Case story
Polyfelt® Enviromat GCL- Pond Lining
Malaysia, Pahang, Bentong
Project Data
| Project | Pond Lining for A Resort Home |
| Location | Pahang, Malaysia |
| Client | N/A |
| Products used | Polyfelt® Enviromat GCL |
Overview
A pond was proposed to be built for landscaping purpose of a corporate resort house in Tanarimba Jandabaik. The existing reinforced concrete wall was constructed to create a water retention system. However, due to the permeable soil condition of this hilly area, water can hardly be retained.
Water barrier materials were considered to be used and Enviromat® GCL’s was selected as the best option for pond lining as it is easy to install. With cost considerations in mind,
GCL’s are more economical and environmental friendly.
In addition, GCL’s can prevent seepage of water into the soil which can weaken the whole geotechnical surroundings.
Installation
The problem is that the pond was to be built on an irregular shape site. Enviromat® GCL’s is a flexible material which makes it possible to lay on non-uniform shaped areas.
The soil foundation and the surface were cleared of any protruding edges and construction debris. Then, the existing soil was trimmed to form a gentle slope gradient for the laying of GCL’s. The GCL’s were then installed in the running direction of the slope.
The end overlap between the GCL’s was 500mm while the edge overlap was 300mm. The overlapped gap was sealed with bentonite paste to fill the open pore space area. Moreover, the overlapped area was checked to be free from folds and any soil particles should be swept away carefully.
A minimum of 300mm single sized aggregates was laid on the GCL’s to provide a confining stress so that its hydraulic conductivity function can be attained.
Subsoil drainage blankets with pipes was installed around the pond perimeter to prevent direct flush of surface water into the pond to maintain the cleanliness of the water as well as to maintain the aggregates in place.
Conclusion
GCL’s has proven to be an effective water barrier product. It is also cost and time saving compared to the conventional construction method of fully concreting to build the pond.
