esign engineers andapplicators are oftenfaced with chal-lenging liner orcoatings installa-tions for con-crete tanks orrelated struc-tures in chemical

or other aggressiveservice. Often, the chal-

lenge starts with the existingstructural surface, which might be cont-aminated or require significant repair,resurfacing, or extensive surface prepa-ration. When such surface conditionsare not remediated completely, tradi-tional liquid-applied linings often failbecause their performance dependsdirectly on the surface to which theyare applied. Coating systems may bealso susceptible to chemical attack andmay delaminate or blister, compromis-ing their performance and the tankitself.Specifiers have required thermoplas-

tic sheet liners in some instances as an

D20 www.paintsquare.comJ P C L A u g u s t 2 0 0 8

Protecting Concretefor Chemical Service:A Guide toApplying PolyureaGeomembranes

By Robert M. Loomis, Willamette Valley Company, and Sean D. Boeger, Poly-Pro Industrial Coatings, LLC

alternative to liquid-applied coatings.The liners are seamless and don’t relyon surface preparation. In some cases,however, they become ineffectivebecause of damage during installationor service.Over the past ten years, the use of

another alternative, polyurea geomem-branes, for lining concrete tanks andother structures in aggressive service,has been increasing. The systems areformed with an appropriate combina-tion of polyurea and geotextile.Installed correctly, the polyureageomembranes can be an alternative totraditional liquid-applied materials andthermoplastic liners, sometimes pro-viding higher performance and bettereconomics.Specifiers and contractors are often

more familiar with coatings than withthe variety of geotextiles available tocreate a polyurea geomembrane. Thisarticle, therefore, first describes thetypes of geotextiles available and suit-able; it then briefly addresses the selec-tion of polyurea systems. The remain-

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Editor’s Note: This article is based on a paperpresented at PACE 2008, held Jan. 28-31, 2008,in Los Angeles, CA. The paper appears in thePACE Proceedings. PACE is the joint conferenceof SSPC and PDCA.

der of the article details the steps forinstalling a polyurea geomembrane inconcrete tanks for chemical service.

Selection of MaterialsGeotextiles: What’s Available,and What’s Suitable?Polyurea geomembranes have been inuse for several years. However, casestudies of the interaction and perfor-mance of combined polyurea systemsand various geotextiles to create apolyurea geomembrane have not been

readily available until recently.1

The first steps in the successful appli-cation of a polyurea geomembrane arecreating a proper design and then choos-ing the materials that best meet theestablished criteria for the application.To meet the criteria for a given applica-tion, the product must have specificchemical, thermal, and mechanicalstress-resistance properties. Polyureageomembranes have low permeabilityrates to chemicals typically found inleachate, and they can withstand largeswings in ambient temperatures with-out cracking or becoming brittle overtime. Depending on the combination ofpolyurea and geotextile chosen,polyurea geomembranes can resist mod-erate concentrations of acids, more con-centrated alkalis, some fuels, waste-water, and other liquid chemical prod-

ucts or byproducts.The type of geotextile selected to cre-

ate the polyurea geomembranes is criti-cal to the design of the system. One rea-son the geotextile is critical is that it,rather than the concrete tank, becomesthe substrate to which the polyureamust adhere.The predominant configurations of

geotextile commonly used for polyureageomembranes are woven, non-woven,and spunlaid made of polypropylene orpolyester. In general, most polyurea sys-

tems undergo loss of physical properties(elongation and tensile strength) whencombined with geotextile. However,data2 have shown that wovenpolypropylene consisting of a singlemonofilament strand running in onedirection and fibrillated strands runningperpendicular to the monofilamentstrand (Fig. 1) may offer increased tensilestrength to the complete system (approx-imately 40%) and the least amount ofelongation loss (approximately 17%).Adhesion of polyurea systems to

woven geotextile is usually less thanadhesion to non-woven. However, themonofilament/fibrillated woven config-uration typically offers two to six timesthe level of adhesion seen with otherwoven geotextile. The increase in adhe-sion is due mainly to the specific con-struction of the geotextile: the monofila-

