Water retention curves of a geosynthetic clay liner under non-uniform temperature-stress paths

This paper presents a novel suction-controlled chamber that permits the determination of the full water retention curves of geosynthetic clay liners (GCLs) under non-uniform temperature-stress paths. It investigates field conditions encountered in brine ponds (low confining stress settings) and heap leach pads (high confining stress settings) during construction and operation stages. Consequently, the analysis of the moisture dynamics in a GCL was defined under the wetting path (construction) and drying path (operation). High vertical stresses were found to facilitate a more rapid water uptake as capillarity is established faster than at low, confined stresses. In general, the drying curves increase the water desorption over the suction range investigated due to the low water viscosity caused by high temperatures. The wetting of the GCL at 20 °C and drying at 70 °C under either low, confined stress (2 kPa) or high confining stress (130 kPa) shows a reduction in the volumetric water contents. Furthermore, on the drying path, the coupled effect of elevated temperature and high confining stress accelerates water desorption leading possibly to potential desiccation.     

Studying the stress-suction coupling in soils using an oedometer equipped with a high capacity tensiometer

In the context of research into deep nuclear waste disposal, various works have concerned the hydromechanical behavior of Boom clay, a stiff plastic clay extracted in the SCK-CEN Underground Research Laboratory near the Mol City (Belgium), at a depth of 223 m. Due to some amount of smectite minerals in the clay fraction, Boom clay exhibits swelling properties when hydrated under low stresses. To investigate some aspects of the hydromechanical behavior of Boom clay, oedometer compression tests were carried out on samples of Boom clay close to saturation and submitted to an initial suction. During oedometer compression, the changes in suction with increased vertical stress are monitored by means of a high capacity tensiometer installed at the bottom of the sample. Some aspects related to hydromechanical couplings are examined through the investigation of the changes in suction during oedometer compression, a somewhat delicate and poorly documented experimental approach. A comparison is also made with a completely different soil sample under suction, i.e. a statically compacted unsaturated low plasticity silt. Some technical difficulties typical of this new experimental approach are first described in detail so as to optimize the interpretation of the data obtained. The experiment allows the determination of the point at which suction is changed to positive pressure during compression. Below this point, the ratio between the vertical stress and the change in suction are determined. Above this point, the data show that positive pore pressures are dissipated in a common way. The suction/stress behavior during unloading is also described and discussed. Finally, an interpretation in terms of microstructure effects is provided for both samples. The experimental approach initiated here seems to provide interesting further application to better understand hydromechanical couplings in natural soils in relation with suction increase during stress release.     

A novel transient gravimetric monitoring technique implemented to GCL osmotic suction control

A modified osmotic suction control technique for monitoring apparent transient weight changes was successfully adapted to the wetting and drying paths of geosynthetic clay liners (GCLs). Reasonable control was possible, enabling suction equilibrium to be achieved without disruption to the test. The results provide unique insight into the time-dependent changes in water retention properties and the semi-permeable membrane behaviour of the bentonite component in GCLs. The stages of suction equilibrium, related to the tri-modal pore structure of GCLs and the point of capillary break, could also be monitored. While the osmotic method has been traditionally used to control matric suction (up to 10 MPa) in soils, the overall results presented in this paper indicate that its application for total suction control in GCLs is largely due to the membrane behaviour of their bentonite component. Furthermore, because of capillary break between the GCL and the osmotic solution at the water entry (or residual) suction value of a GCL, an upper limit of 2.8 MPa suction is recommended for the application of the osmotic method to measure the water retention properties of GCLs.     

Effect of water salinity on the water retention curve of geosynthetic clay liners

The effect of water salinity on the water retention curve of geosynthetic clay liners (GCLs), under constant volume condition is examined. The results indicate that at a constant gravimetric moisture content the total suction increases as the salinity of the wetting liquid increases. Furthermore, the difference in total suction between the GCL hydrated by saline water and distilled water is greater than the difference in the osmotic potential of the wetting water. This behaviour is possibly caused by the matric suction being affected by the expected chemically induced pore size change of the bentonite component of the GCL.     

