A Review on Role of Geosynthetic Clay Liners in Contaminated Site Remediation

Abstract

Many environmental disasters occurred in the past due to site contamination caused by leakage of leachate to surround soil, surface water and ground water aquifer. The main concern is focused on the contamination potential due to migration of the leachate produced from the waste disposal or storage sites into the soil and underlying layers. Leachate quality, quantity and properties are directly relevant to waste management methods, environment conditions and waste characteristics, as well as the process of landfill processing, and the leachate may be the major source of various pollutants and emissions Problems associated with the cleanup sites have shown that remediation technologies need to be developed that are feasible, fast, and deployable in a wide range of physical settings. Using an effective landfill liner is a common way of preventing the movement of pollutants (with gas or leachate) from landfill sites or contaminated sites (e.g. brownfields, fuel stations, accidental spills, etc.). In this study different types of Geosynthetic clay liners were reviewed and they were compared in aspects of hydraulic conductivity, strength, material and chemical to improve GCL design to optimum.