ASTM D7407-07(2020)

This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
Designation: D7407 − 07 (Reapproved 2020)
Standard Guide for
Determining the Transmission of Gases Through
Geomembranes
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D7407; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision.Anumber in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope E96/E96MTest Methods for Water Vapor Transmission of
Materials
1.1 This guide is used as a discussion of the relevancy of
F1249Test Method for Water Vapor Transmission Rate
several methods to obtain the vapor transmission of geomem-
Through Plastic Film and Sheeting Using a Modulated
branes.
Infrared Sensor
1.2 This guide discusses applicable test methods, test
F1769 Test Method for Measurement of Diffusivity,
materials, and conditions.
Solubility, and Permeability of Organic Vapor Barriers
Using a Flame Ionization Detector (Withdrawn 2004)
1.3 Theguideassumesthematerialbeingmeasuredexhibits
Fickian behavior. F1927TestMethodforDeterminationofOxygenGasTrans-
mission Rate, Permeability and Permeance at Controlled
1.4 This guide does not purport to critique barrier system
Relative Humidity Through Barrier Materials Using a
permeability.
Coulometric Detector
1.5 Theguidedoesnotaddresstransmissionthroughseams.
3. Terminology
1.6 This standard does not purport to address all of the
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
3.1 Definitions:
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
3.1.1 Definitions of terms applying to this guide appear in
priate safety, health, and environmental practices and deter-
Terminology D4439.
mine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
3.1.2 atmosphere for testing geosynthetics, n—air main-
1.7 This international standard was developed in accor-
tained at a relative humidity between 50 to 70 % and a
dance with internationally recognized principles on standard-
temperature of 21 6 2°C (70 6 4°F).
ization established in the Decision on Principles for the
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recom-
4. Summary of Guide
mendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical
4.1 This guide gives commentary as to the relevancy of
Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
severalmethodstoobtainFickiandiffusionthroughageomem-
brane. The tests evaluate gas and vapor transfer through
2. Referenced Documents
semi-permeable and permeable geomembranes. The data is
2.1 ASTM Standards:
important for design of containment systems.
D1434TestMethodforDeterminingGasPermeabilityChar-
acteristics of Plastic Film and Sheeting
5. D1434 Test Method for Determining Gas Permeability
D3985Test Method for Oxygen Gas Transmission Rate
Characteristics of Plastic Film and Sheeting
Through Plastic Film and Sheeting Using a Coulometric
5.1 This test method covers the estimation of the steady-
Sensor
state rate of transmission of a gas through plastics in the form
D4439Terminology for Geosynthetics
of film, sheeting, laminates, and plastic-coated papers or
fabrics. This test method provides for the determination of (1)
gastransmissionrate(GTR),(2)permeance,and,inthecaseof
ThisguideisunderthejurisdictionofASTMCommitteeD35onGeosynthetics
homogeneous materials, (3) permeability.
and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D35.10 on Geomembranes.
5.2 Two procedures are provided: M, Manometric and V,
Current edition approved May 1, 2020. Published May 2020. Originally
approved in 2007. Last previous edition approved in 2012 as D7407–07 (2012).
Volumetric.
DOI: 10.1520/D7407-07R20.
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on The last approved version of this historical standard is referenced on
the ASTM website. www.astm.org.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
D7407 − 07 (2020)
TABLE 1 Grouping of Test Methods for Measuring Gas
5.3 This is an old test which relies of the physical measure-
Transmission with Respect to Application
ment of gas through a geomembrane with respect to log time.
ASTM Volatile Organic
This test has poor accuracy and takes a very long time.
Oxygen OTRM Vapor MVTR Methane
Method OTM
D1434 yes no no yes
6. D3985 Test Method for Oxygen Gas Transmission
D3985 yes no no no
E96/E96M no yes no no
Rate Through Plastic Film and Sheeting Using a Cou-
F1249 yes no no no
lometric Sensor
F1769 no no yes yes
F1927 yes no no no
6.1 This test method covers a procedure for determination
of the steady-state rate of transmission of oxygen gas through
plastics in the form of film, sheeting, laminates, coextrusions,
or plastic-coated papers or fabrics. It provides for the determi-
nation of (1) oxygen gas transmission rate (O2GTR), (2) the
7.4 For geomembrane: inverted cup technique is generally
permeance of the film to oxygen gas (PO2), and (3) oxygen
conducted with water. Standard conditions are 50 % relative
permeability coefficient (P’O2) in the case of homogeneous
humidity and 23 °C.The problem with the test is two-fold: (a)
materials.
the mass loss is very small over time compared to the mass of
theapparatusbeingmeasured,and(b)thesealoftheapparatus
6.2 Thistestmethoddoesnotpurporttobetheonlymethod
to the geomembrane needs to be less permeable than the
for measurement of O2GTR. There may be other methods of
geomembrane itself. This second point is difficult to accom-
O2GTR determination that use other oxygen sensors and
procedures. plish for geomembranes greater than 20 mil thickness.
6.3 Thismethodisusedinthefoodpackagingindustrywere
8. F1249 Standard Test Method for Water Vapor Trans-
plastic films rather than sheet are used. The method looks at
mission Rate Through Plastic Film and Sheeting Using
oxygentransmissionexclusively.Althoughinterestingforfood
a Modulated Infrared Sensor
applications,resultsfromthismethodmaynotcorrelatewellto
8.1 Thistestmethodcoversaprocedurefordeterminingthe
geomembrane performance in other non-food containment
rate of water vapor transmission through flexible barrier
applications.
materials.The method is applicable to sheets and films up to 3
7. E96/E96M Standard Test Methods for Water Vapor mm (0.1 in.) in thickness, consisting of single or multilayer
Transmission of Materials synthetic or natural polymers and foils, including coated
materials. It provides for the determination of (1) water vapor
7.1 These test methods cover the determination of water
transmission rate (WVTR), (2) the permeance of the film to
vapor transmission (WVT) of materials through which the
water vapor, and (3) for homogeneous materials, water vapor
passage of water vapor may be of importance, such as paper,
permeability coefficient.
plastic films, other sheet materials, fiberboards, gypsum and
plasterproducts,woodproducts,andplastics.Thetestmethods 8.2 Values for water vapor permeance and water vapor
are limited to specimens not over 1.25 in. (32 mm) in permeability must be used with caution. The inverse relation-
thickness. Two basic methods, the Desiccant Method and the ship of WVTR to thickness and the direct relationship of
Water Method, are provided for the measurement of WVTR to the partial pressure differential of water vapor may
permeance, and two variations include service conditions with not always apply.
one side wetted and service conditions with low humidity on
8.3 Thisisagoodtestforgeomembranes;unfortunately,the
onesideandhighhumidityontheother.Agreementshouldnot
device used for the method is proprietary.
beexpectedbetweenresultsobtainedbydifferentmethods.The
8.4 Like many of the methods critiqued, sealing issues of
method should be selected that more nearly approaches the
the device to the geomembrane exist.
conditions of use.
8.5 This high end test is sophisticated and relinquishes
7.2 Thevaluesstatedininch-poundunitsaretoberegarded
results quickly.
separately as the standard. Within the text, the SI units are
showninparentheses.Thevaluesstatedineachsystemarenot
9. F1769 Standard Test Method for Measurement of
exact equivalents; therefore each system must be used inde-
Diffusivity, Solubility, and Permeability of Organic
pendently of the other. Combining values from two systems
Vapor Barriers Using a Flame Ionization Detector
will result in nonconformance with the standard. However
derived, results can be converted from one system to other 9.1 This test method covers the measurement of volatile
using appropriate conversion factors (see Table 1). organic vapor barr
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