Field Performance of a Compacted Clay Landfill Final Cover at a Humid Site
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 132, Issue 11
Abstract
A study was conducted in southern Georgia, USA, to evaluate how the hydraulic properties of the compacted clay barrier layer in a final landfill cover changed over a service life. The cover was part of a test section constructed in a large drainage lysimeter that allowed continuous monitoring of the water balance. Patterns in the drainage (i.e., flow from the bottom of the cover) record suggest that preferential flow paths developed in the clay barrier soon after construction, apparently in response to desiccation cracking. After four years, the clay barrier was excavated and examined for changes in soil structure and hydraulic conductivity. Tests were conducted in situ with a sealed double-ring infiltrometer and two-stage borehole permeameters and in the laboratory on hand-carved blocks taken during construction and after four years of service. The in situ and laboratory tests indicated that the hydraulic conductivity increased approximately three orders of magnitude (from ) during the service life. A dye tracer test and soil structure analysis showed that extensive cracking and root development occurred throughout the entire depth of the barrier layer. Laboratory tests on undisturbed specimens of the clay barrier indicated that the hydraulic conductivity of damaged clay barriers can be underestimated significantly if small specimens (e.g., tube samples) are used for hydraulic conductivity assessment. The findings also indicate that clay barriers must be protected from desiccation and root intrusion if they are expected to function as intended, even at sites in warm, humid locations.
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Acknowledgments
Funding for the Alternative Cover Assessment Project has been provided through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (USEPA) Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) Program and the National Science Foundation (Grant No. CMS-0437306). The U.S. Marine Corps contributed to the cost of construction. The opinions and inferences in this paper are those solely of the writers and do not necessarily represent the policies of USEPA, NSF, or the site owner. Endorsement by USEPA or NSF is not implied and should not be assumed.
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Information
Published In
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 132 • Issue 11 • November 2006
Pages: 1393 - 1403
Copyright
© 2006 ASCE.
History
Received: Sep 2, 2005
Accepted: Apr 19, 2006
Published online: Nov 1, 2006
Published in print: Nov 2006
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