Academic literature on the topic 'Bentonite clay based geosynthetic liner'

Geosynthetic Clay Liners (GCLs) have been widely adopted in barrier systems for waste containment facilities. GCLs must be adequately hydrated at all times to maintain their low hydraulic conductivity. However, in several applications the GCL is subjected to high temperatures and its bentonite is therefore at risk of dehydration and desiccation. This is the case in landfills, brine ponds, solar ponds and tailing ponds. Higher desiccation risks have been found in artificial ponds exposed directly to solar radiation. This is due to higher temperature (sometimes >80oC), as well as lower overburden pressures due to the shallow water depth. In addition, the GCL may be exposed to salt solutions. It is therefore that, understanding the behaviour of GCLs under the action of thermal gradients, in the presence of salt, is critical. The main findings of this project can be summarized as follows. The presence of brine resulted in changes in both osmotic and matric suctions in GCLs, as their SWCCs drastically changed when hydrated by a sodium rich brine. GCLs in column experiments experienced high levels of desiccation when subjected to thermal gradients. Creating air gaps between the composite liner and heat source led to a decrease of the temperature to which the GCL was exposed but did not reduce the extent of desiccation and cracking appreciably. Moreover, the polymer-enhanced GCL failed to self-heal when permeated with a sodium-rich brine. On the other hand, the new proposed I-GCLS design succeeded in increasing GCL hydration rates compared to conventional designs. In addition, when subjected to thermal gradients, the new design significantly reduced dehydration and completely prevented cracking. Finally, by adjusting parameters controlling moisture exchange between the liners and subsoils, reasonable predictions of liner system behaviour were obtained by the THM model, including predictions of GCL desiccation when subjected to relatively high heating temperatures (78oC).

Geosynthetic clay liners (GCL) are a critical barrier component in containment systems such as landfills and mines. This thesis presents a laboratory testing method and a numerical modelling technique to evaluate the hydraulic performance of Geosynthetic clay liner overlaps. The outcome of the thesis allows practitioners to evaluate specific GCL products and optimise the liner system performance based on the environmental conditions of the specific barrier applications. The industry benefits by reduced long-term experimentation and minimised financial costs, and improvement of service life of barrier systems, thereby minimising potential ground water contamination and contributing to environmental protection.

Géosynthétiques benthoniques (GCLs) sont matériaux synthétiques composées par un noyau de bentonite sodique ou calcique, en poudre ou en granulats, liés à un ou plus couches de géosynthétiques (géotextiles ou géomembranes en générale). Les GCLs peuvent être aiguillettes, cousus, liés par adhésive, entre autres. Lorsque le GCL est confinée et hydratée, il présente de bonnes propriétés d'étanchéité pour accomplir la fonction de barrière. Sa performance dépend, généralement de la conductivité hydraulique de la bentonite. Grâce à leur faible perméabilité, les GCLs sont souvent installés au fond ou couverture des Installations de Stockage de déchets (ISD) associés avec l'argile compactée (CCL) ou avec la géomembrane (GM). Des études précédentes ont investigué les facteurs qui affectent la fuite de gaz/liquide au travers les GCLs ou les étanchéités composites. Malgré la nature de la bentonite soit si importante pour la perméabilité des GCLs, il n'y a pas dans la littérature concernant l'influence de la nature de la bentonite dans la fuite de gaz au travers les GCL ou la fuite de liquide au travers les étanchéités composites. C'est pour quoi cette étude s'intéresse. On propose d'étudier également l'effet du procès de manufacture du GCL dans l'écoulement de liquide et transmissivité de l'interface GM-GCL. Deux études ont été menés : (i) investigation de la perméabilité aux gaz des GCL ; (ii) investigation du transfert de liquide au travers des étanchéités composites GM-GCL-CCL du a un endommagement dans la GM. Pour la première étude un équipement proposé récemment, basée sur la méthode de chute de pression a été utilisé pour mesurer la perméabilité aux gaz des GCLs. Trois GCLs cousus à base de bentonites de différentes natures (sodique naturelle, calcique naturelle et calcique activée) ont été testés. Les résultats indiquent que la teneur en eau gravimétrique nécessaire pour atteindre une certaine valeur de perméabilité dépend de la bentonite. Concernant la teneur en eau volumique, pratiquement la même relation a été obtenue, indépendamment de la bentonite. D'autres facteurs ont affecté plus significativement la perméabilité au gaz des GCLs : la dessiccation du au flux de gaz peut causer l'augmentation de la perméabilité et compromettre