Abstract
Containment technique using cut-off walls is a valid method against contaminants in subsurface soil and/or groundwater. This paper states laboratory testing results on hydraulic barrier performance of Soil-Bentonite (SB), which is made by mixing bentonite with in-situ soil. Since the bentonite swelling is sensitive to chemicals, chemical compatibility is important for the hydraulic barrier performance of SB. Hydraulic conductivity tests using flexible-wall permeameter were conducted on SB specimens with various types and concentrations of chemicals in the pore water and/or in the permeant and with various bentonite powder contents. As a result, hydraulic barrier performance of SB was influenced by the chemical concentration in the pore water of original soil and bentonite powder content. In the case that SB specimens have damage parallel to the permeating direction, no significant leakage in the SB occurs by the self-sealing property of SB. In addition, the hydraulic conductivity values of SB have excellent correlation with their plastic indexes and swelling pr essures, thus these properties of SB have some possibility to be indicators for estimation of the hydraulic barrier performance of SB.
