Overview
Geosynthetics Africa installs GSE® HDPE geomembranes to the full Solmax Installation QA Manual standard - 12-stage process, 100% weld testing, destructive coupon sampling, and complete as-built documentation on every project.
Material Verification
Every GSE® / Solmax roll is logged against the Bill of Lading and cross-referenced with Solmax mill certificates upon arrival. Roll numbers, batch numbers, and product conformance are verified against the project specification before any material is accepted on site. No unchecked roll enters the installation area.
Installation Control
All GSE® HDPE geomembrane installations are executed in strict accordance with the Solmax Installation Quality Assurance Manual. Welding technicians are factory-trained and certified. Weld parameters - temperature, speed, and pressure - are logged continuously per seam on the Seam Log throughout installation.
On-Site Quality Control
Trial welds are performed and destructively tested at the start of every shift, after power interruptions, and after equipment changes. Every fusion seam is air pressure tested at 30 psi. Every extrusion weld is vacuum box tested. A dedicated QA supervisor - independent of the installation crew - is present throughout and maintains the daily site QC log
Destructive Seam Testing
Destructive coupon samples are taken at project-specified frequencies and tested for peel and shear strength on a calibrated field tensiometer. For GSE® HD 1.5mm: minimum shear 100 ppi, fusion peel 91 ppi, extrusion peel 78 ppi. Failed seam sections are capped or reconstructed - never left in place.
Defect Identification & Repair
All seam and sheet areas are inspected for defects after testing. Actual breaches are patched. Non-breach defects are bead-repaired. Every repair is numbered, retested, and logged on the Repair Log before any cover material is placed. The site manager conducts a final walkthrough before project closeout.
As-Built Drawings & Handover Dossier
Every project closes with a complete handover dossier - as-built panel drawings with roll-to-panel traceability, all seam test logs, destructive test records, repair logs, Solmax mill certificates, and a signed conformance statement. A permanent, auditable record of every square metre installed.
QA Framework
Manufacturer-Aligned Installation Standards
Geosynthetics Africa installs GSE® HDPE and LLDPE geomembranes in strict accordance with the Solmax Installation Quality Assurance Manual - the manufacturer's own standard for how their products must be installed to perform as designed. This is not a generic installation checklist. It is a 12-stage, document-driven QA process that governs every action from the moment rolls arrive on site to the day the signed handover dossier is delivered to the client. Every roll is traced from the Solmax manufacturing plant to its installed panel location. Every seam is tested. Every defect is repaired and retested before covering. No exceptions.
The 12-Stage GSE® / Solmax QA Process - Applied on Every African Site
Material Delivery, Identification & Traceability
On arrival, every GSE® roll is logged on the Inventory Checklist and cross-referenced with the signed Bill of Lading. Solmax mill certificates and conformance test reports are verified against the project specification. Roll numbers, batch numbers, and any visible transit damage are recorded before any material is accepted. No roll enters the installation area without a completed inventory check.
Unloading, Storage & Handling Controls
Rolls are unloaded using fabric straps, spreader bars, or stinger bars - equipment that cannot damage the membrane. Materials are stored on flat, dry, well-drained ground free of sharp objects. Storage conditions are maintained and inspected until deployment. No roll is placed on ground that could compromise the membrane surface prior to installation.
Subgrade Preparation & Formal Acceptance
Before any panel is deployed, the subgrade is inspected by the Geosynthetics Africa site manager. The Subgrade Surface Acceptance form is completed and signed by both the installer and the owner or earthworks contractor. No geomembrane is placed on an uninspected or unsigned subgrade - regardless of programme pressure or site conditions.
Panel Placement & Roll-to-Panel Traceability
Each panel is assigned a unique number corresponding to the panel layout drawing. Roll number, deployment date, and gross length are marked on every deployed panel in large block letters. All data is logged on the Panel Placement Log. If a partial roll remains after deployment, the roll number and estimated remaining length are marked on the roll for future identification. Full roll-to-panel traceability is maintained throughout.
Trial Welds - Before Every Shift & After Every Interruption
A trial weld is performed and destructively tested before production welding begins each shift, after any power interruption, and after any equipment change. Welding equipment warms up for a minimum of 10 minutes before trial welds are run. Five coupons are cut using a calibrated 1-inch die cutter and tested in both peel and shear on a field tensiometer. Equipment that fails a trial weld is removed from service. No production welding begins without a passed, logged trial weld on record.
