Resource conservation, reduced CO2 emissions and lower energy demand are today major topics for a sustainable world. Geosynthetic clay liners (GCLs) in barrier applications (such as landfills, flood protection in levees, ponds, etc.) outperform compacted clay liners.
- When using a compacted clay liner in a 40,000 m² barrier project, water has to be added to the clay to achieve optimum Proctor density. This is not the case if a GCL is used, and this solution saves about 1,200,000 litres of clean water.
- By using GCLs (one truck transports 4,500 m²) instead of compacted clay (one 24 t truck carries approx. 30 m²), transportation movement is reduced by 99%
- The entire energy demand of a GCL in a 36,000 m² river levee (from the mining of the natural resources to the project finalization) was 71.8 MJ/m², while the 50 cm thick compacted clay demanded 122.3 MJ/m². During the same period the CO2 emissions for a GCL were 4 kg/m² but for the 50 cm thick compacted clay they would have totalled 9.9 kg/m².
- And finally, less excavation is needed for a GCL solution, which requires fewer equipment hours and less soil removal.
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