Stress-controlled direct shear testing of geosynthetic clay liners I: Apparatus development

The use of geosynthetic clay liners (GCLs) in waste containment applications can induce long-term normal and shear stresses as well as expose GCLs to elevated temperatures and non-standard hydration solutions. Considering the importance of GCL internal shear strength to the design and integrity of waste containment barrier systems, innovative laboratory testing methods are needed to assess shear behavior of GCLs. There were two main objectives of this study: (i) develop a stress-controlled direct shear apparatus capable of testing GCLs exposed to elevated temperatures and hydrated in non-standard solutions; and (ii) assess internal shear behavior of GCLs under varying experimental conditions (e.g., stress, temperature, solution). These two objectives were partitioned into a two-paper set, whereby Part I (this paper) focuses on the shear box design and Part II focuses on an assessment of shear behavior. The direct shear apparatus includes a reaction frame to mitigate specimen rotation that develops from an internal moment within needle-punched reinforced GCLs. Rapid-loading shear tests were conducted to assess functionality of the apparatus and document baseline shear behavior for a heat-treated and a non-heat treated needle-punched GCL with comparable peel strength. These two GCLs failed at comparable applied shear stress; however, the heat-treated GCL yielded lower shear deformation and failure occurred via rupture of reinforcement fiber anchors, whereas the non-heat treated GCL yielded larger shear deformation and failure via pullout of reinforcement fibers.     

Interface transmissivity of conventional and multicomponent GCLs for three permeants

A laboratory investigation of the interface transmissivity is reported for five different geosynthetic clay liners (GCLs) and a range of different geomembranes (GMBs) for a range of stresses from 10 to 150?kPa. The GCLs were prehydrated under normal stress before permeation. The GCLs examined comprised three multicomponent (a smooth coated, a smooth laminated, and textured coated) and two conventional (one with granular and one with powdered sodium bentonite) GCLs. The effect of a 4?mm circular defect in the coating of a multicomponent GCL directly below the 10?mm diameter hole in the GMB is investigated. The effect of GMB stiffness and texture is examined. Additionally, the effect of hydration and permeation of smooth coated GCL with highly saline solution and synthetic landfill leachate (SL3) is presented. It is shown that the 2-week interface transmissivity (θ_2-week) can be one to two orders of magnitude higher than steady-state interface transmissivity (θ _steady-state) at low stresses (10?kPa–50?kPa), whereas at high stresses (150?kPa) the variation is substantially less. For a smooth coated GCL hydrated and permeated with reverse osmosis (RO) water, GMB stiffness and texture has a limited effect on interface transmissivity when the coating is placed in contact with GMB at normal stresses of 10?kPa–150?kPa, whereas coating indentations result in much high interface transmissivity when placed in contact with GMB. GCL prehydration and permeation with highly saline solutions leads to higher interface transmissivity compared to RO water. With a 4.0?mm defect in the coating, the interface transmissivity between the coating and woven geotextile is higher than that between the coating and GMB for the stress levels and GCL examined.     

Hysteresis of the water retention curves of geosynthetic clay liners in the high suction range

This paper examines two needle-punched geosynthetic clay liners' water retention behaviour at high suction ranges using the vapour equilibrium technique where super-saturated salt solutions controlled the relative humidity. This study shows that the bentonite form and its mineralogy affect the absorption/desorption of GCLs and their corresponding water retention curves. In particular, a granular bentonite-based GCL was found to absorb more and release less water than a powdered bentonite-based GCL due to its higher montmorillonite content and larger pores. The water retention curves of both GCLs exhibited very little hysteretic behaviour at high suction. Repeated wetting-drying cycles shifted the WRCs of both GCLs slightly downward with minimal impact on their degree of hysteresis.     

Investigation of the hydro-mechanical behaviour of compacted expansive clay

The hydro-mechanical behaviour of compacted expansive Romainville clay was investigated. The soil was air-dried, crushed, and passed through a 2 mm sieve before being statically compacted to a dry density of 1.35 Mg/m³. The mechanical behaviour was investigated by tests in oedometer with controlled suction using the vapor equilibrium technique (suction s = 0, 9, 39, and 110 MPa). The vertical stress was applied in the range of 0–800 kPa. The experimental results are shown as follows: 1) wetting-induced swelling was higher at lower vertical stresses; 2) the vertical stress under which no swelling occurred during water flooding was estimated at 60 kPa, which can be considered as the swelling pressure of the soil tested; 3) the soil compressibility (changes of volume upon stress increases) was strongly influenced by the soil suction: the lower the suction, the higher the compressibility. The hydraulic behaviour was investigated using a large-scale inltration chamber (800 mm × 1000 mm in section and 1000 mm high). The large size of the soil column allowed burying the volumetric water content sensors (ThetaProbe) without signicantly affecting the water transfer and the soil swelling during inltration. The soil suction was monitored along the soil height (every 100 mm) using various relative humidity sensors and psychrometers. In the inltration test, water was kept on the soil surface and changes in suction and volumetric water content were monitored for 338 d. The wetting front has reached the bottom of the soil column at the end of the test. The data from the simultaneous monitoring of suction and water content were used to determine the water retention curve and the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity using the instantaneous prole method. It has been observed that the soil water retention curve depends on the soil depth; that is to be related to the soil depth-dependent swelling. The unsaturated hydraulic conductivity was found to be quite low, comprised between 3 × 10⁻¹¹ m/s (at saturated state) and 10⁻¹⁴ m/s (at about 100 MPa suction).     

