Geomembrane Liners
GSE HD Single-Side Textured Geomembrane Liner - GRI-GM13
GRI-GM13 certified HDPE geomembrane textured on one face, smooth on the other. Specified where friction is needed against one interface only - typically textured to the soil or drainage layer with the smooth face against a GCL or secondary liner. 1.0mm to 2.5mm, 100% virgin resin, Solmax GSE manufactured.
Overview
Friction Where You Need It, Smooth Where You Don't
GSE HD single-side textured geomembrane carries a co-extruded textured surface on one face and a smooth surface on the other. It is specified where interface friction is required against one contact surface only - most commonly textured against the soil, drainage layer or protection geotextile, with the smooth face against a GCL, a secondary liner or a surface where a smooth interface is deliberately wanted.
Why one face and not two. On a composite liner system, the friction requirement is rarely symmetrical. A textured face against granular cover develops the shear resistance that veneer stability calculations depend on; a smooth face against a GCL avoids damaging the bentonite carrier and keeps the interface behaviour predictable. Specifying double-textured where only one interface is critical adds cost and, on some interfaces, no design benefit. Single-side textured is the correct answer when the design shear surface is on one side of the sheet.
Which face is textured is part of the specification. Solmax manufactures this as STEX-TOP and STEX-BOTTOM. These are different products, not an orientation decision made in the field - the sheet is extruded that way. Confirm at design stage which face carries the texture relative to how the liner will be deployed, and order accordingly. Getting this wrong is discovered on site, with panels already on the ground.
Asperity is the specification that matters. For textured sheet, thickness alone says nothing about performance. Asperity height, tested to ASTM D7466 on every roll, governs interface friction - and GRI-GM13's minimum for textured HDPE is 10 mils (0.25mm). GSE HD textured is manufactured above that minimum, and because thickness on textured sheet is measured to ASTM D5994 as a minimum average with defined lowest-individual limits rather than a simple average, the two measurements must be read together. Our datasheets give both, per thickness.
Certified to GRI-GM13 and the wider standards held by the GSE HD series, manufactured from 100% virgin resin. Geosynthetics Africa supplies ex-stock with IAGI-aligned installation by our own crews and a full QA dossier on completion.
- MaterialHigh-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) - 100% virgin resin
- StructureCo-extruded, textured one face · smooth reverse (STEX)
- ColourBlack
- StandardGRI-GM13 · ASTM D7466 asperity · SANS 1526
- Roll Width7m
- Roll LengthGrade Dependent
Typical Properties
| Testing Properties | Test Method | Unit | 1.0mm | 1.5mm | 2.0mm | 2.5mm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thickness | ASTM D5199 | mm | 1.00 | 1.50 | 2.00 | 2.50 |
| Density | ASTM D792 | g/cm³ | ≥ 0.940 | ≥ 0.940 | ≥ 0.940 | ≥ 0.940 |
| Tensile strength at break | ASTM D6693 | kN/m | 27 | 40 | 53 | 67 |
| Tensile Strength at Yield | ASTM D6693 | kN/m | 15 | 22 | 29 | 37 |
| Tear resistance | ASTM D1004 | N | 106 | 168 | 224 | 280 |
| Puncture resistance | ASTM D4833 | N | 320 | 480 | 640 | 800 |
| Stress crack resistance | ASTM D5397 | hr | ≥ 500 | ≥ 500 | ≥ 500 | ≥ 500 |
| Roll width | - | m | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| Roll Length | - | m | 210 | 150 | 110 | 85 |
| Area per roll | - | m² | 1470 | 1050 | 770 | 595 |
Note: The above specifications represent the product family properties. Please refer to the product datasheet for individual SKU values.
Typical Applications
View all applicationsTailings Storage Facility Lining
HDPE lining for tailings cells and embankments, including composite and double liner systems with leak detection.
Heap Leach Pad Lining
HDPE barriers beneath ore stacks and solution ponds for leach solution containment and recovery.
Reservoir & Dam Lining
HDPE lining to control seepage in dams, reservoirs and process water storage, selected for site conditions.
Landfill, Ash & Bund Lining
HDPE barriers for landfill cells, ash facilities and secondary containment, with protection and drainage layers as required.
Compatible Systems
View all systemsHDPE Smooth Geomembranes
The standard profile for flat and gently graded containment surfaces - TSF base liners, landfill cells, reservoirs, canals and process ponds on slopes not exceeding 3H:1V. Virgin resin, GRI-GM13 certified. 1.0 mm – 3.0 mm.
