Daya River Reservoir Anti-Seepage Project
Case Study on the Application of Geosynthetic Materials
Project Overview
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Project Name | Daya River Reservoir Anti-Seepage Project |
| Location | Junction of Balidianzi Town and Pulebao Town, Huanren Manchu Autonomous County, Benxi City, Liaoning Province |
| Developer | State Grid Corporation of China, Northeast Development and Construction Branch of State Grid Xinyuan Holding Co., Ltd. |
| Total Investment | RMB 10.958 billion |
| Installed Capacity | 1.6 million kW (4 × 400 MW reversible pump-turbine units) |
| Construction Timeline | Commenced in October 2023; full operation targeted for 2030 |
| Project Scale | Upper reservoir capacity: ~500 million m³ Annual power generation: 1.6 billion kWh Annual pumping energy: 2.1 billion kWh Anti-seepage coverage: 1.5 million m² |
| Project Significance | Key component of Liaoning’s “14th Five-Year Plan” energy infrastructure. Acts as a “giant power bank” for grid stability while ensuring zero seepage to protect the upstream Liao River ecosystem and downstream water supply for Shenyang and Dalian. |
Core Focus: Dam heightening (+15 m), slope stabilization, and full-lining with geosynthetics.
Total dam length: ~2.5 km | Reservoir area: 15 km²
Engineering Challenges & Geosynthetic Solution
Challenges:
- Fractured bedrock & high groundwater levels
- Intense seasonal runoff (up to 500 mm/year)
- Traditional clay/concrete liners: costly, slow, high-carbon
Solution: Full geosynthetic anti-seepage system
Coverage: 1.5 million m² using HDPE geomembranes, nonwoven geotextiles, and geocomposites
Key Benefits Achieved:
- 30% cost reduction
- 25% shorter construction period
- 40% lower carbon emissions
- >50-year service life
Material Supplier:
Liaoning Hengyu Engineering Materials Co., Ltd. (Shenyang)
Certified to ASTM GM13 & GB/T 17643
Specific Applications of Geosynthetic Materials
1. HDPE Geomembrane — Primary Anti-Seepage Barrier
(800,000 m²)
| Location | Specification | Function | Installation | Performance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reservoir Bottom | 2.0 mm smooth black HDPE | Zero seepage into bedrock | Hot-wedge welding, ≥10 cm overlap | Permeability <1×10⁻¹³ cm/s |
| Slope Lining | 1.5 mm textured HDPE | Anti-slip + impermeability | Anchor trenches + protective geotextile | Tensile strength ≥27 MPa |
| Spillway & Auxiliary Dam | Composite geomembrane (two-cloth-one-membrane) | Dual defense + drainage | Prefabricated panels | >50-year durability |
Innovation: Double-liner system with leak detection sensors between layers
2. Needle-Punched Nonwoven Geotextile — Protection & Filtration
(500,000 m²)
| Location | Specification | Function | Installation | Performance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slope Erosion Control | 400 g/m² staple fiber | Prevents soil loss | Gabion-anchored | CBR puncture ≥3.0 kN |
| Foundation Separation | 250 g/m² filament spunbond | Blocks fines migration | Compacted subbase | O₉₀ = 0.15 mm |
| Drainage Layer | 500 g/m² composite | Collects seepage | Vertical drain strips | >10 L/m·s flow |
Highlight: Combined with vegetation nets → 90% slope revegetation
3. Geocomposite Systems — Integrated Solutions
(200,000 m²)
| Type | Specification | Application | Benefit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Two-Cloth-One-Membrane | 600 g/m² | Leachate ponds | Filtration + impermeability |
| Geogrid + Geomembrane | Biaxial 50 kN/m | Dam shoulder | Reinforcement + sealing |
| Drainage Board + Geotextile | 8 mm core | Tunnel lining | High-flow drainage |
Construction Process
Subgrade Prep
→ Clear debris → Lay 200 g/m² separation geotextileLiner Deployment
→ Unroll HDPE → Auto-weld at >10 m/minProtection Layer
→ Cover with 400 g/m² geotextile + 0.3 m soilQA/QC
→ Vacuum box + spark testing → 99.8% pass rateSmart Tech
→ Drone deployment + GIS monitoring (±5 cm accuracy)
Liaoning Hengyu — Delivering Sustainable, High-Performance Geosynthetic Solutions