Polymer containment barriers for underground storage tanks
- Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (United States)
Contaminated soils, buried waste and leaking underground storage tanks pose a threat to the environment through contaminant transport. One of the options for control of contaminant migration from buried waste sites is the construction of a subsurface barrier that consists of a wall of low permeability material. Brookhaven National Laboratory has been involved in several tasks to develop, demonstrate and implement advanced polymer materials for use in subsurface barriers throughout the DOE complex. Binders investigated as barrier composites include polyester styrenes, vinylester styrenes, high molecular weight acrylics, sulfur polymer cement, polyacrylic acids, bitumen and a furfuryl alcohol based furan polymer. Aggregates include: recycled glass, stone, sand, and natural soils (from Hanford). A series of performance tests were used to determine the performance characteristics of polymer composites. This paper details a substrate of this characterization pertaining to subsurface barriers for containing underground storage tanks with emphasis on the DOE`s Hanford site. Testing includes measuring permeability to water, wet-dry cycling, chemical resistivity to ground water, acid, base, and nitrate brine, resistance to irradiation, and measuring compressive strengths. Polymer grouts having a wide range of viscosities have been demonstrated to have desirable qualities for a subterranean barrier. The goal of soil mortar permeabilities of 1 x 10{sup -10} m/s and {open_quotes}clean{close_quotes} aggregate composites of 1 x 10{sup -11} m/s was met. Performance values indicate polymers exist that can meet the requirements for containment barriers for USTs throughout the DOE complex. Proper choice of binder and aggregate followed by the appropriate site specific compatibility testing will result in a durable, high strength, low permeability barrier.
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of Arizona, Tucson, AZ (United States). Coll. of Engineering and Mines; New Mexico State Univ., Las Cruces, NM (United States); Waste-Management Education and Research Consortium (WERC), Las Cruces, NM (United States); US Department of Energy (USDOE), Washington DC (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 121050
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-940225-Vol.2; TRN: 95:007146-0028
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Waste management `94: working towards a cleaner environment, Tucson, AZ (United States), 27 Feb - 3 Mar 1994; Other Information: PBD: 1994; Related Information: Is Part Of Technology and programs for Radioactive Waste Management and Environmental Restoration. Volume 2; Post, R.G. [ed.] [Arizona Univ., Tucson, AZ (United States). College of Engineering and Mines]; PB: 750 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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