HDPE Textured Geomembranes (Single & Double)
Specified where slope stability and interface friction are design-critical. Single-textured for one-sided friction interfaces; double-textured mandatory on slopes steeper than 3H:1V. GRI-GM13 certified. 1.0 mm – 2.5 mm.
HDPE White / Reflective Geomembranes
Reflective white surface bonded to a black HDPE base - reduces liner temperature in high UV environments where exposed black HDPE can exceed 70 °C. Specified for heap leach pads, exposed caps and long-term surface applications. GRI-GM13 certified. 1.0 mm – 2.5 mm.
HDPE Conductive Geomembranes (ELL-enabled)
Conductive layer enables Electrical Leak Location (ELL) testing through cover soils and under water - pinpointing defects without excavation. Specified for high-consequence TSF, hazardous waste and double-liner systems requiring post-installation leak detection. 1.5 mm – 2.5 mm.
HDPE High-Temperature Geomembranes
Engineered for process fluid temperatures exceeding standard HDPE thermal tolerance - hot leach solutions, thermal heap leach and elevated-temperature industrial ponds above 60 °C. Project-specified. Contact our technical team for application assessment
Installation Guidance
Standard Method Statement
Installation follows the approved project method statement, panel layout and QA/QC plan. The receiving surface is inspected before deployment. Panel overlaps, anchorage, temporary restraint and welding conditions are set for the selected liner and equipment, following manufacturer guidance and the project specification.
Dual-track fusion welding and extrusion welding are used as appropriate to the seam and detail. Non-destructive testing uses the applicable method: pressurised air-channel evaluation to ASTM D5820 for dual seams, and vacuum-chamber evaluation to ASTM D5641 where suitable. Destructive peel and shear testing to ASTM D6392 is performed at the frequency and acceptance criteria defined in the approved project QA/QC plan.
Repairs are recorded and retested using the applicable method before acceptance and covering. Handover documentation is defined in the agreed scope and may include material roll records, panel layouts, weld logs, non-destructive and destructive test records, repair logs, as-built drawings and the handover certificate.
Quality Assurance & Testing
Field QA/QC Checklist
- Subgrade Acceptance: Subgrade signed off before deployment: smooth, compacted, free of stones, roots and protrusions, and no standing water or desiccation cracks.
- Material Conformance: Roll numbers and manufacturer QC certificates checked against GRI-GM13 (HDPE) or GRI-GM17 (LLDPE); conformance samples taken where the CQA plan requires.
- Trial Welds: Trial seams made and peel/shear tested at the start of each shift, for each welder and machine, and whenever conditions change.
- Non-Destructive Seam Testing: 100% of seams tested: air-pressure testing of double-wedge welds (ASTM D5820) and vacuum-box testing of extrusion welds, patches and repairs (ASTM D5641).
- Destructive Seam Testing: Seam samples cut at intervals set by the CQA plan (GRI-GM14) and tested in shear and peel to ASTM D6392 against GRI-GM19 values.
- Leak Location Survey: Electrical leak location survey (ASTM D7007 for covered liners, ASTM D7002/D7703 for exposed liners) where specified, before handover.
- Panel Layout & Repairs Record: As-built panel layout, seam log and repair log kept and signed off, with every repair vacuum-tested.
Manufacturing Standards
- GRI-GM13 (HDPE) / GRI-GM17 (LLDPE) material specification
- GRI-GM19 seam strength requirements
- ASTM D6392 seam strength testing
- ASTM D5820 air channel / ASTM D5641 vacuum box testing
- ASTM D7007 electrical leak location (where specified)
- Manufacturer QC certificates per roll
- GRI-GM13 · ASTM D7466 asperity · SANS 1526
Documents
Product Selection Guide
Compare performance properties across the entire category hierarchy before specifying.
Installation & Method Statement
Standard deployment procedures, installation specifications, and field application method statements.
QA/QC Site Checklist
Field quality control procedures, inspection checklists, and testing standards to verify installation integrity.
Technical Data Sheet (TDS)
Guaranteed minimum average roll values (MARV) and material testing properties.
Chemical Resistance / Accessories Guide
Chemical compatibility matrix and list of auxiliary materials needed for installation.
Projects Using GSE HD Single-Side Textured Geomembrane Liner - GRI-GM13
Supply and cross-border delivery of 1.5 mm GSE® HDPE geomembrane for the MCC copper mine in Tanzania, with material documentation and coordinated road freight.
Supply and installation of an HDPE geomembrane lining system for a 5,100 m² ROM ore pad at West Wits Mining, supported by protection geotextile and documented seam QA/QC.
Supply of 15,000 m² of 1.5 mm GSE® HDPE geomembrane to Lucara Diamonds’ Karowe operation in Botswana, with delivery coordinated around the project programme.
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