Hydraulic Performance of Overlapped Geosynthetic Clay Liner Seams Requiring Field-Applied Supplemental Bentonite
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 142, Issue 12
Abstract
This article investigates the hydraulic performance of geosynthetic clay liner (GCL) overlapped seams subjected to nonuniform stresses due to a wrinkle in an overlying geomembrane. The performance when the GCL seam was parallel to and directly below a wrinkle depended on the width of the GCL seam relative to the deformed wrinkle. When both ends of the seam were confined under vertical stress from the deformed wrinkle, there was no evidence of preferential flow along the seam, and the magnitude of flow was slightly smaller than the case with just a single intact GCL panel beneath the wrinkle. Flow through the GCL seam when perpendicular to a wrinkle was mostly affected by the presence and distribution of supplemental bentonite. With no supplemental bentonite, flow was 370 times greater than that through an intact GCL panel beneath the wrinkle. Application of of supplemental bentonite piled along the center of the seam decreased the flow by more than two orders of magnitude compared with having no supplemental bentonite.
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Acknowledgments
This work was funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) through a Strategic Project Grant in partnership with Terrafix Geosynthetics Inc., Solmax International Inc., AECOM, AMEC Earth and Environmental, Golder Associates, Knight Piésold, Ontario Ministry of the Environment, and CTT Group. The Canada Foundation for Innovation, the Ontario Innovation Trust, the Ontario Research Fund Award, and Queen’s University provided funding for the development of the research infrastructure.
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Published In
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 142 • Issue 12 • December 2016
Copyright
© 2016 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Nov 24, 2015
Accepted: Apr 26, 2016
Published online: Jul 12, 2016
Published in print: Dec 1, 2016
Discussion open until: Dec 12, 2016
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