A laboratory methodology for predicting variations in the geotechnical parameters of soil exposed to solid waste leachates in the field
Yamile Valencia González, Alejandro Quintero-Ramírez, Luis Augusto Lara Valencia
Abstract
Disposal of municipal solid waste is clearly an environmental, economic, and social issue worldwide. Due to limited land availability and poor leachate management facilities; chances of groundwater contamination are high. Hence, this research aims to predict, based on a case study, possible geotechnical properties variations of a soil subjected in the field to leachate from a landfill, through the implementation of a methodology for contaminated soils under laboratory conditions. In the laboratory, the soil sample was subjected to leachate permeation for 30 days, comparing the change of its geotechnical properties against soil sample subjected in the field to the effect of percolation of leachate for more than 15 years. Variations in geotechnical properties for both soil samples, before and after being subjected to non-controlled solid waste leachates were: increasing in the void ratio, organic matter, cationic interchange capability, particle agglomeration, compressibility, permeability, and decreasing in shear strength and suction. This study proves that the proposed methodology allows predicting the changes in geotechnical properties for landfill foundation soils, subjected to the advance of solid waste leachates.