GEOTEXTILE INSTALLATION SPECIFICATION FOR
HAND-HELD WEDGE WELDING
By Glenn W. Lippman
Overview
Hand-Held Wedge Welders are used to “wedge weld” or “seam weld” together nonwoven, and, to a limited extent woven, synthetic geotextile liners. Geotextile nonwoven materials that are easy to wedge weld include polypropylene, polyester and nylon as used in geotextile liners, geocomposite/ geonets, and geosynthetic clay liners (GCL). The material weights best suited for hand-held wedge welding ranges from 6 ounce per square yard (0.20 kg/m2) to 60 ounce per square yard (2.03 kg/m2). Hand-held wedge welding is typically used for small production applications or patchwork and maintenance of a geotextile liner system.
Preparation of Geotextile Material to be Welded
Prior to wedge welding geotextile liner materials, clean welding area of dirt and remove standing water or moisture. Next overlap upper geotextile material by 2 to 2.5-inches over lower geotextile material. If geotextile materials are laid out over soft soil, it may be necessary to locate a liner or non-liner covered board under the lower geotextile material, and this board would then need to be pulled along the seam in the direction of welding.