Laboratory Study of Downslope Erosion for 10 Different GCLs
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 141, Issue 1
Abstract
The potential for downslope bentonite erosion from a geosynthetic clay liner (GCL) subjected to an imposed daily surface flow of deionized water is examined for 10 GCLs with different carrier and cover geotextiles, bentonite (powdered and fine and coarse grained and some with a polymer-enhancement additive), and a polypropylene coating on the carrier geotextile. The erosion was similar but more visible in products with a white geotextile than in those with a black geotextile. Also, the erosion features were similar but more visible with nonwoven geotextiles than with woven geotextiles. Polymer-enhanced sodium bentonite substantially slowed the formation of erosion features. A polypropylene coating over the upper geotextile prevented erosion features from developing by keeping water from penetrating into the bentonite layer when subjected to 60 daily imposed-flow/air-drying cycles.
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Acknowledgments
Funding for the development of the research infrastructure was provided by the Canada Foundation for Innovation, the Ontario Innovation Trust, the Ontario Research Fund, and Queen’s University under Project 218983. This research was funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada under Grant 1007 and Terrafix Geosynthetics, Terrafix Environmental Technologies, TAG Environmental, Naue, and GSE Environmental. The support of the Killam Trust in the form of a Killam Fellowship to Dr. Rowe is gratefully acknowledged. This investigation into the long-term performance of geosynthetic liner systems was conducted in partnership with Terrafix Geosynthetics, Terrafix Environmental Technologies, TAG Environmental, Naue, GSE Environmental, Solmax International, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, AECOM, AMEC Earth and Environmental, Golder Associates, Knight Piésold, and the CTT Group. The views expressed herein are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the people who have assisted with the research or review of the manuscript.
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Published In
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 141 • Issue 1 • January 2015
Copyright
© 2014 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Apr 11, 2014
Accepted: Aug 19, 2014
Published online: Sep 15, 2014
Published in print: Jan 1, 2015
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