BBG Bauberatung Geokunststoffe GmbH & Co.

KG  Gewerbestraße 2  32339 Espelkamp  Registergericht AG Bad Oeynhausen HRA 6092

 Geschäftsführer: Dipl.-Ing. Lars Vollmert  Konto: Commerzbank Lübbecke 60 750 30 (BLZ 492 400 96)  Tel. 0 57 43 - 9 32 05 - 60

Technical statement concerning

the use of a geosynthetic clay liner (GCL)
Bentofix NSP4000 vs. a compacted clay layer (CCL)

Project: Proposed Sewage Treatment Plant for

Samalaju New Township, Sarawak, Malaysia

Client : MCSH Guardwell Sdn. Bhd.

Attn: Mr. Kevin Ling
No. 37 Hakka Avenue Industrial Estate
5th Mile, Jalan Penrissen
93250 Kuching, Sarawak
Malaysia

Author: BBG Bauberatung Geokunststoffe GmbH & Co. KG

Gewerbestraße 2
D-32339 Espelkamp
Telefon: +49 (0) 57 43 - 93 205 - 60
Fax: +49 (0) 57 43 - 99 205 - 66
E-mail: contact@bbgeo.com

Espelkamp, 28 February 2017

i.V. Dipl. - Ing. J. Klompmaker i.A. B.Eng. (Hons) – Su Jong Hao

BBG Bauberatung Geokunststoffe GmbH & Co. KG 28 February 2017
Technical statement: Comparison of Geosynthetic clay liners Bentofix® to Compacted clay layers Page 2 of 5

1 Table of contents
1 Table of contents .......................................................................................................... 2
2 Basic information for proof and references .................................................................... 2
3 Enclosure...................................................................................................................... 2
4 Scope ........................................................................................................................... 3
5 Geosynthetic clay liner - Bentofix® NSP 4000 ............................................................... 3
6 Equivalence concerning the sealing properties of a GCL Bentofix NSP 4000 to a CCL
..................................................................................................................................... 3
6.1 General ................................................................................................................. 3
6.2 Flow rate Q ........................................................................................................... 3
6.3 Permittivity ............................................................................................................ 4
6.4 Hydraulic Performance - Compacted clay layer (CCL) .......................................... 4
6.5 Hydraulic Performance - Bentofix® NSP 4000 (GCL)............................................. 4
7 Comparison based on the flow rate Q and the permittivity  ......................................... 5
8 Conclusion .................................................................................................................... 5

2 Basic information for proof and references

[1] Discussion with Mr. Kevin Ling on Sewage Treatment Plant Project on information
exchange to determine the required GCL grade for the project on 22nd February 2017
[2] Robert M. Koerner, Designing with Geosynthetics 6th Edition, Vol 1, 2012

3 Enclosure
[E1] Data sheet of the product Bentofix® NSP 4000 (NAUE GmbH & Co. KG)
BBG Bauberatung Geokunststoffe GmbH & Co. KG 28 February 2017
Technical statement: Comparison of Geosynthetic clay liners Bentofix® to Compacted clay layers Page 3 of 5

4 Scope
BBG Bauberatung Geokunststoffe GmbH & Co. KG has been asked by Mr. Kevin Ling in
Sarawak, Malaysia to work out a technical statement concerning the equivalence of a
geosynthetic clay liner (GCL) Bentofix® NSP 4000 in comparison to a 0.15 m thick
compacted clay layer with a hydraulic conductivity of 1 ∙ 10-9 m/s.

NAUE GmbH & Co. KG agreed to pay the costs for this statement.

5 Geosynthetic clay liner - Bentofix® NSP 4000

The geosynthetic clay liner Bentofix from NAUE GmbH & Co. KG is a shear strength
transmitting GCL, which is needle punched through all components. The sealing component
is natural sodium bentonite. The bentonite is enclosed by a PP cover nonwoven and a
carrier woven, made from PP-slit film. The hydraulic conductivity is given to k ≤ 2  10-11 m/s
according to Enclosure [E1].

6 Equivalence concerning the sealing properties of a GCL

Bentofix NSP 4000 to a CCL

6.1 General
To be able to judge the sealing properties of both systems (System 1: 0.15 m CCL & System
2: GCL Bentofix® NSP 4000) a comparison of the flow rate under consideration of the
effective hydraulic head (here: hw = 1.4 m) is conducted in the following. Additionally a
comparison of the permeability will be carried out under consideration of the k/d-value
(Permittivity).

