Effects of Leachate-Soil Interaction on Shear Strength, Permeability, Compaction, and Chemical Characteristics
Rana Al-Fares
DOI: 10.2190/ES.33.1.a
Abstract
This article presents the results of an investigation program, consisting of laboratory tests, carried out to determine the short-term effects of leachate contamination on the geotechnical and chemical properties of clean silty sandstone soil locally known as Gatch. Leachate is released due to the decay, oxidation, and corrosion of waste discarded carelessly in old abandoned pits of opencast mining or quarries with minimal use of manual waste separation techniques and no use of liners. In some cases, this results in the percolation of contaminated leachate causing severe risk to the surrounding soil, groundwater, and community health. An extensive laboratory-testing program was carried out to determine the properties of the clean weakly cemented calcareous/gypsiferous silty sandstone material obtained from Al-Jahra city, located 37 Km northwest of Kuwait City. Real municipal solid waste leachate obtained from a waste disposal site, known as Al-Qurain landfill, was used in this study to prepare the soil-leachate mixtures. Contaminated specimens were prepared by mixing the natural soil with the real leachate in the increments of 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% by weight of soil to vary the degree of contamination. The chemical characteristics of the leachate used were also determined. A general deterioration of soil properties attributed to the chemistry of the leachate formed is noted.
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