J P C L A u g u s t 2 0 0 8 21www.paintsquare.com

ment strand arches up on one side,allowing liquid polyurea to envelop thestrand and creating good mechanicaladhesion. The applicator must be carefulto spray the proper side of the geotex-tile. The monofilament arches up on onlyone side of the geotextile. (Spraying thewrong side will produce very poor adhe-sion of the polyurea to the geotextile.)Overall, combined with the monofila-

ment/fibrillated woven geotextile, thepolyurea system offers superior tensilestrength and puncture resistance overthat of the non-woven systems.Furthermore, with the woven, there isless initial absorption of polyurea beforeit solidifies, in contrast to the non-woven(typically 80% less). If less polyurea isabsorbed, the coverage rate increases.Also, the workability of the woven iseasier, or rather more pliable, than mostgeotextile, which facilitates application.

Polyurea Systems: What BasicRequirements Are Needed?With regard to owner’s requirements inthe selection of the polyurea system,careful consideration should be given tomechanical stress, thermal differentials,and chemical exposure. The term“polyurea” refers to a type of coatingstechnology, not a specific coating.Therefore, there are many different for-mulations of polyurea systems in theindustry. Some exhibit excellent chemi-cal resistance, mechanical properties, ora combination thereof. Not all polyureasystems will work for every situation.One characteristic that polyurea sys-

tems should have for this particularapplication is a gel time of 15 to 20 sec-onds, which has been found to be benefi-cial, ensuring enough time for workabili-ty, yet keeping the polyurea’s advantageof rapid application. (Gel time is the timea coating takes for the system to go fromliquid to solid.) The 15 to 20-second win-

Fig. 1: Woven polypropylene configuration: On the left is monofilament side, the correct side for applica-tion. On the right is the fibrillated side, the wrong side for application.

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dow allows enough time to physically set seams and work thegeotextile, but keeps the gel time short enough to move aheadwith installation at a reasonable pace and to minimize absorp-tion into the geotextile.As for other properties of the polyurea system, the intend-

ed use of the system will determine what is necessary. It is,however, not uncommon to see formulations that have ten-sile strengths at a minimum of 2,000 psi (138 bar) and a min-imum elongation of 500%. That is not to say that given a spe-cific situation, these property values cannot be lower; thesevalues just offer sound protection against general mechanicalstresses that may occur.Another common characteristic among these polyurea sys-

tems is that they are typically spray-applied with a plural-com-ponent, high-pressure, and high-temperature proportioner.These proportioners are typically sprayed at 2,000 psi or high-er to allow for adequate coverage of the geotextile with goodproduction rates. Furthermore, the plural-component sprayequipment is equipped with either mechanical purge or airpurge impingement mixing spray guns that deliver material bysimply triggering the gun. The impingement spray gun’s designallows the applicator to start and stop spraying without hav-ing to purge into a waste container (unlike low-pressure pro-

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portioners with a static mixer). Other polyurea systemsinclude brush-grade or roll-applied systems, which would notbe suitable for these applications.

The Fundamentals of ApplicationThe process for applying polyurea geomembranes over con-crete is basic but requires attention to detail.The concrete tank in question should be dry and free of loose

debris. Generally, no other preparation, such as filling bugholes,is necessary.It is helpful to precut the necessary sections of geotextile, roll

them up, and stage them in an area that is quickly accessibleandwithin reasonable distance of the exact areawhere the par-ticular section is to be installed. The approximate length andwidth of each section depends on the size of the tank.The sidewalls will be done first, and then the floor will be fin-

ished, with the same affixing and overlapping of segments asthe walls (Fig. 2).