6.2 Flow rate Q

Flow rate Q [m3/s] based on Darcy's law:

Q=Av with: v = k  i
Q=Aki with: i = (d + hw) / d
→ Q = A  k  (d + hw) / d

with: k: water permeability coefficient of the sealing element [m/s]

d: thickness of the sealing element [m]
hw: water accumulation (pressure) height [m], here assumed: 1.4 m
BBG Bauberatung Geokunststoffe GmbH & Co. KG 28 February 2017
Technical statement: Comparison of Geosynthetic clay liners Bentofix® to Compacted clay layers Page 4 of 5

6.3 Permittivity

A comparison of the permittivity considers the hydraulic conductivity (k f – value [m/s]) as well
as the effective thickness of the sealing system.

 
k
1 / s
d

6.4 Hydraulic Performance - Compacted clay layer (CCL)

According to the given information in [U1] the water permeability for the 0.15 m thick
compacted clay layer has been defined with kCCL = 1  10-9 m/s. Under consideration of a
hydraulic head on top of the compacted clay layer with a water accumulation height of hw =
1.4 m a flow rate for the compacted clay layer system referring to an area of 1 m²can be
determined:

Flow rate Q:

QClay = 1 m² 1.0  10-9 m/s  (0.15 m + 1.4 m) / 0.15 m

= 1.03  10-8 m³/s (referring to an area of 1 m²)

= 1.03  10-5 liters/s

Permittivity:

k clay 110 9 m / s 1
 Clay    6.67 10 9
d clay 0.15m s

6.5 Hydraulic Performance - Bentofix® NSP 4000 (GCL)

A thickness of 1.0 cm for the GCL Bentofix® NSP 4000 under swollen conditions is taken as
basis for the calculation. According to [E1], Bentofix® NSP 4000 provides a water
permeability of k  2  10-11 m/s. Based on this information the flow rate in consideration of a
water accumulation height of 1.4 m and the permittivity will be calculated.

Flow rate Q:

QBentofix® NSP 4000 = 1 m² 2  10-11 m/s  (0.01 m + 1.4 m) / 0.01 m

= 2.82  10-9 m³/s (referring to an area of 1 m²)

= 2.82  10-6 liters/s

BBG Bauberatung Geokunststoffe GmbH & Co. KG 28 February 2017
Technical statement: Comparison of Geosynthetic clay liners Bentofix® to Compacted clay layers Page 5 of 5

Permittivity:

k GCL 2 10 11 m / s 1

 GCL    2 10 9
d GCL 0.01 m s

7 Comparison based on the flow rate Q and the permittivity 

Table 1 shows a comparison of the flow rate Q and the permittivity  for the compacted clay
layer (CCL) and the geosynthetic clay liner (GCL) Bentofix® NSP 4000.

Table 1: Comparison of GCL Bentofix® NSP 4000 and a CCL layer based on the flow
rate and the permittivity

CCL GCL
(CCL, k = 1 ·10-9 m/s) Bentofix® NSP 4000, Factor
thickness = 0.15 m) k = 2 ·10-11m/s,
thickness = 0.01 m
flow rate
Q 1.03  10-5 > 2.82  10-6 ~3.6
[l/s]
Permittivity
 6.67  10-9 = 2.0  10-9 ~3.3
[1/s]

A 1 cm thick swollen GCL Bentofix® NSP 4000 with a water permeability k ≤ 2 ·10-11 m/s
provides a lower flow rate Q [l/s] as well as an equivalent permittivity  [1/s] in comparison to
a 0.15 m thick compacted clay layer with a water permeability of 1.0  10-9 m/s. The
enormous difference in the thickness should be noticed.

8 Conclusion

Taking the flow rate Q [m3/s] and the given boundary conditions concerning the hydraulic
head into consideration, the use of the product Bentofix NSP 4000 can be judged as - at
least - equivalent to a 0.15 m thick compacted clay layer with a water permeability of
k = 1.0  10-9 m/s.

The information, assumptions and calculations given in this statement correspond to the latest technical know-how of the editor;
they cannot be transferred to other geotextiles. All rights of this statement are reserved. The special foundation engineering /
soil static use of the results or the examination of their completeness, respectively, are subject to the experts on site who
should prove the situation on site regarding the planned project as well as the soil. As far as the given technical
recommendations in this report are beyond the state-of-the-art (trial clause) the user complies with the hereby defined
disclaimer. Alternatively the technical report has to be sent back to the editor without further use. Copyright® by BBG
Bauberatung Geokunststoffe GmbH & Co. KG, Espelkamp.
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