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Review of state of the art methods for measuring water in landfills

Journal Article · · Waste Management
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [1];  [4]; ;  [5];  [6]
  1. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816-2450 (United States)
  2. Fortum Service Ltd., P.O. Box 10, FIN-00048, Fortum (Finland)
  3. Universite Pierre et Marie Curie-Paris 6, UMR 7619 Sisyphe, case courrier 105, 4 place Jussieu, 75252 Paris cedex 05 (France)
  4. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716 (United States)
  5. Civil and Environmental Engineering Sciences Department, Gainesville, FL 32609 (United States)
  6. Planning, Resources, and Public Works Department, Division of Integrated Waste Management, 292 West Beamer Street, Woodland, CA 95695 (United States)
In recent years several types of sensors and measurement techniques have been developed for measuring the moisture content, water saturation, or the volumetric water content of landfilled wastes. In this work, we review several of the most promising techniques. The basic principles behind each technique are discussed and field applications of the techniques are presented, including cost estimates. For several sensors, previously unpublished data are given. Neutron probes, electrical resistivity (impedance) sensors, time domain reflectometry (TDR) sensors, and the partitioning gas tracer technique (PGTT) were field tested with results compared to gravimetric measurements or estimates of the volumetric water content or moisture content. Neutron probes were not able to accurately measure the volumetric water content, but could track changes in moisture conditions. Electrical resistivity and TDR sensors tended to provide biased estimates, with instrument-determined moisture contents larger than independent estimates. While the PGTT resulted in relatively accurate measurements, electrical resistivity and TDR sensors provide more rapid results and are better suited for tracking infiltration fronts. Fiber optic sensors and electrical resistivity tomography hold promise for measuring water distributions in situ, particularly during infiltration events, but have not been tested with independent measurements to quantify their accuracy. Additional work is recommended to advance the development of some of these instruments and to acquire an improved understanding of liquid movement in landfills by application of the most promising techniques in the field.
OSTI ID:
21023872
Journal Information:
Waste Management, Journal Name: Waste Management Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 27; ISSN WAMAE2; ISSN 0956-053X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English