Start with One Section at a TimeEach section of geotextile can be applied to a vertical surfaceby a method similar to wallpapering. Due to the rapid gel timeof most spray-applied, high-pressure polyurea systems, the

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polyurea can be used to temporarilyadhere the geotextile to the concretesurface. A light tack coat of polyureacan be sprayed on the top edge of anarea where the geotextile section isgoing to be applied.After spraying the tack coat where

the top edge of the geotextile will beadhered, the applicator must press thetop edge into the tack coat, taking careto make sure the geotextile is properlyaligned and smoothed out by hand toavoid wrinkles and fishmouths (unad-hered raised edges) in the geotextile.Applicators should therefore take careto wear protective gloves and coverallsto avoid getting liquid polyurea on theirhands and arms. In addition, applicatorsshould use other personal protectionequipment as specified by the polyureasystem manufacturer (e.g., respirators).The degree of adhesion should be such

that the section of geotextile is able tohang free on the vertical surface towhich it is being applied. The section ofgeotextile not yet adhered to the wallcan then be rolled up to the affixed topedge and held in place by hand. (It ishelpful but not required to have anoth-er worker hold the geotextile in place.)Another tack coat of polyurea can then

be sprayed to the remaining surfaces ofthe section the geotextile is to cover(Fig. 3). For particularly long sections ofgeotextile, it is advisable to tack downthe geotextile in horizontal segmentsthat are reasonable in size to work with,given the gel time of the polyurea sys-tem specified.Once the additional tack coats are

sprayed, the rest of the section of geotex-tile can be rolled down over the verticalsurface of the concrete. Again, the appli-cator must be careful to smooth the sur-face of the geotextile, ensuring that thereare no wrinkles or large areas of geotex-tile protruding from the surface.It is common to have multiple small

areas of geotextile that don’t completelyadhere to the surface. These areas shouldbe no more than a couple of inches indiameter. In some instances, the smallareas that do not adheremay bulge to thepoint that they give the appearance of ablister. Generally, the bulging areas do

not compromise the integrity of the con-tainment system, because the polyureageomembrane does not depend on adhe-sion to the concrete to function properly,unlike conventional liquid-applied coat-ing systems.

Applying Polyurea overthe Adherent Geotextile SectionOnce an entire section of geotextile isadhered to the vertical surface of theconcrete tank, the section can be sprayedwith polyurea at the specified dry filmthickness. Adhered sections of geotextileshould initially be sprayed from the bot-tom to top. This spray technique helpskeep the polyurea coating free of runs,which can lead to voids or uncoatedareas of the geotextile.Subsequent coats should be applied

in a crosshatching method to minimizethe effects of any shrinkage, but all hor-izontal passes should always, as previ-ously stated, start from bottom to top.Advances in the engineering ofpolyurea systems have greatly reducedtheir shrinkage factor compared to ear-lier formulations. Shrinkage of thepolyurea, thus, does not generallybecome a significant factor in the appli-cation. For extremely large jobs, howev-er, specifiers and applicators should beaware of possible shrinkage factors thatcould cause the polyurea geomembraneto pull itself too taut, placing undue ten-sion on the system.While spraying the various sections of

geotextile, it is critical to use the properspray technique. The applicator shouldalign the spray gun so that it is perpen-dicular to the geotextile surface beingcoated. Movement of the spray gunshould remain parallel to the substrate,and care should be taken to avoid anyarcing movement of the gun. Improperspray technique may result in poor cov-erage of the geotextile. Inadequate cover-age of the geotextile may result in voidsin the lining system. Accordingly, anyfishmouths or bulges in any geotextilesections need to be sprayed at all appro-priate angles to avoid the effects of shad-owing, which can cause inadequate cov-erage and voids in these areas as well.

Installing the Rest of the SectionsSubsequent sections should overlap by aminimum of three inches (7.5 cm) to

J P C L A u g u s t 2 0 0 8 25www.paintsquare.com

Fig. 2: A complete job. The floor is doneafter the walls are done.

