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Geotechnical characterization of bentonite-fly ash mixtures for their application as landfill liner in Pakistan

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Abstract

A well-designed landfill possesses a well-engineered mechanism to resist the intermixing of the leachate of disposal waste and groundwater. The utilization of bentonite-fly ash mixture in the designing of clay liners is not only cost-effective to improve the applicability of the clay liner but improvised viable strategy to reuse the waste from thermal power generation plants in a technically effective manner. This study has been conducted to investigate the properties of bentonite-fly ash mixtures for use as landfill liners in Pakistan. Laboratory tests such as chemical and mineralogical analysis, swell index, specific gravity, grain size analysis, Atterberg limits, standard compaction, unconfined compressive strength, and hydraulic conductivity tests were performed on bentonite-fly ash mixtures (with a bentonite content varying from 0 to 100%) to characterize their geotechnical and hydraulic performance. Results showed that the swell index, specific gravity, and plasticity index increased, while optimum moisture content and hydraulic conductivity decreased significantly with an increase in bentonite content and a decrease in fly ash content. An optimum bentonite-fly ash admixture ratio satisfying minimum landfill liner design requirements was recommended based on developed bivariate constraint-based models. The developed models were also validated using reported values.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the Higher Education Commission (HEC) NRPU Project 9607.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Geological Engineering Department, University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore, 54890, Pakistan

    Hafiz Muhammad Awais Rashid, Arsalan Sardar & Atif Ismail

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  1. Hafiz Muhammad Awais Rashid
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  2. Arsalan Sardar
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  3. Atif Ismail
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Correspondence to Hafiz Muhammad Awais Rashid.

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Responsible editor: Zeynal Abiddin Erguler

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Rashid, H.M.A., Sardar, A. & Ismail, A. Geotechnical characterization of bentonite-fly ash mixtures for their application as landfill liner in Pakistan. Arab J Geosci 14, 1307 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-021-07663-6

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