Column Test Studies of Ochre Biofilm Formation in Geotextile Filters
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 132, Issue 10
Abstract
This paper presents a study of ochre formation in geotextile filters. Ochre is a substance found sticking to solid surfaces of drainage systems that may cause clogging. The accumulation of such materials in a drainage system may have undesirable implications, such as a decrease in drainage flow capacity and an increase in soil pore pressure; instability of soil masses and retaining systems; and alteration of the direction of flow and development of pipes. Ochre formation is the result of microbial activities on iron compounds naturally found in seepage water. Even though geotextiles have been widely used in drainage systems, very few studies have considered ochre formation in the tests. Laboratory column filter tests were conducted to simulate the ochre formation process under similar conditions to those in geotechnical works and to assess the long-term performance of a geotextile. Ochre is most likely to be formed at an aerated/nonaerated interface in the filter. In order to obtain this condition, the underneath face of the filters was opened to the atmosphere. Three different types of geotextile—nonwoven polyester, nonwoven polypropylene, and woven polypropylene—were used in the tests. Control tests were also conducted with a sand filter to provide a basis for comparison. Hydraulic conductivity changes and iron retention within the permeameters were monitored throughout the tests. Ochre was formed under the presence of iron ions and iron bacteria. During the test period, the filters were not clogged to such an extent as to induce a global reduction in the permeability of the drainage system. Nevertheless, at the end of the tests a considerable amount of ochre was found in all filters and there was a significant variation in the permeability of the geotextile filters when tested in isolation. These studies may contribute to discovering whether ochre can be considered as a biofilm, evaluating the clogging potential and defining mitigating measures.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
Bonala, M. V. S., and Reddi, L. N. (1998). “Physicochemical and bilogical mechanism of soil clogging: An overview.” Proc., Conf. on Filtration and Drainage in Geotechnical/Geoenvironmental Engineering, ASCE, Reston, Va., 43–68.
Castro, J. F. C. (1991). “A colmatação de filtros e drenos.” Coppetec Rep., COPPE/UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (in Portuguese).
Cerqueira, D. A., and Emidio, P. A. (1999). “Ferrobactérias em poços tubulares: Ocorrências e técnicas simplificadas de detecção.” Proc., 20th Congresso Brasileiro de Engenharia, Associação Brasileira de Engenharia Sanitária e Ambiental, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 1245–1250 (in Portuguese).
Characklis, W. G. (1981). “Fouling biofilm development: A process analysis.” Biotechnol. Bioeng., 23, 1923–1960.
Cullimore, D. R., and Mansuy, N. (1986). “The control of iron bacterial plugging of a well by tyndallization using hot water recycling.” Water Poll. Res. J. Canada, 21(1), 50–57.
Dexter, S. C., Sullivan, J. D., Williams, J. III, and Watson, S. W. (1975). “Influence of substratum wettability on the attachment of marine bacteria to various surfaces.”Appl. Microbiol., 30(2), 298–308.
Ford, H. W. (1982). “Biological clogging of synthetic drain envelopes.” Proc., 2nd Int. Drainage Workshop, Washington, D.C.
Forrester, K. (1995). “Ochre clogging in subsoil drains.” Landslides, D. H. Bell, ed., Balkema, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, 1761–1766.
Fourie, A. B., Kuchena, S. M., and Blight, G. E. (1994). “Effect of biological clogging on the filtration capacity of geotextiles.” Proc., 5th Int. Conf. on Geotextiles, Geomembranes, and Related Products, G. P. Karunaratne, S. H. Chew, and K. S. Wong, eds., Southeast Chapter of the International Geosynthetic Society, Singapore, 2, 721–724.
Gariboglio, M. A., and Smith, S. A. (1993). “Corrosión e incrustación microbiológica en sistemas de captación y conducción de agua—Aspectos teóricos y aplicados, Serie Investigaciones Aplicada.” Coleccion hidrologia subterranea, Consejo Federal de Inversiones, Buenos Aires, Argentina (in Spanish).
Garrels, R. M. (1960). Mineral equilibria, Harper and Brothers, New York.
Grass, L. B., Mackenzie, A. J., Meek, B. D., and Spencer, W. F. (1973). “Manganese and iron solubility changes as a factor in tile drain clogging. I: Observations during flooding and drying.” Soil Science Society of America Proc., 37(1), 14–17.
Guerra, M. O. (1980). “Ação química e biológica na colmatação de filtros e drenos. Implicações na Barragem do Rio Grande.” Proc., 13th Seminário Nacional de Grandes Barragens, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 2, 257–289 (in Portuguese).
Howsan, P. (1988). “Considerations for well maintenance and reahabilitation.” Developing world water, Grosvenor Press, Hong Kong, 84–86.
Hungria, M., and Urquiaga, S. (1992). “Transformações microbianas de outros elementos.” Microbiologia do solo, E. J. B. N. Cardoso, S. M. Tsai, and M. C. P. Neves, eds., Sociedade Brasileira de Ciência do Solo, Campinas, Brazil, 329–340 (in Portuguese).