Fig. 3: The geotextile is cut to the necessaryshape and tacked to a section of the

surface using polyurea.

ensure sound continuity of the lining sys-tem and should be installed within therecoat window of the polyurea (Fig. 4).When spraying the tack coat of polyureafor subsequent sections, it is beneficial tospray slightly on the coated geotextile tohelp hold the geotextile in place. Theadditional polyurea will help ensure thatthe edge of the overlapping geotextile iscompletely adhered to the section.Whenspraying subsequent sections of geotex-tile, the applicator should take care tospray against the direction of the over-lapping edge to ensure it is properlysealed. This may require the applicatorto spray at an angle that may deviate asmuch as 45 degrees to the substrate.

To further ensure the integrity of allseams, an architectural-grade urethanecaulk may be applied over the seam.(High-quality architectural-grade ure-thane caulks contain minimal amounts ofsolvent, which does not cause blisteringunder the polyurea.) It is suggested thatthe color of the caulk should contrastwith the color of the polyurea system tovisually aid the applicator by indicatingproper coverage. A bead of caulk can beapplied to the seam and then brushedsmooth with a small bristle paint brush.Application of the caulk helps ensurethat any possible voids or hard-to-sealareas of a seam will be filled.Once the caulk is brushed smooth, it

can immediately be sprayed over withpolyurea, encasing the caulk into the lin-ing system. This practice creates a situa-tion where all seams are triple sealed.

26 www.paintsquare.comJ P C L A u g u s t 2 0 0 8

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Fig. 4: Seams are overlapped for subsequentsections on walls and on floors.

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Handling TerminationsTerminations of the lining system alongthe top edge can be handled in severalways. One technique is to adhere the topedge of the geotextile sections a few inch-es below the top edge of the concretetank, thereby leaving an area of concreteexposed. Adhesion at the top edge willtherefore be between the concrete andthe polyurea system (Figs. 5 and 6).

The degree of adhesion should exceedthe tensile strength of the concrete, andsome surface preparation along withapplying a primer is typically required toachieve this level of adhesion. In someapplications, minimal surface preparationis performed, and primer is not used onthe bare section of concrete that issprayed with polyurea. As expected, out-gassing does occur, and these sprayed sec-tions of concrete cause pinholing in thepolyurea coating. There are often bug-holes that are not filled, as well. To rectifythe situation, the same architectural-grade urethane caulk as described abovecan be applied and brushed over the

entire area, filling pinholes and bugholesand smoothing over the transitions fromthe geotextile to bare concrete. The area isthen coated with polyurea a second time.For transitions requiring a more

secure method of termination, saw-cutsinto the top edge of the tank can be uti-lized to anchor the polyurea system inaddition to its adhering to the concrete.Mechanical fastening with sheet-metal

strips can be used as well.After the polyurea geomem-brane is applied, strips of one-to two-inch-wide (2.5- to 5-cm)sheet metal can be fastenedapproximately one inch belowthe top edge of the tank, overthe polyurea. The strips can befastenedwith concrete nails oranchoring bolts. Once thestrips are in place, they can beencapsulated with polyurea.Voids or exposed edges, bolts,and nail heads can be sealedwith urethane caulk andrecoated with polyurea.

What To Dowith PenetrationsIncorporating piping andother penetrations intopolyurea geomembranes isoften easier than with conven-tional systems, with regard toachieving proper perfor-

mance. Due to the versatility of polyureasystems, penetrations can be handledthrough variousmethods. Because of theuniqueness of each project, some meth-ods may function better than others. Forcommon penetrations such as piping, onemethod used in applications is mechani-cal clamping. The base of the piping,where it enters into the containment sys-tem, should be clean and free from cont-aminants and other impediments such asweld spatter and burrs. Polyurea shouldbe sprayed around the entire circumfer-ence of the pipe near the base, taking careto build up an appropriate thicknesswithout runs or drips.

