Laboratory permeability and single ring infiltration tests for the testing of waterproofing barriers of landfill tanks.

Authors

  • Diego Barbero Geological, Geotechnical and Geophysical Office Dr. Diego Barbero
  • Andrea Maroni Geology Student
  • Sandra Peyrot Freelance Geologist

Keywords:

hydraulic conductivity, infiltration tests, permeability laboratory tests, waterproofing barrier, landfill.

Abstract

Hydraulic conductivity is a fundamental hydrogeological parameter for the testing of waterproofing barriers of landfill tanks. These barriers are aimed at guaranteeing the isolation of the waste and preventing the infiltration of the percolate in the subsoil.

Geotechnical features of mineral barriers must be preliminarily established through geotechnical laboratory tests in order to verify their suitability for their application.

The main mineral barriers correspond to the bottom waterproofing of the landfill tanks where the normative standards of specifications generally require values of hydraulic conductivity of 1.00 x 10-7 cm/s and to the cover of waterproofing barriers (top and slopes of the tanks) where the normative standards of specifications generally require values of hydraulic conductivity less than 1.00 x 10-6 cm/s.

We report on the results of several permeability tests carried out both in situ with single-ring infiltrometric tests and in the laboratory with falling head permeameter apparatus, in order to evaluate the different results of vertical hydraulic conductivity found. These results are important in the design phase of a landfill tanks with the aim of predicting the infiltration of leakage in the subsoil with consequent pollution of both soil and aquifer. 

The aim of this paper is therefore to propose to freelance geologists some operational suggestions when ones have to attest the validity of clayey material for the waterproofing of the landfill.

In these cases, two different situations can occur: i) the evaluation of the clayey soil for the waterproofing of the tank to receive waste, whose geotechnical proprieties have been examined with laboratory tests; ii) the evaluation of the quality of the clayey soil after the waterproofing of the landfill tanks with in situ and laboratory tests.    

References

Caprioni G., Napoleoni, Q., Tramonti, L., Scarapazzi, M., Garbin, F. 2011. Permeametro di Boutwell, Professione Geologo, Notiziario dell’Ordine dei Geologi del Lazio, 29, 14-17.

Cianci S., Garbin F., Napoleoni Q., Scarapazzi M. & Tramonti L. 2014. Il permeametro di Boutwell. Geologia Tecnica & Ambientale, Ordine Nazionale dei Geologi, 3.

Boutwell, G.P. 1992. The STEI Two-Stage Borehole field Permeability Test, Geotechnical Committee Houston Branch, ASCE: Containment liner Technologyand Subtitle D, March 12, Houston, Texas (US);

Boutwell, G.P., Derick R.K. 1986. “Groundwater protection for sanitary landfills in the saturated zone”. Proc. NWWA Waste – Tech ’86, Chicago.

Hvorsel, J. 1951. Time lag and soil permeability in ground water observations, Bulletin n. 36, USA/COE WES Vicksburg, MS.

Casrlaw, H.S. & Jaeger, J.C. 1959. Conduction of heat in solids. 2nd ed., Oxford University Press, London, UK.

A.S.T.M.D6391 1999. Field measurement of hydraulic conductivity limits of porous materials using Two Stages of infiltration from a borehole.

A.S.T.M. D422 1998. Standard test methods for particle-size analysis of soils.

A.S.T.M. D4318 2000. Standard test methods for Liquid Limit, Plastic Limit and Plasticity Index of soils.

A.S.T.M. D698 2012. Standard test methods for Laboratory compaction characteristics of soil using standard effort (12400 ft-lbf/ft3 (600kN-m/m3).

Johnson A.W., Sallberg J.R. 1962. Factors influencing compaction test results. Highway research board, Bulletin, 319. National Academy of Sciences, National Research Council, Washington.

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Published

2020-09-25

Issue

Vol. 7 No. 2 (2020)

Section

Articles

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