Rejeitos de mineração com muita freqüência são dispostos na forma de lama. A capacidade de estocagem das lagoas onde são depositados depende de suas dimensões e formas de operação, mas também das características físicas, compressibilidade e condutividade hidráulica da lama. No presente trabalho estudam-se as características de consolidação de uma lama argilosa resultante da mineração de areia, por meio do ensaio de consolidação hidráulica (HCT) e modela-se o enchimento de uma lagoa de disposição desse rejeito, empregando a teoria de grandes deformações e mediante o software CONDES. Realizaram-se ensaios de caracterização e HCT com amostras coletadas das lagoas 2, 11 e vertedouro da Mineração Jundu Ltda. em Descalvado, São Paulo. Estes parâmetros foram necessários para as análises de simulação numérica do processo de enchimento da Lagoa 11. Os resultados dos ensaios HCT mostraram um conjunto consistente de propriedades constitutivas do material, também se verificou a importância de alcançar a condição estável nas leituras da diferença de pressão entre o topo e a base do corpo de prova, assim obter uma menor variabilidade dos resultados. A simulação de enchimento se mostrou consistente, onde se obteve a evolução do processo de consolidação em diferentes etapas do lançamento da lama. Observou-se uma concordância dos resultados obtidos na simulação de enchimento. Segundo as análises observou-se que a altura dos rejeitos após um período de dois anos é da ordem de 1.57 m. / Mining waste is frequently disposed of in the form of mud. The storage capacity of a collection reservoir of mining waste depends on its dimensions and on its operational processes, which are based on the physical characteristics of the mud and its compressibility and hydraulic conductivity. This research focuses on the study of the consolidation characteristics of a clayey mud resultant from the process of sand mining. Such characteristics were studied through Hydraulic Consolidation Tests (HCT) and by modeling the waste reservoir filling process using large deformation theory and the CONDES software. Characterization and hydraulic consolidation tests were performed on samples obtained from Reservoirs 2 and 11 and from the Jundu Mine spillway at Descalvado City in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. The characterization parameters obtained were employed in performing numerical analysis of the filling process of waste reservoir 11. HCT test results show the acceptable set of constitutive properties of the analyzed material. During the testing procedures, variability of test results were minimized by obtaining stabilized pressure difference readings between the top and bottom leads of the specimen. Modeling was conducted for instantaneous and progressive filling and both methods yielded the same results. It was observed a predictable parity between the results obtained from instantaneous and progressive filling simulations. The final height after consolidation was measured at approximately two years for both instantaneous and progressive methods of filling. From the analysis, the two-year level was measured at 1.57 meter.

Fine grained soils, in particular clays of high plasticity, are known to have very low values of hydraulic conductivity. This low permeability causes several problems related to vegetation growth and stormwater runoff. One way to improve the permeability of clay soils is by using coarse aggregates as a fill material. Recently, Expanded Shale has been widely applied as an amendment to improve drainage properties of clayey soils. However, limited effort has been made to quantify the effect of Expanded Shale on the hydraulic conductivity or on the volume change of fine grained soils. Specifically, the field and laboratory tests required to quantify the amounts of Expanded Shale to be mixed with clays to obtain desired hydraulic conductivity values have not been conducted. This paper presents the results of a series of laboratory fixed-wall permeameter tests conducted on naturally occurring clay deposits in the Austin area with different plasticity. The testing program comprised of clay samples with different quantities of Expanded Shale aggregates by volume, ranging between 0 and 50%, and compacted at two different compaction efforts (60% and 100% of the standard Proctor compaction effort). The laboratory test results indicate that the hydraulic conductivity of the three soils increases by at least an order of magnitude when the Expanded Shale is mixed in quantities between 25 to 30% by volume depending on the compaction effort. Expanded Shale amended samples also showed lower swelling potential with increasing amendment quantities. Moreover, when the clay with the higher plasticity was mixed with 25% Expanded Shale, the compression and recompression ratios decreased by 25% and 15% respectively. / text

