Abstract
A design procedure is proposed to minimize water infiltration into landfills by optimizing the water diversion length of inclined covers with capillary barrier effect (CCBE). This design procedure is based on a conceptual, mathematical and numerical approach and aims at selecting materials and optimizing layer thickness. Selection among candidate materials is made based on their hydraulic conductivity functions and on a threshold infiltration rate imposed on the designer. The capillary break layer (CBL; bottom layer) is characterized by a weak capillarity, while the moisture retention layer (MRL; upper layer) is characterized by a compromise between strong capillarity and high hydraulic conductivity. The thickness of the CBL corresponds to the height where suction reaches its maximum value for a given infiltration rate. This height can be calculated using the Kisch [Géotechnique 9 (1959)] model. The optimal thickness of the MRL is determined by applying an adaptation of the Ross [Water Resources Research 26 (1990)] model. The results obtained using the proposed design procedure were compared to those obtained from numerical simulations performed using a finite element unsaturated seepage software. The procedure was applied for two cover systems; one where deinking by-products (DBP) were used as MRL and sand as CBL and another where sand was used as MRL and gravel as CBL. Using this procedure, it has been shown that an infiltration control system composed of thin layers of sand over gravel is highly efficient in terms of diversion length and that its efficiency can be enhanced by placing a hydraulic barrier – such as a layer of DBP – above the MRL.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
Abbreviations
- CBL:
-
capillary break layer
- CCBE:
-
Cover with capillary barrier effect
- DBP:
-
Deinking by-product
- MRL:
-
Moisture retention layer
- k-function:
-
Hydraulic conductivity function
- WRC:
-
Water retention curve
References
Akindunni, F. F., Gillham, R. W. and Nicholson, R. V. (1991) Numerical simulations to investigate moisture-retention characteristics in the design of oxygen-limiting covers for reactive mine tailings, Canadian Geotechnical Journal, 446–451
Aubertin, M., Bussière, B., Barbera, J.-M., Chapuis, R. P., Monzon, M. and Aachib, M. (1997) Construction and instrumentation of in situ test plots to evaluate covers built with clean tailings. In: A. R. Drainage, F.i.c.o. (ed.), 717–727
R. S. Baker D. Hillel (1990) ArticleTitleLaboratory tests of a theory of fingering during infiltration into layered soils Soil Science of America Journal 54 20–30 Occurrence Handle10.2136/sssaj1990.03615995005400010004x
Barth, C. and Wohnlich, S. (1999) Proof of effectiveness of a capillary barrier as surface sealing of sanitary landfill. In: 7th International Waste Management and Landfill Symposium, Sardina, pp. 389–392
Bews, B. E., O’Kane, M., Wilson, G. W. and Williams, D. (1997) The design of a low flux cover system, including lysimeters, for acid generating waste rock in semi-arid environments. In: Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on Acid Mine Drainage, Vol. II
E. Buckingham (1907) Studies on the Movement of Soil Moisture NumberInSeries38 Bureau of Soils, United States Department of Agriculture Washington, DC
Burnotte, F., Lefebvre, G., Cabral, A., Audet, C. and Veilleux, A. (2000) Use of deinking residues for the final cover of a MSW landfill. In: 53e. Conférence canadienne de géotechnique, Montreal, pp. 585–591
Bussiere, B., Aubertin, M. and Chapuis, R. (2000) The use of hydraulic breaks to limit desaturation of inclined capillary barriers. In 53rd Canadian Geotechnical Conference, 465–472
B. Bussiere M. Aubertin R. P. Chapuis (2003) ArticleTitleThe behavior of inclined covers used as oxygen barriers Canadian Geotechnical Journal 40 512–535 Occurrence Handle10.1139/t03-001
A. R. Cabral G. Lefebvre F. Burnotte (1999a) Caractérisation de la membrane de recouvrement de résidus de désencrage du site minier Clinton – Analyse finale de données recueillies jusqu’en décembre 1998 Université de Sherbrooke Sherbrooke
A. R. Cabral G. Lefebvre F. Burnotte C. T. Panarotto E. Pastore (1999b) Use of pulp and paper residues as an alternative cover material to landfill and to acid generating tailings 2° Seminario de meio ambiante em industrias de processo Sao Paulo, Brésil 56–70
L. P. Choo E. K. Yanful (2000) ArticleTitleWater flow through cover soils using modeling and experimental methods Journal of Geotechnical & Geoenvironmental Engineering 126 324–334 Occurrence Handle10.1061/(ASCE)1090-0241(2000)126:4(324)
Geo-slope (2002) SEEP/W for Finite Element Seepage Analysis, Version 5: User’s Guide Geo-slope International Ltd. Calgary
K. S. Henry R. D. Holtz (2001) ArticleTitleGeocomposite capillary barriers to reduce frost heave in soils Canadian Geotechnical Journal 38 678–694 Occurrence Handle10.1139/cgj-38-4-678