Fusion (Wedge) Welding - Production Seams
Production seams are joined using double-track fusion (wedge) welding. Weld parameters - temperature, speed, and pressure - are continuously monitored and logged on the Seam Log by seam number, machine number, technician ID, date, and time. No seaming is performed in adverse weather, moisture, or temperature conditions that could compromise liner integrity. Seams are identified by the panels on each side - the seam between panels 1 and 2 becomes seam 1/2.
Extrusion Welding - Repairs, Penetrations & Detail Work
Extrusion welding is used for patches, pipe penetrations, anchor trench terminations, and repair work. Extrusion welders are purged of heat-degraded extrudate before use. Seam surfaces are clean, dry, properly overlapped, heat-tacked, and abraded prior to welding. Minimum overlap of 100mm beyond damaged areas is required for all repair welds. Seams with unmatched wrinkles or fishmouths are rejected and re-executed.
Non-Destructive Testing - Every Seam, Full Length
Every fusion (double-track) seam is air pressure tested at 30 psi minimum for a minimum of 5 minutes in accordance with ASTM D5820. A pressure drop of more than 4 psi constitutes a failure. Every extrusion weld is vacuum box tested using a foaming agent in accordance with ASTM D6392. Pipe penetrations and inaccessible seam areas are spark tested. Every test result is logged on the Non-Destructive Test Log by seam number, technician ID, date, and pass/fail outcome. No seam is covered until it passes.
Destructive Coupon Sampling & Seam Strength Testing
Destructive samples are taken at project-specified frequencies — typically every 150 linear metres of seam. Sample size is approximately 300mm x 1000mm, distributed between the on-site QA technician, Solmax, and third-party archive. Ten coupons are cut and tested in peel and shear. For GSE® HD 1.5mm: minimum shear 100 ppi, fusion peel 91 ppi, extrusion peel 78 ppi. For GSE® LL 1.5mm: minimum shear 90 ppi, fusion peel 75 ppi, extrusion peel 66 ppi. Failed seam sections are capped or reconstructed. All results are logged on the Destructive Test Log.
Defect Identification, Marking & Repair
After testing, all seam and sheet areas are inspected for defects. Actual breaches are circled and marked "P" - patch required. Non-breach defects are circled for bead repair assessment. Every identified defect is repaired using an approved method, retested, and re-logged before any cover material is placed. The site manager conducts a final walkthrough to confirm all repairs are complete and all debris removed.
Repair Procedures & Patch Logging
All repairs are executed using approved methods: patching for holes and tears, grind-and-reweld for extrusion seam sections, spot welding for minor localised flaws, flap welding in lieu of full caps, and capping for failed seam sections. All patches extend a minimum of 100mm beyond the defect edge with rounded corners. Patches are numbered sequentially on the Repair Log - RP-1, RP-2 etc. - and each repair is retested and signed off before covering.
As-Built Drawings & Project Handover Dossier
Every project closes with a complete, signed handover dossier. As-built drawings show all panel numbers, seam numbers, last four digits of each roll number, all destructive test sample locations, and all repair locations — cross-referenced with the Panel Placement Log, Seam Log, Destructive Test Log, Repair Log, and Non-Destructive Test Logs. Solmax mill certificates with full roll-to-panel traceability are included. The complete package is the permanent, auditable record of every square metre installed on your project.
GRI-GM19 - Field Seam Strength Minimum Values (HDPE Smooth)
| Thickness | HD Shear | HD Fusion Peel | HD Extrusion Peel |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0mm | 14.0 kN/m | 10.5 kN/m | 9.1 kN/m |
| 1.5mm | 17.5 kN/m | 15.9 kN/m | 13.7 kN/m |
| 2.0mm | 28.0 kN/m | 21.2 kN/m | 18.2 kN/m |
| 2.5mm | 35.0 kN/m | 26.4 kN/m | 22.8 kN/m |
Where We Install GSE® HDPE & LLDPE Geomembranes Across Africa
100+ Projects. 30+ Countries. Zero Liner Failures on Record.
Geosynthetics Africa has installed GSE® HDPE and LLDPE geomembranes across Southern, East, Central, and West Africa - on mining operations, municipal infrastructure, agricultural schemes, and industrial containment facilities. Every installation follows the same standard: the Solmax Installation QA Manual, applied in full, documented completely, and handed over with a signed dossier. Our track record is not a claim. It is a document package available on request.
Industries Served
These QA standards and procedures have been successfully applied across the following industries: