Membrane Behavior in a Geosynthetic Clay Liner Exposed to Organic Solutes

Joseph Scalia '07

The migration of solutes through fine-grained soils of low hydraulic conductivity (e.g. clays) is of considerable importance with respect to the design and performance of waste containment barrier (e.g. liners, cutoff walls) that are key components in landfills and other water containment systems. Clay soils are used in such applications because a low hydraulic conductivity is necessary to minimize advective transport of contaminents through the barrier. In addition, research has demonstrated that significant membrane behavior is possible in clay soils containing a high content of bentonite, and that this behavior may result in enhanced waste containment performance in bentonite-rich barriers such as geosynthetic clay liners (GCLs), sand-bentonite layers, and soil-bentonite cutoff wall backfills......Read More