Kamon, M., Inazumi, S., Takashi, T. and Inui, T. (2001). Waste sludge applicability and waste balance analysis of landfill cover system. In Proceedings of the first Korea–Japan Joint Seminar on Geoenvironmental Engineering, pp. 31–38
Kampf, M. and Holfelder, T. (1999) Designing capillary barriers. In: Seventh International Waste Management and Landfill Symposium, CISA, Environmental Sanitary Engineering Centre, Sardinia, pp. 381–388
M. Kampf H. Montenegro (1997) ArticleTitleOn the performance of capillary barriers as landfill cover Hydrology and Earth Systems Sciences 4 925–929 Occurrence Handle10.5194/hess-1-925-1997
C. Kao S. Bouarfa D. Zimmer (2001) ArticleTitleSteady state analysis of unsaturated flow above a shallow water-table aquifer drained by ditches Journal of Hydrology 250 122–133 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0022-1694(01)00426-7
M. V. Khire C. H. Benson P. J. Bosscher (2000) ArticleTitleCapillary barriers: Design variables and water balance Journal of Geotechnical & Geoenvironmental Engineering 126 695–708 Occurrence Handle10.1061/(ASCE)1090-0241(2000)126:8(695)
Kisch, M. (1959) The theory of seepage from clay-blanketed reservoirs. Géotechnique 9
H. K. Moo-Young T. F. Zimmie (1996) ArticleTitleGeotechnical properties of paper mill sludges for use in landfill covers Journal of Geotechnical Engineering 122 768–775 Occurrence Handle10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9410(1996)122:9(768)
C. E. Morris J. C. Stormont (1999) ArticleTitleParametric study of unsaturated drainage layers in a capillary barrier Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering 125 1057–1065 Occurrence Handle10.1061/(ASCE)1090-0241(1999)125:12(1057)
R. V. Nicholson M. Gillham J. A. Cherry E. J. Reardon (1989) ArticleTitleReduction of acid generation in mine tailings through the use of moisture-retaining cover layers as oxygen barriers Canadian Geotechnical Journal 26 1–8 Occurrence Handle10.1139/t89-001
J. W. Nyhan T. G. Schofield R. H. Starmer (1997) ArticleTitleA water balance study of four landfill cover designs varying in slope for semiarid regions Journal of Environmental Quality 26 1385–1392 Occurrence Handle10.2134/jeq1997.2651385x
C. M. Oldenburg K. Pruess (1993) ArticleTitleOn numerical modelling of capillary barriers Water Resources Research 29 1045–1056 Occurrence Handle10.1029/92WR02875
Parent, S.-É. (2003) Étude des couvertures avec effet de barrière capillaire: applications à l’utilisation des rÉsidus de dÉsencrage comme matÉriau de recouvrement de sites de rÉsidus miniers et de lieux d’enfouissement sanitaire, Masters thesis, UniversitÉ de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke
Pease, R. E. and Stormont J. C. (1996) Increasing the diversion length of capillary barriers. In: Joint Conference on the Environment, Albuquerque, New Mexico
B. Ross (1990) ArticleTitleThe diversion capacity of capillary barriers Water Resources Research 26 2625–2629 Occurrence Handle10.1029/90WR01419
J. C. Stormont C. E. Anderson (1999) ArticleTitleCapillary barrier effect from underlying coarser soil layer Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering 125 641–648 Occurrence Handle10.1061/(ASCE)1090-0241(1999)125:8(641)
D. Tami H. Rahardjo E. C. Leong D. G. Fredlund (2004) ArticleTitleA physical model for sloping capillary barriers Geotechnical Testing Journal 27 1–16 Occurrence Handle10.1520/GTJ11431
V. C. Tidwell R. J. Glass C. Chocas G. Barker L. Orear (2003) ArticleTitleVisualization experiment to investigate capillary barrier performance in the context of a Yucca Mountain emplacement drift Journal of contaminant hydrology 62 IssueID3 287–301 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0169-7722(02)00164-X
M. T. Genuchten Particlevan (1980) ArticleTitleA closed-form equation for predicting the hydraulic conductivity of unsaturated soils Soil Science Society of America Journal 44 892–898 Occurrence Handle10.2136/sssaj1980.03615995004400050002x
van Genuchten, M. T., Leij, F. J. and Yates, S. R. (1991) The RETC code for quantifying the hydraulic functions of unsaturated soils, EPA/600/2–91/065, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Research Service
von Der Hude, N., Melchior, S. and Möckel, S. (1999) Construction of a capillary barrier in the cover of the Breinermoor landfill. In: Seventh International Waste Management and Landfill Symposium, Sardinia, pp. 393–402
S. W. Webb (1997) ArticleTitleGeneralization of Ross tilted capillary barrier diversion formula for different two-phase characteristic curves Water Resources Research 33 1855–1859 Occurrence Handle10.1029/97WR01231
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Parent, SÉ., Cabral, A. Design of Inclined Covers with Capillary Barrier Effect. Geotech Geol Eng 24, 689–710 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-005-3229-9
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-005-3229-9