Development of Dual Capillary Barrier

system using Recycled Materials.

Presented by

Fakhrur Rozy Harnas

Under the supervision of
Prof Harianto Rahardjo
8 June 2015

Outline
Introduction
Proposed cover system
Properties of Recycled materials
1D column test
2D infiltration box test
Conclusions

Introduction
Cover system
Evaluation of current landfill cover
Use of C&D waste as civil engineering

material
Objectives

Cover system

Environmental effects Solar radiation, Temperature, relative

humidity, wind speed

Precipitation

Vegetation

Cover system

Evaporation/evapotranspiration

Deep infiltration

Waste layer

An interface between protected material and climatic

environment
The need of unsaturated soil principles

Evaluation of current landfill cover system

RCRA subtitle cover D (USEPA, 1976)

Desiccation cracking
Unreliable over time

Evaluation of current landfill cover system

ET cover (Hauser,

2009)

Limited potential reuse

Required knowledge on

plants
Natural and self sustained

Capillary barrier

(Miyazaki, 1983)

Utilizes the contrast of hydraulic

properties of fine and coarsegrained layers. Water is removed

by evaporation and lateral
diversion (inclined)

Evaluation of capillary barrier

Works in small landfill plot

and arid or semi-arid region

(Nyhan, 1997)
In areas with high rainfall

rate, lateral diversion of the

capillary barrier should be
increased because it is the
main water removal process
(Krisdani, 2006)
Lateral diversion capacity

depends on the permeability

and thickness of the finegrained layer and slope
angle (Ross, 1993)

Evaluation of capillary barrier- Available

method to increase lateral diversion
Increasing the thickness,

Increasing the saturated

permeability of finegrained layer
Morris and Stormont
(1999) tried to use UDL to
increase lateral diversion.
UDL require specific
material different from
original fine and coarse.
Innovative method is
required to increase the
lateral diversion capacity
of capillary barrier

The use of C&D waste as alternative

materials

Recycled concrete (RC)

Recycled asphalt (RA)
Because CB does not require cohesive soils
Traditionally thrown in to landfills
Used in several civil engineering applications to

replace natural aggregates that is expensive & limited

Commercially available in Singapore

Objectives
To develop a modified capillary barrier system

that has higher lateral diversion capacity in

order to reduce infiltration into landfills.
To investigate the potential use of RC and RA
as materials for forming the capillary barrier or
modified capillary barrier system.

Proposed landfill cover

Concept of capillary barrier
Increase in water storage
Increase in lateral diversion

Concept of capillary barrier

Fine-grained soil

Water in fine-grained soil pore

Coarse-grained soil
r1

r2

Air in coarse-grained soil pore

The contrast in hydraulic properties between coarse and fine-grained

layers creates impedance

Water only enters the coarse-grained layer when the matric suction of
the coarse-grained layer reaches it water-entry value
For the continuity of pore-water pressure the matric suction at the base
of fine-grained layer should also reach the value of water-entry value of
the coarse-grained layer

Concept of capillary barrier

Concept of capillary barrier

Qmax k s tan k r d tan k w d ( Ross,1993)

Dual capillary barrier

Dual capillary barrier-increase in water storage

1.2
0.4
1.6

Initial volumetric water content SCB

Initial volumetric water content DCBFine grained soil
CoarseSCB
grained soil
Volumetric water content at breakthrough
Volumetric water content at breakthrough DCB

1.4
1.0

Volumetric
water(m)
content
Coverheight
height
(m)
Cover

0.3

1.2

0.8
1.0
0.2

0.8
0.6
0.6
0.1
0.4

Storage capacity of DCB

Storage capacity of SCB

0.4

0.0
0.2
0.2

Initial suction profile

Suction profile at breakthrough for SCB
Suction profile at 2nd breakthrough for DCB

0.0
0.0
0.01
-12
0.00

0.1
-10
0.05

0.10

1-8

0.15

10-6

0.20

100-4
0.25

Matric
suction
(kPa)(kPa)
Pore
water
pressure
Volumetric water content

1000
-2

0.30

0.35

100000

0.40

Dual capillary barrier-increase in Lateral

diversion

Qmax k s tan k r d tan k w d

1e+0
Fine-grained soil
Coarse-grained soil

Coefficient of permeability (m/s)

1e-1
Lateral diversion

1e-2

capacity

1e-3

Warrick's et al (1997) top

1e-4

integration limit

1e-5
Ross's (1990) top

1e-6
1e-7

integration limit
Ross's (1990)
and

1e-8
1e-9

Steenhuis's
(1991) bottom

integration limit
1e-10
0.01
0.1

10

100

Matric suction (kPa)