J P C L A u g u s t 2 0 0 8 27www.paintsquare.com

Figs. 5 and 6: Termination with exposed concrete abovegeotextile (top) and subsequently coated concrete (bottom)

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After the polyurea coating has gelled,mechanical clamps, such as stainless steelhose clamps, can be placed over the pipe,clamping the polyurea coating to the pipe.This technique works well for pipes con-structed of polyvinyl chloride or polyeth-ylene, to which polyurea will not general-ly adhere. It should be noted that, depend-ing on the polyurea system’s formulation,adequate time should pass betweenspraying the pipe and placing the clamp.Placing the clamp over the pipe too earlycan damage the polyurea coating.The integrity of the seal is based on the

polyurea being clamped to the pipe.However, further assurances can betaken by spraying over the clamp once itis installed. Applying the polyurea coat-ing over the clamp will protect it againstloosening and corrosive attack. Urethanecaulk, as used previously, can be built uparound the sprayed clamp and beveledout from the pipe toward the wall of thestructure. The caulk is again sprayedover, as with its use in any seams or ter-minations. Pipes can extend whereverthe design requires, or they can be cut offjust before the clamp.Other types of transitions found in

these situations are sometimes handledby using compressive flanges or face-plates, and a free film of polyurea. Freefilms can be created by sprayingpolyurea to a surface it will not adhereto, such as polyethylene panels. The filmcan then be peeled off of the panel andused as a gasket between flanges or face-plates. There has to be enough free filmextending beyond the exterior perimeterof the flange or faceplate, so that it mayjoin up and bond to the rest of thepolyurea geomembrane.Other methods of handling penetra-

tions may also be used, and are up to theimagination of the applicator or designengineer. The versatility of polyureacoatings and polyurea geomembranesallows for customized methods thatwould not normally be possible with sim-ple liquid applied coatings or precastmaterials.

SummaryWhen considering the maintenanceand/or repair costs associated withconventional methods, the durabilityand reduced application time ofpolyurea geomembranes often out-weigh their higher material costs, incontrast to traditional liquid-applied lin-ings or sheet liners. Surface prepara-

tion, which is arguably the most time-consuming process of a conventionalcoatings project for concrete tanks (andother structures), is almost completelyeliminated by the use of geotextile,which becomes a suitable substrate forapplication. Also, the rapid cure ofpolyurea systems allows for quickerreturn-to-service, often a major concern

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Robert M. Loomishas been withWillamette ValleyCo. in Eugene,OR, since 1995.Currently he is agroup leader atWVCO, and hisefforts include lead-

ing the development of products for newmarkets and providing technical supportfor existing product lines. He holdspatents on polyurea and polyurethanesystems, and he has authored severaltechnical publications and presentations.He is a member of SSPC, NACE, and iscurrently president of the PolyureaDevelopment Association (PDA).

Sean Boeger is theowner of Poly-ProIndustrial Coatings,a contracting firmthat specializes inpolyurea applica-tions. Sean hasbeen working in thepolyurea industry

for the last eight years. He is heavilyinvolved in the Polyurea DevelopmentAssociation, serving as an instructor withthe PDA, as well as chairman of theorganization’s Training Committee, wherehe has co-authored several instructionalcourses. He has also sat on the PDAboard of directors for the last three years.

30 www.paintsquare.comJ P C L A u g u s t 2 0 0 8

for facility owners. Depending on theexposure service, polyurea geomem-branes are capable of offering excellentphysical properties and chemical resis-tance based on the polyurea coating andgeotextile chosen for the application.Polyurea geomembranes provide facili-ty owners with a completely seamlessliner that is very durable and requires

minimal surface preparation comparedto traditional liquid-applied coatings orthermoplastic liners.

Reference1. Reddy, D.V., and B. Butul, “AComprehensive Literature Review ofLiner Failures and Longevity,”Gainesville, Florida: Florida Center

for Solid and Hazardous WasteManagement, July 12, 1999.

2. Loomis, R.M, “PolyureaGeomembranes: High PerformanceSeamless Liners,” PolyureaDevelopment Association AnnualMeeting: Engaging the GlobalCommunity, March 20-23, 2007.

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