Aquifer heterogeneity within the large coastal sand island of Bribie Island, Queensland, Australia, has an affect on groundwater occurrence and migration. The stratigraphy of Bribie Island is complicated by the presence of low permeability humate-cemented indurated sand layers. Occurrences of indurated sand layers have previously been identified within many unconsolidated profiles along the east coast of Australia and around the world. Indurated sand layers are often discontinuous resulting in localised aquifer heterogeneity. However, their regional significance is commonly underestimated. The groundwater resource of Bribie Island is of commercial and environmental significance to the surrounding bay area. Recent development proposals for the groundwater resource necessitate an investigation into the nature of the water bearing properties of the island aquifer and in particular the presence of aquifer heterogeneity. Investigation of a "reference" transect across Bribie Island has involved the drilling and development of monitoring wells and the performance of hydraulic tests. This study demonstrates how detailed measurement of stratigraphy, groundwater levels, rainfall, barometric pressure and hydraulic testing can be used in conjunction to identify and assess aquifer heterogeneity within a sand island environment. Drill logs confirm the position of a palaeochannel within the sandstone bedrock that extends from the mainland continuing under Bribie Island. The overlying sediment profile is thickest within the palaeochannel. The Pleistocene and Holocene unconsolidated profile reflects a prograding barrier island/strandplain formation. The vertical sequence of sediments consists of units that range from offshore sandy silts to foreshore and beach medium-fine grained sands. An extensive indurated sand layer exists throughout the centre of the island. The greatest thickness of indurated sand is located centrally on the island beneath the main beach ridge system. The indurated layer at its thickest is approximately 5-8 m thick, but over much of the island the thickness is 1-3 m. The top of indurated sand layer is generally 1-3 m above mean sea level. Hydrographs from a network of groundwater monitoring wells illustrate that the groundwater resources across the reference transect can be divided into a shallow unconfined water table aquifer and basal confined aquifers. These upper and lower aquifers are characterised by different hydrological processes, physico-chemical properties, and water chemistry. The stratification of water levels across the reference transect and the relatively flat piezometric surface are in contrast with the classical "domed" water table aquifer expected of a barrier island. Stratified head gradients through the Bribie Island aquifers suggest groundwater migration to depth is impeded by the indurated sand layer. An elevated shallow water table results from the mounding of water above the indurated sand layer. The indurated sand layer is extensive across the reference transect. The elevated unconfined groundwater is usually stained with organic matter ("black water"), where as groundwater sourced from beneath the indurated sand layer is colourless ("white water"). The unconfined groundwater is also distinguished by low pH, low bicarbonate concentrations and high concentrations of organic carbon. Interaction between unconfined groundwater and surface water are also evident. Hydraulic tests indicate that each of the unconsolidated units across the reference transect has distinctive hydraulic characteristics. Estimates of vertical and horizontal hydraulic conductivity of the unconfined aquifer are two to three orders of magnitude greater than estimates for the indurated sand layer. Beneath the indurated sand layer hydraulic conductivities of the basal aquifers are also greater by two to three orders of magnitude than estimates for the indurated sand layer. The lower hydraulic conductivity within the indurated sand layer is responsible for the local semiconfinement of the basal aquifers.

The Saline Valley Conservancy District (SVCD) formed in 1980 to provide groundwater to communities in Saline and Gallatin, Counties, Illinois. Sulfate contamination from a nearby coal mine threatens the SVCD’s current well field. Three of the wells are reaching the end of their service and have elevated levels of sulfate. This study investigated multiple well configurations on three different parcels of land to find possible new well locations that do not recharge water directly from the mine site over a 50-year period. A steady-state finite difference groundwater flow model was created using Graphic Groundwater GIS (Krienert and Esling, 2016), a pre and post-processor for MODFLOW (Harbaugh, 2005) and MODPATH (Pollock, 2012). The calibration and sensitivity analysis followed methods from Esling et al. (2008). Hydraulic heads were calibrated to the land surface and a systematic sensitivity analysis varied recharge, hydraulic conductivity, and drain and river conductance to produce composite capture zones. Well locations must also meet SVCD requirements that would minimize distance from current water lines and consider properties they already owned. New wells also needed to be located in areas where the aquifer exceeds 25 m thick and be separated by 305 meters to minimize drawdown. This study also considered the effects of irrigation on the aquifer. Varying recharge, hydraulic conductivity and conductance within reasonable ranges created six capture zones for the proposed wells, each with different geometries. The capture zones were superimposed onto a map to make a composite capture zone which should contain the actual capture zone for the wells. Varying conductance caused subtle changes in capture zone geometry. Low values of conductance caused particle tracks to elongate. Irrigation wells and some proposed well locations caused substantial dewatering in one area of the aquifer. The study discovered several well configurations on each of the parcels that do not source water from the mine site over 50 years.

