Failures in landfill, tailings and water-containment systems often develop at interfaces or details rather than across intact sheet areas. Procurement must define the function, compatibility, sequence and responsibility for every layer.
Assign a function to every layer
State whether each material provides barrier, protection, filtration, drainage, separation or reinforcement. Avoid duplicated or missing functions hidden by generic product names.
Verify critical interfaces
Review project-specific interface shear where slopes or loads demand it, and check puncture protection, GCL confinement, drainage inflow and chemical compatibility.
Control sequence and responsibility
Define who accepts the subgrade, releases each layer, repairs damage and approves penetrations before the next material conceals the work.
Project action list
What the procurement or project team should do next
Issue an approved layer schedule
Identify design-critical interfaces
Hold inspections before covering
Keep repair and as-built records by area