Hydraulic performance of clay barriers in modern landfills
Composite barrier systems are used in modern landfills to isolate the landfill contents from the environment and, therefore, to provide environmental protection and prevent groundwater contamination problems. A typical composite liner system consists of a Geosynthetic Clay Liner (GCL) or compacted clay liner (CCL) overlain by a plastic geomembrane (high density polyethylene, HDPE) to minimize the escape of contaminants from the landfill.
This project studies the long-term hydraulic performance of landfill liner systems under simulated field conditions. Extensive experimental and numerical modelling has been performed to quantify the hydration, shrinkage and hydraulic conductivity of various liner systems under simulated landfill conditions.