O presente trabalho foi realizado com o objetivo de quantificar e caracterizar a variabilidade espacial dos parâmetros equação K = Kq=0 exp(bq), determinada pelo método do perfil instantâneo. Nessa equação, Kq=0 é o coeficiente linear da reta lnK versus q ou a condutividade hidráulica (K) para o teor de água no solo (q) igual a zero e b o coeficiente angular. O experimento foi realizado no campus da "Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz" - ESALQ/USP, localizado no município de Piracicaba (SP), em um Latossolo Vermelho Amarelo, álico, A moderado, textura média, (Typic Hapludox), moderadamente a bem drenado. A parcela experimental tinha um comprimento de 70 m e uma largura de 20 m; na sua linha central ao longo do comprimento foram considerados 50 pontos de observação, distanciados de 1 m entre si e, em cada um deles, instalados 5 tensiômetros eqüidistantes com suas cápsulas porosas localizadas às profundidades de 0,15; 0,30; 0,45; 0,60; 0,75 m. No ponto central de cada circunferência de 0,10 m de raio, na qual foram equidistantemente instalados 5 tensiômetros, foi instalada uma sonda de TDR para medida da umidade nas mesmas cinco profundidades em cada ponto de observação. As medições de umidade e potencial mátrico foram feitas durante 62 dias ou 1.370 horas, escolhendo se para este estudo o período compreendido entre os tempos de redistribuição 78 a 604 horas. Os resultados de umidade no solo (q), potencial mátrico (fm), lnKq=0 e b, foram submetidos à análise estatística exploratória e descritiva para verificação da distribuição e identificação de valores extremos. Também se calculou o número mínimo de subamostras necessárias para estimar o valor médio representativo dos parâmetros avaliados, para um nível de probabilidade de 95%, nos valores de 5, 10, 20 e 30% de coeficiente de variação em torno da média. Para os parâmetros lnKq=0 e b a análise do número de amostras foi também feita pela técnica "bootstrap". Análise da estabilidade temporal foi realizada com os dados de umidade no solo e potencial mátrico. Os resultados indicaram que o padrão de variabilidade dos parâmetros hídricos estudados (q, fm, b e lnKq=0 ) aumentou em profundidade, sendo os maiores coeficientes de variação aqueles apresentados pelo b. A variabilidade da umidade (q) foi baixa e aumentou com o tempo de redistribuição, enquanto que o potencial mátrico (fm), apresentou comportamento oposto, qual seja, variabilidade alta no início da redistribuição diminuindo para média no final da avaliação. Não houve relação entre os parâmetros quanto ao número de amostras necessárias para estimar a média, indicando que a utilização dos métodos para determinação de número de amostras pode gerar valores bem diferentes e que sua aplicação deve ser feita com prudência. Tanto a umidade do solo quanto o potencial mátrico apresentaram estabilidade temporal, o que permitiu identificar quais os locais mais indicados para a realização de amostragens com reduzido esforço e grande precisão. / This work was carried out with the objective of quantifying and characterizing the spatial variability of the K = Kq=0 exp(bq) equation parameters, determined by means of instantaneous profile method. In this equation, b is the slope and Kq=0 the intercept of the linear regression of lnK versus q. The experiment site is located at the Campus “Luiz de Queiroz”, University of São Paulo, county of Piracicaba (SP), Brasil (22 o 42’ 30” S e 47 o 38’ 00” W) in a Typic Hapludox. The experimental plot dimensions were: length = 70 m and width = 20 m. In the central line of the length, 50 observation points 1m among themselves were considered each one with i) 5 mercury manometer tensiometers equally spaced in a 0.10 m radius circumference with their porous cups installed at 0.15, 0.30, 0.45, 0.60 and 0.75 m soil depths and ii) one TDR probe in the central point of the above circumference to measure soil-water content at the same five soil depths. Measurements of soil-water content and matric potential were made during 62 days of soil water redistribution, but the study was carried out using the redistribution time range from 78 to 604 hours. Results of soil-water content (q), matric potential (fm), lnKq=0 and b were analyzed by the exploratory and descriptive statistics in order to verify the data distribution and to identify outliers values. The minimum number of samples necessary to estimate the mean value of the assessed parameters was also calculated at a probability level of 5%, for variation coefficient values of 5, 10, 20 and 30%. For the parameters lnKq=0 and b, the analysis of number of sa mples was also made by using the "bootstrap" technique. Time stability analysis was used for soil-water content and matric potential data. The results have indicated that the variability of the studied hydric parameters (q, fm, b and lnKq=0 ) increased with soil depth, being the higher variation coefficients those of the parameters b. The soil water-content (q) variability was low and increased with the soil water redistribution time, whereas the matric potential had an inverse behavior, that is, high variability at the beginning of the soil water redistribution, decreasing to a medium one at the end of evaluation. There was no relation among parameters in terms of number of samples needed to estimate the mean, indicating that the use of methods to determine the number of samples can led to values very differents; hence the appliance of these methods should be done with caution. Both soil-water content and matric potential presented time stability, which permitted to identify the best points for future samplings with less effort and high precision.

