A sports field construction method that uses a geotextile to support the root zone atop a synthetic drainage structure is an alternative to the common design that uses gravel drainage material to support the root zone. A study was conducted to address the concern that fine particles in the root zone may migrate under the influence of percolating water, clog geotextile pores, and restrict the amount of water drained from a sports field. In test columns, six root zone mixtures with different particle size distributions were combined with ten geotextiles with different opening sizes to produce 60 replicated treatments. Water flow through the root zone mixture-geotextile combinations in the test columns was evaluated over a six-month period. Change in permeability was assessed by monitoring the temporal distribution of drainage from a 25-mm pulse of water applied to 300-mm deep root zone mixture in the test column. Particles in drainage water were analyzed for size distribution. The study revealed that drainage rates were affected more by drainage trough the root zone mixture than through the geotextile. The amount and particle size distribution of particles in drainage water were influenced more by root zone mixture than by geotextile. It appeared that in the establishment phase of a sports field that fine particles in the root zone may present more of a problem to clogging of the root zone pores than clogging of the geotextile pores.

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The treatment of municipal, industrial and agricultural wastewater produces a semi-liquid mixture known as sludge. The costs associated with pumping, transporting, treating, storing, and disposing of sludge are significant. Therefore, sludge dewatering techniques are employed to increase the solids content of the material by separating the solid and liquid components, thus reducing the overall volume requiring further handling. Non-mechanical dewatering methods require large areas of land and favorable climatic conditions, while mechanical dewatering technologies require significant capital investment and ongoing operation and maintenance by highly trained personnel. Due to these shortcomings, the conventional methods of sludge dewatering are not applicable to scenarios where: the quantity of sludge is small, there is limited budget, there are land restrictions, or dewatering is performed seasonally. An alternative approach that has recently attracted considerable attention is the use of dewatering fabrics; specially engineered textiles supplied in the form of very large bags into which the sludge is pumped. The concept itself is simple, pressure inside the bag pushes the free water through the fabric while the solid material is retained within. Unfortunately, these products have exhibited poor dewatering performance for certain feed materials. In this work, a series of ‘next-generation’ engineered dewatering fabrics featuring elongated ‘slit’ pores were produced using laser cutting techniques. A comprehensive analysis of the effect of the filter properties on dewatering performance was performed using sludge sourced from two different operations: municipal wastewater treatment and precious metal mining. / Thesis / Master of Applied Science (MASc) / In recent years, the use of engineered dewatering fabrics has emerged as a viable alternative to conventional methods of sludge dewatering in numerous application areas including municipal wastewater, mining, and pulp and paper. Previous studies have focused on the development of empirical ratios between dewatering performance and the porous properties of the textile material. The limitation of this approach is that the latter is difficult to characterize using currently available techniques due to the complex, nonuniform pore structure of conventional woven and nonwoven dewatering fabrics. In this study, a series of dewatering fabrics were produced using advanced microfabrication techniques featuring well-defined slit-pore geometries. Full-factorial design-of-experiment frameworks were employed to evaluate the effects of slit-pore dimensions and slit-pore spacing on cake layer development and key dewatering performance metrics. Laboratory scale dewatering performance tests were performed using both anaerobic digested sludge from the Woodward Avenue Wastewater Treatment Plant in Hamilton, Ontario and metal precipitate sludge from a nickel-copper mine in Ontario, Canada. The results from this study provide new insights into the importance of the cake layer in geotextile dewatering and the impact of pore geometry, porosity, and polymer performance on cake layer development.

