Date of Award
4-1986
Degree Name
Master of Science
Department
Geological and Environmental Sciences
First Advisor
Dr. Richard N. Passero
Second Advisor
Dr. John D. Grace
Third Advisor
Dr. W. Thomas Straw
Access Setting
Masters Thesis-Open Access
Abstract
A principle objective of using bentonite as a soil additive is to reduce the permeability of a cover material, thus, inhibiting the infiltration of surface waters at landfill sites.
Twenty-two cores of the KL landfill were taken to obtain in-situ soil columns for testing. Coefficients of permeability were calculated for each soil column using the falling-head permeameter. Mechanical and hydrometer analyses were used for the grain size analysis. The methylene-blue test was employed to determine the actual percentages of bentonite present in each soil column. X-ray diffraction work was done on the clay fraction of each soil column to verify and augment the data gained from the methylene-blue test.
Permeability values ranged from 1.6 x 10-3 cm/s to 1.9 x 10-6 cm/s at the KL landfill, and averaged 1.6 x 10-4 cm/s. These values are greater than the preferred levels for a landfill cover material.
Recommended Citation
Carey, Neal J., "An Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Bentonite as a Soil Additive for the Cover Material on the KL Avenue Sanitary Landfill, Kalamazoo, Michigan" (1986). Masters Theses. 1302.
https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/masters_theses/1302