Orientador: Sueli Yoshinaga Pereira / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Geociências / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-23T20:11:00Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Mortatti_BrunoCesar_M.pdf: 2082666 bytes, checksum: 0035bd7ef41b771d365f948dd694e18a (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013 / Resumo: Dois permeâmetros de carga constante e grandes dimensões, com 0,057 e 0,042 metros cúbicos, respectivamente, foram utilizados em laboratório, sob condições controladas, para as determinações das condutividades hidráulicas saturadas de Resíduos Sólidos Urbanos (RSU) coletados no Aterro Sanitário Delta A, localizado na cidade de Campinas-SP. Duas fases experimentais foram delineadas envolvendo diferentes parâmetros como composição gravimétrica e grau de compactação. Para cada fase experimental foram realizados vários ensaios para as determinações das condutividades hidráulicas saturadas em função dos tempos de operação dos permeâmetros e levantamento das principais variáveis físicas envolvidas neste processo, como teor de umidade, capacidade de campo, carga hidráulica e vazão. Simultaneamente, os lixiviados oriundos de cada ensaio realizado foram coletados e monitorados pelas análises dos principais parâmetros e espécies químicas para avaliação das etapas envolvidas no processo de biodegradação dos RSU. As condutividades hidráulicas saturadas, determinadas nos ensaios realizados, variaram de 1,6E-02 a 5,7E-05 m/s em função dos diferentes graus de compactação. Algumas variáveis químicas se mostraram eficientes na identificação das etapas de biodegradação, como potencial redox, ácidos orgânicos voláteis, nitrogênio amoniacal, acetato e carbono total dissolvido. O comportamento dessas variáveis em função dos tempos de operação permitiu a identificação das etapas acidogênica/acetogênica na biodegradação dos RSU / Abstract: Two constant load and large dimensions permeameters, with 0.057 and 0.042 cubic meters, respectively, were used in laboratory, under controlled conditions, for the determination of saturated hydraulic conductivity of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) collected in the Delta A Sanitary Landfill, located at city of Campinas-SP. Two experimental phases were outlined involving different parameters such as gravimetric composition and degree of compression. For each experimental phase were carried out various tests for the determination of satured hydraulic conductivity as a function of the operation times of the permeameters and physical survey of the main variables involved in this process, such as, moisture content, field capacity, hydraulic head and volumetric flow rate. Simultaneously, the leachates coming of each test performed were collected and monitored by the analysis of the main parameters and chemical species for evaluation of the steps involved in the biodegradation of MSW. The saturated hydraulic conductivities, determined in tests, ranged from 1.6E-02 to 5.7E-05 m/s for different degrees of compression. Some chemical variables such as redox potential, volatile fatty acids, ammoniac nitrogen, acetate and dissolved total carbon, were effective in identifying the stages of biodegradation. The behavior of these variables as a function of time of operation allowed the identification of the acidogenic/acetogenic steps in the biodegradation of the MSW / Mestrado / Geologia e Recursos Naturais / Mestre em Geociências

Florida is the second leading horticulture state in the United States with a total annual industry sale of over $12 Billion. Due to its competitive nature, agricultural plant production represents an extremely intensive practice with large amounts of water and fertilizer usage. Agrochemical and water management are vital for efficient functioning of any agricultural enterprise, and the subsequent nutrient loading from such agricultural practices has been a concern for environmentalists. A thorough understanding of the agrochemical and the soil amendments used in these agricultural systems is of special interest as contamination of soils can cause surface and groundwater pollution leading to ecosystem toxicity. The presence of fragile ecosystems such as the Everglades, Biscayne Bay and Big Cypress near enterprises that use such agricultural systems makes the whole issue even more imminent. Although significant research has been conducted with soils and soil mix, there is no acceptable method for determining the hydraulic properties of mixtures that have been subjected to organic and inorganic soil amendments. Hydro-physical characterization of such mixtures can facilitate the understanding of water retention and permeation characteristics of the commonly used mix which can further allow modeling of soil water interactions. The objective of this study was to characterize some of the locally and commercially available plant growth mixtures for their hydro-physical properties and develop mathematical models to correlate these acquired basic properties to the hydraulic conductivity of the mixture. The objective was also to model the response patterns of soil amendments present in those mixtures to different water and fertilizer use scenarios using the characterized hydro-physical properties with the help of Everglades-Agro-Hydrology Model. The presence of organic amendments helps the mixtures retain more water while the inorganic amendments tend to adsorb more nutrients due to their high surface area. The results of these types of characterization can provide a scientific basis for understanding the non-point source water pollution from horticulture production systems and assist in the development of the best management practices for the operation of environmentally sustainable agricultural enterprise