la performance du GCL comme barrière étanche. La deuxième étude s'est concentrée dans l'investigation de l'influence des caractéristiques du GCL sur l'écoulement de liquide au travers une étanchéité composite. GM-GCL-CCL. Quatre types de GCLs avec deux procès de manufacture (aiguilleté ou cousu) et deux natures de bentonite (sodique naturelle ou calcique naturelle) ont été testés. Les résultats indiquent que la nature de la bentonite n'affecte le flux que pendant le régime transitoire. Les valeurs de transmissivité de l'interface GM-GCL ont été calculées par une solution analytique qui a également possibilité des prédictions du débit de fuite au travers des étanchéités composites en configurations typiques du fond des ISD. Les résultats indiquent une faible influence de la nature de la bentonite dans l'écoulement de liquide au travers les étanchéités composites. Au même temps on a noté une certaine influence des chemins préférentielles de flux, notamment pendant le régime transitoire<br>Geosynthetic Clay Liners (GCLs) are synthetic materials composed by a core of calcium or sodium bentonite, either in powder or granular, bonded to one or more geosynthetic layers (geotextile or geomembrane, in general). These layers are usually bonded by an adhesive, needle-punching, stitch-bonding or sewing. When hydrated and confined, they fulfil functions of liquid or gas barrier with their hydraulic performance depending in most cases on the hydraulic conductivity of the bentonite. Thanks to their low permeability to water and gases, GCLs are often used in municipal solid waste landfill applications, combined to compacted clay liners (CCL) or with geomembranes (GM) as part of both bottom and cover liners. Previous studies were conducted to investigate the most important factors that influence the gas/liquid flow rate through GCLs or composite liners. Although the nature of bentonite is so important in the permeability of the GCLs there is a lack of data in the literature regarding the influence of the nature of the bentonite on the gas flow through GCLs and liquid flow through composite liners involving GCLs. That is what this thesis aims at clarifying. Furthermore, in conjunction with the nature of the bentonite, the impact of the manufacturing process of the GCL on the flow rate and transmissivity at GM-GCL interfaces was also discussed. Two studies were performed: (i) investigation of the GCL permeability to gas simulating the covering conditions of municipal solid waste landfill; (ii) investigation of liquid transfer through composite liners GM-GCL-CCL due to a defect in the geomembrane, simulating typical conditions of bottom liners in landfills. In the first study, an apparatus recently proposed, based on the falling pressure method, was used in tests to verify the GCL permeability to gas. Three stitch bonded GCLs from the same manufacturer differing by the bentonite nature (natural sodium, natural calcium and activated calcium) were tested. The results showed that the gravimetric water content of the GCL necessary to attain a certain permeability value depends on the bentonite nature, which was not observed in terms of volumetric water content. However, other factors showed to be more important than the nature of bentonite in the GCL permeability to gas: the desiccation due to the gas flow can increase significantly the permeability, which compromise the GCL performance as a gas barrier. The second study focused in investigating the influence of the GCL characteristics in the liquid flow through a composite liner under bottom liners solicitations. Four types of GCLs with two different bonding processes (stitch-bonded or needle-punched) and different bentonites (natural sodium or natural calcium) were tested. The results obtained showed no significant differences among flow rate versus time in most of the tests performed, especially after steady-state conditions of flow having been reached. An analytical solution was employed to estimate the transmissivity of the GM-GCL interfaces. This solution also allowed predictions of flow rates and radius of wetted areas for typical configurations of composite liners in the field. The results obtained showed little influence of the nature of the bentonite and the predominance of influence of the presence of preferential flow paths between the geomembrane and the GCL surface on the transmissivity of GM-GCL interfaces and flow rates through composite liners<br>Geocompostos bentoníticos (GCLs) são materiais sintéticos compostos por um núcleo de bentonita sódica ou cálcica, em pó ou em grânulos, unido a uma ou mais camadas de geossintéticos (geotêxtil ou geomembrana, geralmente). Essas camadas são ligadas por adesivo, agulhagem ou costura. Quando hidratados e confinados, eles cumprem função de barreira de líquidos ou gases com o seu desempenho dependendo, na maioria dos casos, da condutividade hidráulica da bentonita. Graças à baixa permeabilidade aos líquidos e gases, GCLs são comumente usados em aterros sanitários, associados a camada de