Long-Term Hydraulic Conductivity of a Bentonite-Polymer Composite Permeated with Aggressive Inorganic Solutions
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 140, Issue 3
Abstract
Bentonite was modified to prevent alterations in hydraulic conductivity when permeated with aggressive inorganic solutions. Acrylic acid within bentonite slurry was polymerized to create a bentonite-polymer composite (BPC). Tests indicate that BPC generally swells more and retains low hydraulic conductivity compared with natural sodium bentonite (Na-bentonite) when contacted with aggressive inorganic solutions. BPC in deionized water swelled greater than 3.8 times the swell of the Na-bentonite used to create BPC (73 versus ). In 500 mM , however, swell of BPC was similar to swell of calcium bentonite (). Thin layers of BPC simulating geosynthetic clay liners were permeated directly with 5–500 mM calcium chloride () solutions and extreme pH solutions (1 M NaOH with pH 13.1, 1 M with pH 0.3). BPC maintained low hydraulic conductivity () for all solutions for the duration of testing (). In contrast, Na-bentonite and superabsorbent polymer (similar to the polymer in BPC) permeated with the same solutions had hydraulic conductivities at least three orders of magnitude higher (except for 5 mM ). Hydraulic conductivity of BPC does not follow the classical hydraulic conductivity-swell relationship typical of Na-bentonite. BPC eluted polymer during permeation but maintained low hydraulic conductivity. Polymer elution was lower in more concentrated solutions.
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Acknowledgments
Financial support for this study was provided by U.S. National Science Foundation Grant No. CMMI-0757815 with in-kind support from Colloid Environmental Technologies Company (CETCO). This support is gratefully acknowledged. The authors thank CETCO for providing the bentonites used in this study and Dr. Michael Donovan of CETCO for his contributions during this research. The findings and recommendations that have been presented are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the opinions or policies of the sponsors.
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Published In
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 140 • Issue 3 • March 2014
Copyright
© 2013 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Feb 24, 2013
Accepted: Sep 3, 2013
Published online: Sep 5, 2013
Published in print: Mar 1, 2014
Discussion open until: Apr 26, 2014
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