Lifetime Prediction of PVC-P Geomembranes Immersion in Water at Elevated Temperatures

Abstract

Plasticized polyvinyl chloride (PVC-P) geomembranes (GMBs) are applied as anti-seepage materials in membrane-faced rockfill dams and pumped storage power stations. Assessing their lifetime to ensure durability during operation is crucial. This study conducted accelerated aging tests on three PVC-P GMBs immersed in water, along with axial tensile tests to investigate the degradation of mechanical properties. The degradation model was constructed using the Arrhenius equation, and the time to nominal failure (TNF) was predicted based on this model and failure criterion. The prediction model’s accuracy was verified using test data collected over 180 days at 20 °C. The results demonstrate that the TNF of PVC-P GMBs is influenced by water temperature, plasticizer content, and thickness of GMBs. Elevated temperatures accelerate the loss rate of plasticizers. Specifically, at 20 °C in a water environment, the estimated TNFs of Materials A and B with identical thicknesses were 49.05 and 153.76 years, respectively. This suggests that increasing the initial plasticizer content and enhancing its structural stability can significantly extend the TNF. Furthermore, Material C, which has a composition similar to Material B but with increased thickness, exhibited a predicted TNF of 181.30 years, indicating that greater thickness can effectively reduce the migration rate of plasticizers. The findings provide a theoretical basis for evaluating the TNF of PVC-P GMBs in reservoir bottom and below dead water level applications during operation.