Laboratory investigation of GCL hydration from Lateritic subsoils

A laboratory investigation on the hydration behavior of GCLs from lateritic soils was conducted under isothermal and thermal conditions (tropical climate), varying subsoil moisture contents, GCLs bentonite particle size and mineralogy. GCL hydration levels from lateritic subsoils under isothermal conditions (55%) were similar to literature findings. A slight decrease in water content of some GCLs after long periods of contact with the lateritic soils indicates that equilibrium can demand long time in these soils. GCL with granular bentonites were less efficient to hydrate from lateritic subsoils. GCLs with activated-calcium bentonites maintained hydration levels in long-term. Nonwoven geotextile facing down favored capillary effects. Thermal cycles significantly influenced GCLs hydration from subsoils. Capillary connections developed during hydration under isothermal conditions due to suction gradient reductions. Post-hydration tests under isothermal conditions showed more alterations in GCLs swelling and cation exchange properties than thermal cycles test. An increase in the saturated hydraulic conductivity of GCLs was observed in both lateritic soils, mainly for isothermal condition, although continued attending hydraulic conductivity requirements for barrier applications.     

Experimental study on hydro-mechanical coupling behaviours of highly compacted expansive clay

Highly compacted expansive clays have been usually considered as a possible material for sealing and backfill in deep geological disposal of radioactive waste. In this condition, the material is simultaneously subjected to water infiltration from the geological barrier and stresses generated by the swelling of engineered barriers in confined conditions. Its behaviour under hydro-mechanical loading is essential to the safe design of the whole storage system. In the present work, MX80 bentonite, a kind of expansive clay from Wyoming, USA, was studied. After compaction, its dry density was 1.8 Mg/m3 and its initial suction was 110 MPa. Firstly, the soil was humidified under controlled suction and free-swelling conditions. Significant swelling was observed. Secondly, four values of suction of 110, 39, 9 and 0 MPa were employed to perform isotropic compressive tests at constant suction conditions. That allowed studying the effect of suction on the yield pressure, elastic and plastic compressibility parameters. The results show that the elastic and plastic compressibility parameters increase when the suction decreases. The relationship between these parameters and the logarithm of suction can be linearly correlated. The yield stress drastically decreases upon wetting under free-swelling conditions, from 12 – 18 MPa (at an initial suction of 110 MPa) to 0.2 MPa at saturated state.     

Effect of gravel subgrade on hydraulic performance of geosynthetic clay liner

The effect of a gravel subgrade on the hydraulic performance of GCLs is investigated. Laboratory test results show that the GCL specimens exhibit significant variation in thickness when compressed against gravel. The maximum and minimum thicknesses of the specimen were about 20 and 3 mm, respectively, after consolidation by an effective stress up to 138 kPa. However, the permittivity of GCLs remained very low. The permittivity of both needle-punched and adhesive-bonded geotextile-supported GCLs decreased with increasing confining stress, regardless of the type of subgrade materials. In general, larger particles led to more significant migration of bentonite. Nevertheless, there was no significant difference in the degree of bentonite migration between the two GCLs investigated.     

Investigation of the hydro-mechanical behaviour of compacted expansive clay

The hydro-mechanical behaviour of compacted expansive Romainville clay was investigated. The soil was air-dried, crushed, and passed through a 2 mm sieve before being statically compacted to a dry density of 1.35 Mg/m³. The mechanical behaviour was investigated by tests in oedometer with controlled suction using the vapor equilibrium technique (suction s = 0, 9, 39, and 110 MPa). The vertical stress was applied in the range of 0–800 kPa. The experimental results are shown as follows: 1) wetting-induced swelling was higher at lower vertical stresses; 2) the vertical stress under which no swelling occurred during water flooding was estimated at 60 kPa, which can be considered as the swelling pressure of the soil tested; 3) the soil compressibility (changes of volume upon stress increases) was strongly influenced by the soil suction: the lower the suction, the higher the compressibility. The hydraulic behaviour was investigated using a large-scale infiltration chamber (800 mm × 1000 mm in section and 1000 mm high). The large size of the soil column allowed burying the volumetric water content sensors (ThetaProbe) without significantly affecting the water transfer and the soil swelling during infiltration. The soil suction was monitored along the soil height (every 100 mm) using various relative humidity sensors and psychrometers. In the infiltration test, water was kept on the soil surface and changes in suction and volumetric water content were monitored for 338 d. The wetting front has reached the bottom of the soil column at the end of the test. The data from the simultaneous monitoring of suction and water content were used to determine the water retention curve and the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity using the instantaneous profile method. It has been observed that the soil water retention curve depends on the soil depth; that is to be related to the soil depth-dependent swelling. The unsaturated hydraulic conductivity was found to be quite low, comprised between 3 × 10⁻¹¹ m/s (at saturated state) and 10⁻¹⁴ m/s (at about 100 MPa suction).     