This study investigated the feasibility of using a portable geotextile fabric based filtering device to remove suspended solids from raw sewage. This device was considered to replace a conventional primary clarifier. The proposed filtration process directs wastewater influent through a geotextile fabric filter. As filtering progresses, and solids accumulate on the fabric, the loaded fabric is scrolled to present a fresh surface. Only non-woven polypropylene geotextile fabrics were investigated. These products are constructed by spunbonding or needle-punch technique. Needle-punched fabrics proved superior in terms of Total Suspended Solids (TSS) filtering performance and fabric usage rates. Spunbonded products absorbed less moisture, reducing loaded fabric weight. Fabric thickness did not affect filtration efficiencies for either type of geotextile. Process variables affecting unit performance were investigated. Flow rate, head level, and fabric tension did not affect TSS removal. Fabric tension, however, is limited by tensile strength of the geotextile material. Two wastewater receving basin configurations for the device were investigated. An influent basin with two 450 angled walls forming a V-shape performed better in terms of fabric feed rates. It is recommended for full-scale applications. Finally, several methods were used in an effort to improve treatment performance. Polymer use, and polymer use in conjunction with pre-screening of wastewater, were both used. Polymer use alone did not increase the operating efficiency. Polymer use, along with pre-screening, was promising enough to consider this as a stand-alone treatment system. / Master of Science

Geotextiles are often incorporated in engineered structures—including landfill liners and covers, earthen dams, retaining walls, and roads—to perform the separation, filtration, and/or drainage functions. Under unsaturated conditions typical of such structures, a capillary break may form at the interface between soil and geotextile. If the break is unplanned, the resulting build-up of moisture may be detrimental to the structure. Conversely, properly designed geotextile capillary barriers have the potential for many positive applications. Design information, including a complete framework for analysis and an accepted laboratory characterization approach, is lacking. The primary objectives of this study were to investigate geotextile capillary barrier performance with a simple laboratory model and propose a framework for complete analysis of a geotextile capillary barrier life cycle. Soil columns were designed to allow the formation and breakthrough of a geotextile capillary barrier to be observed. Materials used in the columns were obtained from a capillary barrier system currently under construction at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal in Denver, CO. Hydraulic characterization of the soil and geotextile were performed in the lab. Eleven column tests were completed for this study—soil compaction and applied flow rate were varied to investigate their effect on capillary barrier response. Analysis was approached within a proposed framework covering each stage of a capillary barrier life cycle. While there was considerable scatter in the test results, important insight was gained. The geotextile capillary barrier performed consistently. Conditions near the interface at breakthrough were similar between tests, regardless of soil compaction or applied flow rate, and were predicted adequately with the laboratory characterization. Storage capacity of the capillary barrier decreased with increasing relative compaction. A framework for analysis, from which the entire capillary barrier response may be modeled, was developed. Application of this model allowed for identification of weaknesses and recommendations for future work. / text

Geotextile and geomembrane sheets are typically used as a composite system rather than as a stand-alone solution because of their complementary properties of permeability and stiffness. Previous researchers have focused on the large-scale interaction of fiber-texture interfaces while the micromechanical behavior of the internal geotextile structure has received limited attention. Characterizing the variation in the arrangement and distribution of filaments/voids is essential to understanding the micro-scale mechanisms of nonwoven fabrics interacting with counterface materials. This presentation summarizes the results from a study that examined the micromechanical mechanisms involved at needle-punched nonwoven geotextile-textured HDPE geomembrane interfaces and relates the results to the observed macro-scale response. A large displacement direct interface shear device was developed and used in this study to reduce the system errors that often occur with conventional shear devices and to allow internal geotextile strains to occur during shear. Complimentary numerical modeling was undertaken to study interface response. An advanced image analysis technique was applied to allow the evolution of the filament microstructure under various boundary and load conditions to be quantified. The different phases within the geosynthetic interface zone were detected from images captured using high-resolution optical microscopy. The changes of geotextile inner structures were statistically quantified in terms of inter-filament distance changes as well as the local void ratio and inscribing void size distributions. The tensile response of single filaments was measured using a helium neon deflectometer and these measurements were used to evaluate the shear induced filament strain. The study provides insight into the combined role of geomembrane surface topography and geotextile filament structure on macro-scale geosynthetic interface response.