argila compactada (CCL) e geomembrana (GM) para compor as impermeabilizações de cobertura e fundo dessas instalações. Estudos precedentes investigaram os fatores mais influentes no fluxo de gás/líquidos através de GCLs ou barreiras compostas. Apesar da natureza da bentonita ser tão importante para a permeabilidade dos GCLs, não há dados na literatura a respeito da influência da natureza da bentonita no fluxo de gás através de GCLs ou fluxo de líquidos através de barreiras compostas envolvendo GCLs. Isso é o tema que a presente tese quer esclarecer. Além de estudar a influência da natureza da bentonita, o impacto do processo de manufatura do GCL na vazão e na transmissibilidade na interface GM-GCL também foi discutido. Dois estudos foram conduzidos: (i) investigação da permeabilidade ao gás de GCLs simulando as condições de cobertura de aterros sanitários; (ii) investigação do transporte de líquidos através de barreiras compostas GM-GCL-CCL devido a um dano na geomembrana, sob condições típicas do fundo de aterros sanitários. No primeiro estudo, um equipamento recentemente proposto, cujo funcionamento baseia-se no método da queda de pressão, foi usado em ensaios para verificar a permeabilidade ao gás de GCLs. Três GCLs costurados do mesmo fabricante, diferindo pela natureza da bentonita (sódica natural, cálcica natural e cálcica ativada) foram testados. Os resultados mostram que o teor de umidade gravimétrica necessário para atingir certa permeabilidade depende da natureza da bentonita. O mesmo não foi observado em termos de teor de umidade volumétrica, destacando a importância da estrutura da bentonita na sua permeabilidade. No entanto, outros fatores se mostraram mais importantes do que a natureza da bentonita na permeabilidade ao gás dos GCLs: a dessecação devido ao fluxo de gás pode aumentar significativamente a permeabilidade, o que compromete o desempenho do GCL como barreira. O segundo estudo focou na investigação da influência das características do GCL no transporte de liquido através de uma barreira composta sob condições típicas da base de aterros sanitários. Quatro tipos de GCLs com dois processos de manufatura (costurado ou agulhado) e duas bentonitas diferentes (sódica natural ou cálcica natural) foram ensaiados. Os resultados obtidos mostram que não houve influência significativa de vazão versus tempo para os ensaios conduzidos, especialmente depois de atingido o regime permanente de fluxo. Uma solução analítica foi empregada para estimar a transmissibilidade da interface GM-GCL. Essa solução permitiu também a previsão de vazamento e raio da área molhada em barreiras compostas de dimensões reais. Os resultados obtidos mostram pouca influência da natureza da bentonita na vazão e a predominância de caminhos preferenciais de fluxo na interface transmissível GM-GCL

Geosynthetic Clay Liners (GCLs) are commonly paired with a geomembrane and used as part of a composite liner system for landfill barriers. Under some circumstances, leaving a composite geomembrane/geosynthetic clay liner exposed to solar radiation in the field has been shown to cause shrinkage of the underlying GCL. Recent field studies have shown that leaving a composite liner exposed can also lead to down-slope erosion of bentonite from the GCL due to the down-slope movement of moisture. To investigate the factors that can affect the onset of bentonite erosion in a GCL an experimental technique was developed to reproduce similar erosion in the laboratory. The test method simulates the features that occur with the erosion of bentonite caused by down-slope migration of evaporative water in the field. One needle-punched GCL was tested to examine the factors that can affect the onset of erosion of bentonite particles with the flow of water. The factors examined include the effect of the initial wet/dry cycle, water source chemistry, flow rate, slope, prior cation exchange, and the effect of no drying phase in the test cycle. Ten different manufactured GCL products were tested to examine the effect of material properties on the erosion of bentonite from a GCL. The material properties of the products tested differed in terms of the type of carrier and cover geotextiles, bentonite (powdered, fine and coarse grained, and some with a polymer enhancement additive) and the presence of a polypropylene coating over the geotextile. It was found that the most critical factor to trigger the onset of bentonite erosion was the water source chemistry, with the tests that simulated the evaporation and condensation of water (deionized water) below an exposed composite liner leading to the formation of major erosion features. The results of the laboratory testing program also show that erosion features are more visible in products with white coloured geotextiles. The products containing a polypropylene coated geotextile and polymer enhanced bentonite slowed or, in some cases, prevented erosion features from developing.<br>Thesis (Master, Civil Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2014-05-01 10:16:14.05