Freeze–thaw cycling concurrent with cation exchange and the hydraulic conductivity of geosynthetic clay liners

Abstract

A study was conducted to assess the effect of cation exchange concurrent with freeze–thaw cycling on the hydraulic conductivity of a geosynthetic clay liner (GCL). GCLs were prehydrated by contact with silica flour moistened with synthetic subgrade pore water and subsequently permeated with a solution representing the pore water in the cover soil over a tailings facility. Control tests were conducted using the same procedure, except deionized (DI) water was used as the permeant liquid to preclude cation exchange from the permeant liquid. The GCLs were subjected to 1, 3, 5, 15, and 20 freeze–thaw cycles, and the hydraulic conductivity and exchange complex were determined before and after freeze–thaw cycling to assess chemical changes that occurred during freezing, thawing, and permeation. GCLs undergoing freeze–thaw cycling experienced little to no cation exchange through 5 freeze–thaw cycles. After 20 freeze–thaw cycles, 50% of the sodium (Na+) initially in the exchange complex was replaced by calcium (Ca2+). Dissolution of calcite within the bentonite is a likely source of the Ca2+. Hydraulic conductivity of the GCLs exposed to freeze–thaw cycling was lower than the hydraulic conductivity of a new GCL permeated with DI water (<2.2 × 10−11 m/s). A small increase in hydraulic conductivity (∼2.3 times), which may have been caused by cation exchange, occurred between 15 and 20 freeze–thaw cycles, but the hydraulic conductivity remained below the hydraulic conductivity of a new GCL unexposed to freeze–thaw cycling and permeated with DI water.