Frost effects on soil liner systems results of a research project
- CH2M Hill, Inc., Milwaukee, WI (United States)
- Army Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory, Hanover, NH (United States)
- Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States)
A research study was completed on the impact of frost action (freeze-thaw) on compacted clay liners, sand-bentonite liners, and geosynthetic clay liners (GCLs) under field and laboratory conditions. The goal of the research discussed in this paper was to improve understanding of the effect of freeze-thaw on these parts of liner systems so that design and construction could be improved. The U.S. Army Corps Cold Regions Research Engineering Laboratory (CRREL), CH2M HILL, Inc., and a team of industrial partners joined together in a cooperative effort to fund and complete this study under the U.S. Army Corps Construction Productivity Advancement Research (CPAR) program. IN 1992 and 1993, five large-scale compacted-soil test pads, and nine GCL test pans were constructed at WMX, Inc.`s Parkview Landfill in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Two of the large-scale test pads were constructed of a low-plasticity clay, two were of a medium-plasticity clay, and one was a sand-bentonite mixture manufactured in a mobile mixer onsite. Three different GCL products were used in the GCL test pans. All of these materials were tested in the field for at least one winter; in the CRREL laboratory in Hanover, New Hampshire; and at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Results of these tests indicate that the hydraulic conductivity of compacted clay increases significantly in the field after one winter of freezing. In laboratory testing, the use of thin-walled shelby tubes changes the clay structure and masks the effect of freeze-thaw. These tests indicated that the detrimental effects of freeze-thaw were reversed by increasing confining pressure. The hydraulic conductivity of the sand-bentonite test pad was found to be below 1x10{sup {minus}8} cm/s after two winter seasons. The GCLs showed no increase in hydraulic conductivity from freeze-thaw action. However, the field test results raised questions that need to be resolved.
- OSTI ID:
- 405672
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-950177--
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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