Collaborative Project on the Long-Term Performance of Barrier Systems

ISSUES BEING EXAMINED (see publication list for published work)

GCLs in composite liners:

• moisture uptake of GCLs
• water retention curve of GCLs
• migration of nanoparticles through GCLs and the underlying subsoil
• hydraulic effectiveness of GCL overlaps
• interaction of GCLs with the adjacent soil

GCLs in composite liners subjected to temperature cycles:

• moisture content of GCLs in the field with time
• field shrinkage of different GCLs in an exposed composite liner
• effect of GM wrinkles on GCL shrinkage
• effect of GCL manufacture (type) on shrinkage

GMs:

• Number and interconnectedness of wrinkles observed in the field
• Effect of liner configuration and temperature on long-term performance of secondary liners
• Diffusion of VOCs through GMs
• Diffusion of emerging contaminants of concern (e.g. CNPs, BPA, PBDE, PCBs) through GMs
• Effect on long-term performance of HDPE GMs of:
• leachate composition (including high and low pH encountered in heap leach pads)
• liner configuration
• physical stress (including the very high stresses that may be encountered in heap leach pads)
• temperature
• presence of wrinkles
• protection layer