Effect of GCL Type on Downslope Erosion in an Exposed Composite Liner
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 142, Issue 12
Abstract
Downslope bentonite erosion in four geosynthetic clay liners (GCLs) with granular bentonite (denoted GCL1–GCL4) left covered only by a black high-density polyethylene (HDPE) geomembrane for 3.6 and 4.7 years was recently published. Reported herein are the results of a field study of the potential for erosion for seven new test sections over a 28-month period. These include four previously unstudied GCLs: two with powdered bentonite (GCL5 and GCL6), one with polymer-enhanced granular bentonite (GCL7), and one multicomponent product installed coating-up (GCL8). One GCL (GCL2) known to experience erosion below an exposed black geomembrane was installed beneath both a black and a white exposed geomembrane and also in a section where the composite liner was promptly covered by 0.3 m of gravel. After 28 months, there was significant erosion of GCL2 and GCL7, but no significant erosion of GCL5, GCL6, GCL8, or GCL2 covered by 0.3 m gravel.
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Acknowledgments
This research was financially supported by Terrafix Geosynthetics Inc., GSE Inc., Naue GmbH & Co. KG, TAG Environmental Inc., Terrafix Environmental Technologies Inc., and the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). The Queen’s University Environmental Liner Test Site was constructed on land owned by Cruickshank Construction Ltd. The authors would like to acknowledge the graduate students and summer students who helped during the field investigations for generously offering their time and assistance and a special thanks to Dr. Mohamed Hosney for obtaining the mass per unit area of the polymer coating on GCL8.
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Information
Published In
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 142 • Issue 12 • December 2016
Copyright
© 2016 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jun 23, 2015
Accepted: Apr 26, 2016
Published online: Jul 19, 2016
Published in print: Dec 1, 2016
Discussion open until: Dec 19, 2016
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