Hydraulic Conductivity of Nonprehydrated Geosynthetic Clay Liners Permeated with Inorganic Solutions and Waste Leachates

To investigate systematically the effects of electrolytic solutions on the barrier performance of geosynthetic clay liners (GCLs), a long-term hydraulic conductivity test for 3 years at longest was conducted on a nonprehydrated GCL permeated with inorganic chemical solutions. The hydraulic conductivity test for waste leachates was also conducted. The results of the test show that the hydraulic conductivity of GCLs significantly correlates with the swelling capacity of bentonite contained in GCLs. GCLs have excellent barrier performance of k<1.0×10^-8 cm/s when the free swell is larger than 15 mL/2 g-solid regardless of the type and concentration of the permeant solution. In addition, when the results of the hydraulic conductivity test with chemical inorganic solutions were compared to those with waste leachates, the hydraulic conductivity of GCL permeated with chemical solution was almost the same within the electric conductivity of 0-25 S/m as that permeated with waste leachate having similar electric conductivity. The hydraulic conductivity of GCLs to be used in landfill bottom liners can be estimated by the hydraulic conductivity values obtained from the experiment using chemical solutions having the similar electric conductivity values, if the chemical solution had the electric conductivity within=25 S/m.     

Water retention of geosynthetics clay liners: Dependence on void ratio and temperature

The dependence of the geosynthetic clay liners (GCLs) soil-water characteristic curve (SWCC) on temperature and overburden stress are characterised experimentally. It is shown that changes in void ratio and temperature alter the relationship between suction and moisture content and new forms of existing SWCC equations are developed. To cover a wide suction range, the SWCCs are measured using axis-translation and dew point methods. Based on the available experimental data, both proposed SWCCs are shown to perform well in predicting the effects of void ratio on SWCC along the drying path when compared to the experimental results. It is found that the air-entry value increases as the net vertical stress increases for the experiments under the same temperature. In addition, elevation of temperature reduces retention capacity of the GCL.     

侧限条件下增湿时湿陷性黄土的变形及持水特性

 用改装的非饱和土直剪仪在无应力及净竖向应力作用下对湿陷性黄土进行分级增湿试验,测量增湿过程中变形及吸力的变化,分析增湿前孔隙比(无应力时)及净竖向应力对增湿时湿陷性黄土的变形及持水特性的影响,探讨无应力与净竖向应力作用时增湿持水特性之间的关系,提出力水耦合作用下孔隙比与吸力关系的表达式及以饱和度与吸力关系表征的持水特性模型。研究结果表明：力水耦合作用下,孔隙比与归一化吸力关系可用对数函数来描述,可以用孔隙比的变化来反映净竖向应力对持水特性的影响。无应力及净竖向应力作用时,只要孔隙比相同,则饱和度与吸力间关系相同。吸力小于阈值时,增湿前孔隙比和力水耦合作用所致孔隙比的变化对含水率与吸力间关系皆有较大影响;大于阈值时,几乎没有影响,且可用同一幂函数描述,据此提出考虑孔隙比变化的修正V-G模型,该模型可以预测无应力及净竖向应力作用时湿陷性黄土的增湿持水特性,预测结果与试验结果吻合较好。     