Freshwater access has always been and is continuing to be a severe problem in desert coastal regions, despite the fact that they have an unlimited supply of easily accessible saline water. Water desalination plants are well established and heavily relied upon throughout the Middle East, Saudi Arabia in particular. However, water desalination tends to be a very expensive and energy intensive solution to the problem. The transition from using open water intake systems and all of the pretreatment processes that they require, to using seabed water filters as an intake, would potentially reduce the lifetime costs, energy consumption, and environmental impacts commonly associated with water desalination. This is because the filtration process that the seabed filter generates, serves as sufficient pretreatment for seawater as well as eliminating any risk of entrainment or impingement of marine organisms. The main objective of this research is to conduct a feasibility study on Om Almisk Island, an island off the coast of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), to determine if it would be a suitable location to construct a seabed water filter as a replacement for the current open water intake. The Om Almisk Island site was evaluated through collection of sand samples over a radial grid around Om Almisk Island and sample analysis using grain size distribution, porosity, and hydraulic conductivity. The lack of mud, high hydraulic conductivity, proximity to KAUST, and the shallow waters of the sandy apron surrounding Om Almisk Island make this an ideal location for a seabed water filter to be used as an intake and pretreatment for the KAUST desalination plant. This location also has low tide change and the presence of benthic macrofauna to create bioturbation in the sediments, which could inhibit the growth of a schmutzdecke. If this biological layer forms, it could drastically reduce the hydraulic conductivity of the system. Due to the high hydraulic conductivity of the native sand, a relatively small footprint is possible for the design of the filter. A design with an intake of 105,000 m3/day, using four active galleries and one standby gallery was generated.

An important source of freshwater in arid lands is found in groundwater aquifers that are recharged after storm events. However, most of the precipitation is lost due to evaporation and only small fractions actually recharge the aquifers. The construction of dams along wadi channels enables the retention of stormwater, however the reservoirs are still subject to huge evaporative losses and contamination. In this study, the hydraulic properties of a dunefield in western Saudi Arabia are evaluated in order to determine the feasibility of designing a stormwater storage aquifer storage and recovery facility using the dune sands as a natural medium and design recommendations are addressed. The accurate estimation of hydraulic conductivity of unlithified sediments such as dune sands has become very important in the design of natural filtration projects, including aquifer recharge and recovery systems. Therefore, a comparison and selection of methods for the determination of the hydraulic conductivity from grain size distribution found in the literature was done. An improvement to these equations based on measurements on dune samples was obtained.

Improvements in the strength and durability of frost-susceptible soils and aggregates can be achieved through chemical stabilization using portland cement, where the efficacy of cement stabilization for improving durability depends on the degree to which hydraulic conductivity is reduced. Hydraulic conductivity is commonly estimated from basic soil properties using Moulton's empirical equation. However, the hydraulic conductivity estimation does not consider the detrimental effects of freezing or the benefits of cement stabilization. The purpose of this research was to derive new equations relating hydraulic conductivity after freezing to specific material properties of cement-treated soils and aggregates stabilized with different concentrations of cement. This research included material samples from two locations in Alaska and from single locations in Minnesota, Montana, Texas, and Utah, for a total of six material samples. Each soil or aggregate type was subjected to material characterization by the Unified Soil Classification System (USCS) and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) classification system. Moisture-density curves were developed, and unconfined compressive strength (UCS) testing was performed to determine cement concentrations generally corresponding to low, medium, and high 7-day UCS values of 200, 400, and 600 psi, respectively. After being cured for 28 days at 100 percent relative humidity, the prepared specimens were subjected to frost conditioning and hydraulic conductivity testing. The Alaska-Elliott, Minnesota, Montana, and Utah materials exhibit decreasing hydraulic conductivity with increasing UCS, the Texas material exhibits increasing hydraulic conductivity with increasing strength from the low to medium cement concentration levels but decreasing hydraulic conductivity from the medium to high cement concentration levels, and the Alaska-Dalton material exhibits increasing hydraulic conductivity with increasing strength. Multivariable regression analyses were performed to investigate relationships between hydraulic conductivity and several material properties, including soil gradation and classification, fineness modulus, specific gravity, cement content, porosity, compaction method, dry density, and 7-day UCS for each specimen. The R2 values computed for the six-parameter, four-parameter, USCS, and AASHTO-classification models are 0.795, 0.767, 0.930, and 0.782, respectively. Further research is recommended to investigate the effects of cement on hydraulic conductivity for USCS and AASHTO soil types not covered in this research.