Infanti, N., Jr., and Kanji, M. A. (1974). “Preliminary considerations on geochemical factors affecting the safety of earth dams.” Proc., 2nd Int. Congress, International Association of Engineering Geology, São Paulo, Brazil, 33.1–33.11.
Ionescu, A., et al. (1982). “Methods used for testing the bio-colmatation and degradation of geotextiles manufactured in Romania.” Proc., 2nd Int. Conf. on Geotextiles, International Geosynthetics Society, Paris, 547–552.
Kanji, M. A., Ferreira, R. C., Guerra, M. O., and Infanti, N., Jr. (1981). “Geoquímica do ferro nas obras de engenharia em solos topicais: breve histórico do conhecimento.” Proc., Simpósio Brasileiro de Solos Tropicais em Engenharia, Associação Brasileira de Mecânica dos Solos e Engenharia Geotécnica, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 2,146–158 (in Portuguese).
Kuntze, H. (1982). “Iron clogging in soils and pipes, analysis and treatment.” Bulletin 10, German Association for Water Resources and Land Improvement, Pitman, Germany.
Lindquist, L. N., and Bonsegno, M. C. (1981). “Análise de sistemas drenantes de nove barragens de terra da CESP, através da instrumentação instalada.” Proc., 14th Seminário Nacional de Grandes Barragens, Recife, Brazil, 267–290 (in Portuguese).
Maciel Filho, C. L. (1982). “Estudo do processo geoquímico de obstrução de filtro de barragens.” PhD thesis, Instituto de Geociências, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil (in Portuguese).
Madigan, M. T., Martinko, J. M., and Parker, J. (1997). Biology of microorganisms, 8th Ed., Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, N.J.
Martelli, H. L. (1981). “Mecanismo das ações microbianas na geoquímica do ferro.” Proc., Simpósio Brasileiro de Solos Tropicais em Engenharia, Associação Brasileira de Mecânica dos Soles e Engenharia Geotécnica, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 2, 159–165 (in Portuguese).
Mendonca, M. B. (2000). “Assessment of ochre formation in the performance of geotextile filters.” DSc thesis, COPPE/UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (in Portuguese).
Mendonca, M. B., and Ehrlich M. E. (1997). “Chemo-microbiological clogging of drains in slope stabilization works.” Proc., 2nd Pan-American Symp. on Landslides, Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Enginering, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 1, 407–413.
Van Zanten, R. V., and Thabet, R. A. H. (1982). “Investigation on long-term behavior of geotextiles in bank protection works.” Proc., 2nd Int. Conf. on Geotextiles, Industrial Fabric Association International, Roseville, Minn., 1, 259–264.
Vandevivere, P., and Baveye, P. (1992). “Relationship between transport of bacteria and their clogging efficiency in sand columns.” Appl. Environ. Microbiol., 58(8), 2523–2530.
Xu, J. K., Guo, B. J., and Chen, D. C. (1976). “Experience in using residual soils for earth dam construction in Guandong Province, China.” Proc., 12th Congrès Int. des Grands Barrages, 821–838.
Mendonca, M. B., Ehrlich, M., and Cammarota, M. C. (2003). “Conditioning factors on iron ochre biofilm formation in geotextile filters.” Can. Geotech. J., 40, 1225–1234.
Mitchell, J. K., and Santamarina, J. C. (2005). “Biological considerations in geotechnical engineering.”J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng., 131 (10), 1222–1233.
Mlynarek, J., and Rollin, A. L. (1995). “Bacterial clogging of geotextiles—overcoming engineering concerns.” Proc., Geosynthetics’ 95, Industrial Fabric Association International, Roseville, Minn., 1, 177–188.
Palmeira, E. M., and Fannin, R. J. (2002). “Soil-geotextile compatibility in filtration.” Proc., 7th Int. Congress on Geosynthetics, Swets & Zeitlinger, Lisse, The Netherlands, 853–870.
Puig, J., Gouy, J. L., and Labroue, L. (1986). “Ferric clogging of drains.” Proc., 3rd Int. Conf. on Geotextiles, Industrial Fabric Association International, Roseville, Minn., 4, 1179–1184.
Scheurenberg R. J. (1982). “Experiences in the use of geofabrics in underdrainage of residues deposits.” Proc., 2nd Int. Conf. on Geotextiles, Industrial Fabric Association International, Roseville, Minn., 1, 199–204.
Terzaghi, K., and Leps, T. M. (1958). “Design and performance of Vermilion Dam, California.” J. Soil Mech. Found. Div., 84(3), 1–30.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 132 • Issue 10 • October 2006
Pages: 1284 - 1292
Copyright
© 2006 ASCE.
History
Received: Mar 9, 2005
Accepted: Feb 9, 2006
Published online: Oct 1, 2006
Published in print: Oct 2006
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.