This thesis describes a laboratory investigation of in-situ treatment of synthetic leachate representative of that generated by a municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill. The overall objective is to evaluate alternative designs and operating procedures for effective leachate collection in conjunction with efforts to accelerate waste stabilization (i.e. leachate recirculation). In the investigation five 15 cm (6) diameter PVC columns were packed with pea gravel and concrete of different sizes; geotextiles were also placed between the packed sections as filter-separators and promoters of bacterial growth. Synthetic leachate was continuously input to the top of the columns and circulated at rates representative of operating field conditions. For each column, effluent was discharged to a nitrification reactor before recirculation. The tests were conducted under anaerobic and unsaturated conditions in the columns. Results indicate about a 97% decrease in COD from the synthetic leachate concentration entering the top of the column, and about 98 % conversion of the ammonia to nitrogen gas. COD depletion and methane production were not significantly inhibited by the denitrification process. Optimum Hydraulic Retention Time (HRT) for the nitrification-denitrification system makes it economically viable for its development at a landfill site. Gas production shows low CO2 values, decreasing the potential of clogging in the Leachate Collection System (LCS) and extending the Landfill Gas (LFG) networks life service by generating a less corrosive environment. The use of concrete as an alternative to the most commonly used natural gravel as leachate collection drains may not be a good option. During the experiment, the leachate that permeated the columns packed with crushed concrete, presented a higher pH than the leachate that permeated the natural stone. At the conclusion of the experiment noticeable weathering was observed when the columns where dismantled. Further studies are recommended until more conclusive evidence as to concrete performance is found. The overall results obtained from the experiment show that in situ passive treatment at landfills is viable.

This thesis describes a laboratory investigation of in-situ treatment of synthetic leachate representative of that generated by a municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill. The overall objective is to evaluate alternative designs and operating procedures for effective leachate collection in conjunction with efforts to accelerate waste stabilization (i.e. leachate recirculation). In the investigation five 15 cm (6) diameter PVC columns were packed with pea gravel and concrete of different sizes; geotextiles were also placed between the packed sections as filter-separators and promoters of bacterial growth. Synthetic leachate was continuously input to the top of the columns and circulated at rates representative of operating field conditions. For each column, effluent was discharged to a nitrification reactor before recirculation. The tests were conducted under anaerobic and unsaturated conditions in the columns. Results indicate about a 97% decrease in COD from the synthetic leachate concentration entering the top of the column, and about 98 % conversion of the ammonia to nitrogen gas. COD depletion and methane production were not significantly inhibited by the denitrification process. Optimum Hydraulic Retention Time (HRT) for the nitrification-denitrification system makes it economically viable for its development at a landfill site. Gas production shows low CO2 values, decreasing the potential of clogging in the Leachate Collection System (LCS) and extending the Landfill Gas (LFG) networks life service by generating a less corrosive environment. The use of concrete as an alternative to the most commonly used natural gravel as leachate collection drains may not be a good option. During the experiment, the leachate that permeated the columns packed with crushed concrete, presented a higher pH than the leachate that permeated the natural stone. At the conclusion of the experiment noticeable weathering was observed when the columns where dismantled. Further studies are recommended until more conclusive evidence as to concrete performance is found. The overall results obtained from the experiment show that in situ passive treatment at landfills is viable.

In 1998, two upper North Bosque River segments were designated as impaired due to the nonpoint source (NPS) pollution of phosphorus (P) to these segments in the watershed. As a result, two Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) were applied which called for the reduction of annual loading and annual average soluble reactive P (Sol P) concentrations by 50 %. This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of two prospective new technologies, an Electrocoagulation (EC) system, and a Geotube® dewatering system to potentially aid the dairy farmers in meeting the goals set by the TMDLs. The EC system analyzed in this study used chemical pretreatment to coagulate and separate solids in effluent pumped from the dairy lagoon; the liquid then flowed over charged iron electrodes giving off ions that cause coagulation and precipitation of P and other metals. Overall, the performance of the system was consistently highly effective in reducing total phosphorus (TP) and Sol P, on average, reducing these constituents by 96% and 99.6% respectively from the dairy lagoon effluent. However this consistency did not hold for the rest of the analytes. In the Geotube® dewatering system geotextile tubes were utilized to dewater dairy lagoon effluent. Results showed this system performed very well in filtering solids from the dairy lagoon effluent, removing an average of 93.5 % of the total solids between the two pumping and dewatering events of March and April. It was effective in removing nutrients and metals as well. The average percent reduction of TP and Sol P for the two events were very high at 97% and 85 % respectively.