Hydromechanical behavior of unsaturated expansive clay under repetitive loading

Compacted layers of expansive soils are used in different engineering projects,such as subgrades,engineered clay barriers,and buffers for radioactive waste disposal.These layers are exposed to a variety of stresses and wetting conditions during field serviceability.Coupling between hydraulic and mechanical repeated loading provides insight understanding to the induced progressive deformation of expansive clay.This study was conducted to investigate the hydromechanical behavior of unsaturated compacted expansive clay under repeated loadingeunloading (RLU) conditions.Two series of onedimensional (1D) oedometer tests were conducted under controlled matric suction up to 1500 k Pa using the axis translation technique (Fredlund soil-water characteristic curve device,SWC-150).The first test series was carried out at different levels of controlled matric suction for non-repeated loading eunloading (NRLU) cycles.RLU cycles were applied in the second test series at different repetitivestress levels and under different levels of matric suction.The results indicated increasing axial wetting strain ε_a(s),axial swell pressure s_s(s),compression index C_c(s),and swell index C_s(s) with suction reduction.The estimated loadecollapse (LC) curves obtained from NRLU series (LCN) and RLU series (LCR)indicated increasing yield stress s_y(s) with increasing suction.This is attributed to the developed apparent cohesion between soil particles,which in turn rigidifies the material response.Applying repetitive loading induced a notable reduction of compression index C_c(s) at the same level of suction,whereas swell index C_s(s) seems to be independent of repetitive loading.Finally,repetitive loading exceeding initial yield stresses results in plastic hardening and,hence,enlargement of yield stress locus(i.e.LC_R curve).     

高吸力高温度下2种滤纸率定曲线及其应用

使用15种饱和盐溶液的蒸汽平衡法测试了Whatman No.42和国产双圈203两种滤纸分别在20,40,60,80下的总吸力与滤纸含水率关系,并给出其总吸力率定曲线方程。试验结果表明,2种滤纸的持水性均随着温度的升高而降低。还用2种滤纸分别在20,40,60,80下测定高庙子钙基膨润土在不同温度下的土水特征曲线,试验结果显示用2种滤纸测得的该膨润土土水特征曲线相近,高庙子钙基膨润土随着温度的升高其持水性下降,尤其是温度超过60时,其特征曲线下降更明显,而在高吸力阶段温度对持水性影响不大。     

The coupled hydro-mechanical behaviours of compacted crushed Callovo-Oxfordian argillite

Callovo-Oxfordian(COx)argillite obtained from the excavation of high-level radioactive waste geological disposal has been evaluated as an alternative sealing/backfill material in France.This paper presents an experimental investigation into the hydro-mechanical behaviour of compacted crushed COx argillite.A series of oedometer compressive tests including various loading-unloading cycles were conducted on COx argillite powders at different initial water contents. After reaching the desired dry density(2.0 Mg/m 3 ),the vertical stress was reduced to different levels(7.0 and 0.5 MPa)and the compacted sample was then flooded under constant volume conditions while measuring the changes in the vertical stress. It was found that the initial water content significantly affects the compressive behaviour.The measured saturated hydraulic conductivity is less than 1×10-10 m/s.     

Insufficient initial hydration of GCLs from some subgrades: Factors and causes

Water retention and hydration tests are reported for three needle punched geosynthetic clay liners (GCLs). GCLs hydration and their maximum hydration capacity were assessed against subgrade soils prepared at different initial gravimetric water contents. The subgrade soil mineralogy and particle size distribution, as well as the carrier geotextiles used in GCLs, are shown to have a significant impact on the GCLs hydration behaviour. This work highlights the need to consider the unsaturated properties of both the GCLs and the subgrade soil when assessing the hydration of the GCLs. At gravimetric water contents above the GCL water entry value (≈30%), some forms of GCL configuration may be better than others with respect to ability to hydrate from a given soil. However, the partial hydration of GCL is mostly controlled by the bentonite microstructure for gravimetric water contents below the water entry value of the GCLs.     

等向压缩应力条件下原状黄土的吸湿持水特性

用改装的非饱和土三轴剪切渗透仪,在不同等向压缩应力作用下对天然状态的原状黄土进行了分级浸水试验,分析了应力对吸湿持水曲线的影响,提出了可以直接考虑等向压缩应力影响,以饱和度及含水率与吸力关系表征的持水特性模型。研究结果表明:应力对饱和度与吸力关系的影响较大;对含水率与吸力间关系的影响与吸力大小有关,当吸力大于阈值时几乎没有影响,可近似归一,当吸力小于阈值时影响较大。随着应力增大,脱气吸力值增大,饱和含水率减小,且可分别用线性函数及对数函数描述之。不同应力下,饱和度及含水率比(含水率与饱和含水率之比)与吸力比(吸力与脱气吸力值之比)关系皆可以归一,且可用提出的模型描述。该模型直接把等向压缩应力作为变量,与以应力作用下孔隙比作为变量的持水曲线模型相比,更便于实际工程应用。模型对饱和度及含水率与吸力关系的预测结果与试验结果吻合较好。