Abstract
To confirm the effects of surface defects on the stability of high density polyethylene geomembranes in waste landfill construction conditions, mechanical properties, chemical resistance and failure times of geomembranes under different temperatures were examined. The number of surface defects was increased with the smaller size of scratch induced particles, and the more scratch addition numbers at the shear rate of scratch induced mechanism, 100 mm/min. The tensile strength was decreased but the tensile strain was increased with the above conditions. In chemical resistance of defective geomembranes, the tensile strength was decreased but the tensile strain was increased with the longer immersion period and the higher temperature under the same scratch induced conditions. Finally, failure times of defective geomembranes by 'Notched Constant Tensile Load Test' were shifted to the shorter time ranges by increasing temperatures.