Crack mitigation and contaminant immobilization in the bentonite clay using sustainable amendments
department or school: Applied Science, Faculty of
department or school: Engineering, School of (Okanagan)
data provider: DSpace
degree campus: UBCO
creator: Injamala, Sharon Kumar
issued: 2025-04-30T07:00:00Z
issued: 2024
related degree: Master of Applied Science - MASc
degree grantor: University of British Columbia
description: Desiccation cracks in landfill liners pose several problems that can significantly impact the performance and environmental safety of landfills. This study presents two different sustainable stabilizing materials to minimize the cracking properties and improve the geotechnical properties of bentonite for its application in landfill liner systems. One of those sustainable stabilizing materials is biochar which has been widely used to improve soil quality and store atmospheric carbon dioxide. The other material is a biopolymer which helps in the polymerization of clays and has gained significant interest due to its sustainability characteristics. Three different percentages of biochar (5%, 15%, 25%) of sizes less than 0.075 mm and three different percentages of biopolymer (0%, 2%, 4%) are mixed with bentonite clay followed by investigating their volumetric shrinkage behavior, compaction and compressive strength characteristics. The desiccation cracking is assessed with the help of ImageJ analysis in terms of Crack Intensity Factor (CIF) and Crack Density Factor (CDF). The microstructure analysis using a Scanning electron microscope (SEM) is carried out to visualize how the composite materials interact when mixed. Finally, the adsorption studies are conducted to determine the effect of biochar and biopolymer on the adsorption behavior of bentonite using Lead (Pb²⁺) as a contaminant. The compaction and compressive strength values are highest at biochar (5%) and biopolymer (4%). Furthermore, the biochar-amended bentonite displayed improved adsorption behavior, volumetric shrinkage and crack resistance in terms of CDF and CIF. The results indicate that biochar and biopolymer are sustainable amendments to the high-swelling bentonite clay to improve its geotechnical properties for its application as a landfill liner material.
aggregated CHO: https://circle.library.ubc.ca/rest/handle/2429/88320
note: CRACK MITIGATION AND CONTAMINANT IMMOBILIZATION IN BENTONITE CLAY WITH SUSTAINABLE AMENDMENTS by Sharon Kumar Injamala B.Tech, IIT Patna, 2019 A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF APPLIED SCIENCE in THE COLLEGE OF GRADUATE STUDIES (Civil Engineering) THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA (Okanagan) May 2024 © Sharon Kumar Injamala, 2024 ii The following individuals certify that they have read and recommend to the College of Graduate Studies for acceptance, the thesis entitled: Crack Mitigation and Contaminant Immobilization in the Bentonite Clay using Sustainable Amendments: submitted by Sharon Kumar Injamala in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Master of Applied Science. Examining Committee: Dr. Sumi Siddiqua, School of Engineering Supervisor Dr. Chinchu Cherian, University of Northern British Columbia Supervisory Committee Member Dr. Amir Ardestani-Jaafari, Faculty of Management Supervisory Committee Member Dr. Wenbo Zheng, University of Northern British Columbia Examiner iii Abstract Desiccation cracks in landfill liners pose several problems that can significantly impact the performance and environmental safety of landfills. This study presents two different sustainable stabilizing materials to minimize the cracking properties and improve the geotechnical properties of bentonite for its application in landfill liner systems. One of those sustainable stabilizing materials is biochar which has been widely used to improve soil quality and store atmospheric carbon dioxide. The other material is a biopolymer which helps in the polymerization of clays and has gained significant interest due to its sustainability characteristics. Three different percentages of biochar (5%, 15%, 25%) of sizes less than 0.075 mm and three different percentages of biopolymer (0%, 2%, 4%) are mixed with bentonite clay followed by investigating their volumetric shrinkage behavior, compaction and compressive strength ch…
has type: Thesis/Dissertation
date issued: 2024-09
is shown at: 10.14288/1.0443358
language: eng
degree discipline: Civil Engineering
provider: Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
publisher: University of British Columbia
rights: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
rights URI: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
scholar level: Graduate
contributor: Siddiqua, Sumi
type: Text
identifier URI: http://hdl.handle.net/2429/88320