonite encapsulated between woven and non-woven geotextiles, which are needle-punched together to provide internal reinforcement. The internal reinforcement minimizes clay shifting, thus allowing the GCL to maintain consistent low permeability and maximum performance under a wide variety of field conditions.
		Bentomat SDN is also a reinforced GCL consisting of a layer of Volclay sodium bentonite between two non-woven geotextiles. The two non-woven geotextiles impart good interface friction between the GCL and adjacent soils or textured geomembranes, making this GCL a cost-effective alternative for moderate to steep slopes requiring good overall liner system stability.
		Bentomat DN is commonly used in some of the most demanding applications including canyon landfills in the western United States, where slopes are as steep as 1.5H: 1V. This GCL is reinforced and consists of a layer of Volclay sodium bentonite between two heavier weight non-woven geotextiles, making this GCL suitable for applications requiring high internal and interface shear strength.
		Bentomat STM is a reinforced GCL commonly specified in mining applications. This GCL consists of a layer of Volclay sodium bentonite encapsulated between a woven and non-woven geotextile. The reduced bentonite loading results in a lighter weight product that is more cost-effective and easier to transport to remote mining sites. The lower bentonite weight can serve as a good alternative for projects where hydraulic requirements may not be as stringent.
		Bentomat 200R is a needle-punched GCL consisting of a layer of Volclay sodium bentonite encapsulated between light-weight non-woven and woven geotextiles. This GCL is an excellent cost-effective alternative to compacted clay as the low-permeability liner under a geomembrane in applications with slopes up to 10H: 1V, or where high internal shear strength is not critical.
		Bentomat CL is a reinforced GCL consisting of two carrier geotextiles encapsulating a layer of Volclay sodium bentonite, with a flexible membrane liner laminated to one side. This GCL provides excellent hydraulic performance and has puncture and tensile strengths beyond conventional plastic membranes. These characteristics make this GCL applicable for use in landfill covers, ponds and liquid containment projects with slopes up to 3H: 1V.
		Bentomat CLT is a reinforced GCL consisting of a layer of Volclay sodium bentonite between two geotextiles and laminated to a textured HDPE geomembrane. The addition of the geomembrane to the GCL increases the hydraulic resistance, and the textured surface increases the interface friction between the GCL and adjacent substrate. These characteristics make this GCL ideal for more demanding landfill covers and liquid containment applications involving steep slopes.
		Bentomat 600CL is a new product for non-reinforced, low shear strength applications and consists of two light-weight geotextiles encapsulating a layer of Volclay sodium bentonite with a flexible membrane liner laminated to one of the geotextiles. This GCL may be used for flat areas of landfill caps and high hydraulic head conditions in liquid containment applications.