Abstract
The impact of entraining water-soluble polyacrylate eluted from a bentonite-polyacrylate composite (BPC) in sodium bentonite (Na-bentonite) was evaluated as a means to achieve low hydraulic conductivity to aggressive solutions that reduce interlayer swell in conventional Na-bentonite. Up to 73% of the polymer initially contained within BPC (28.5% polymer by mass) was soluble and elutable polyacrylate. This polymer fouled pores that would typically conduct the bulk of flow in Na-bentonite permeated with aggressive solutions (). Similar fouling was observed with kaolinite and low-plasticity clay combined with BPC, but not fine sand or nonplastic silt combined with BPC. Granular mixtures of Na-bentonite blended with BPC had hydraulic conductivity to 50 mM as much as 1,500 to 6,700 times lower than Na-bentonite alone. Blends of granular Na-bentonite and granular BPC with as little as 1% BPC had hydraulic conductivities lower than BPC alone when permeated with 50 mM . However, mixtures of BPC and Na-bentonite did not exhibit low hydraulic conductivity to 500 mM unless the mixture contained at least 90% BPC. The findings suggest Na-bentonite-BPC mixtures have the potential to be tailored to contain specific leachate chemistries. Mixtures of BPC with other clay soils (viz kaolinite, low-plasticity clay) may also be effective in achieving very low hydraulic conductivity with aggressive solutions.
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Acknowledgments
Financial support for this study was provided by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) under Grant No. CMMI-0757815 and from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Environmental Management through the Consortium for Risk Evaluation with Stakeholder Participation (CRESP). CETCO provided the bentonite and bentonite-polymer composite used in this study. The findings and recommendations that have been presented are solely those of the authors, and do not necessarily represent the policies or opinions of the sponsor.
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Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 143 • Issue 4 • April 2017
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©2016 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Nov 2, 2015
Accepted: Aug 2, 2016
Published online: Oct 27, 2016
Discussion open until: Mar 27, 2017
Published in print: Apr 1, 2017
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