1000

10000

Dual capillary barrier-increase in lateral diversion

SCB

DCB
1e+0

1e+0
Fine-grained layer
Coarse-grained layer

1e-2
1e-3

Lateral

1e-4

diversion

1e-5

capacity of SCB

1e-6
1e-7
1e-8

1e-2
1e-3

Lateral diversion

1e-4

capacity of DCB is 2x

1e-5

this area

1e-6
1e-7
1e-8
1e-9

1e-9
1e-10
0.01

Top fine-grained layer

Top coarse-grained layer

1e-1

Coefficient of permeability (m/s)

Coefficient of permeability (m/s)

1e-1

0.1

10

100

Matric suction (kPa)

1000

10000

1e-10
0.01

0.1

10

100

Matric suction (kPa)

1000

10000

Research Program Outline

Property of recycled
materials
Research program
Results and discussion

Research Program
Basic properties test: grain-size distribution

analyses, soil specific gravity and relative

density tests.
Hydraulic properties: Saturated permeability,
SWCC,

Grain size distribution

GRAVEL
coarse
fine

SAND
coarse

medium

SILT/CLAY
fine

Percent finer (% )

100

FRC
CRC
FRA
CRA

80

60

40

20

0
100

10

Grain diameter (mm)

0.1

0.01

Basic properties
Soils
Properties
FRC

CRC

FRA

CRA

SW

GP

1. Unified Soil Classification System

Group symbol
Group name

SW

GP

Well-graded
sands

Poorly graded
gravel

Well-graded Poorly graded

sands
gravel

2. Specific gravity, Gs

2.56

2.62

2.43

2.41

3. Relative density test results

Max. dry density, rd max (Mg/m3)

1.99

1.89

1.92

1.84

Min. dry density, d min (Mg/m3)

1.26

1.25

1.3

1.46

Maximum void ratio, emax

1.03

1.10

0.87

0.77

Minimum void ratio, emin

0.29

0.39

0.26

0.44

1 x 10-4

1 x 10-1

5 x 10-3

5 x 10-1

1.59

1.51

1.54

1.47

4. Saturated permeability, ks
Triaxial permeameter (m/s)
5. Dry density for test (0.8*max dry
density)

Water Characteristic Curve

0.6
Data FRC
Data drying FRC
Data CRC
Data drying FRA
Data FRA
Fredlund&Xing fit drying FRC
Data CRA
Fredlund&Xing fit drying FRA
Fredlund&Xing fit FRC
Data wetting FRC
Fredlund&Xing fit CRC
Data wetting FRA
Fredlund&Xing fit FRA
Fredlund&Xing fit wetting FRC
Fredlund&Xing fit CRA
Fredlund&Xing fit wetting FRA

w
Volumetric
water
content,
Volumetric
water
content,
w

0.6
0.5
0.5
0.4
0.4
0.3
0.20.3

0.10.2

0.00.1

0.0
0.01
0.01

0.1
0.1

10
10

100
100

Matric suction (kPa)

Matric suction (kPa)

1000
1000

10000
10000

10-2

Coefficient of permeability, k (m/s)

C o e fficie n t o f p e rm e a b ility, k (m /s )

Permeability functions

100
FRC
Drying
FRC
CRC
Wetting
FRC
Drying
FRA
FRA
Wetting
FRA
CRA

10-1

10-3
10-4

10-2
10-3

10-5

10-4

10-6

10-5

10-7
10-8
10-9

10-6
10-7
10-8
10-9

0.01

0.01

0.1

0.1

1010

100
100

Matric
Suction
(kPa)
Matric
Suction
(kPa)

1000
1000

10000
10000

Research Program Outline

1-D column test

Preliminary numerical modeling
Research program
Column setup
Results and discussion

1D Column test-prelim. Num. Model

Preliminary numerical modeling
Objective: To narrow down combinations of
materials forming capillary barrier system
Software: SVFLUX
Boundary condition:
bottom: pressure head equals to -4m
Top

: Flux equals to rainfall 92mm/hr for 1

hr
Output: net percolation volume at 48 hrs after
rainfall

1D Column test-prelim. Num. Model

Combinations of covers investigated

1D Column test-prelim. Num. Model

100

Percolation (%)

80

60

40

20

Cover type

1D Column test-prelim. Num. Model

FRA-CRA at breakthrough
FRA-CRC at breakthrough
Soil Interface

1.0

D e p th (m )

0.8

water entry pressure

for FRA-CRA
Water entry pressure for
FRA-CRC

0.6

0.4

0.2

0.0
-50

-40

-30

-20

Pore water pressure (kPa)

-10

1.2

1.2

1.0

1.0

0.8

0.8

Depth (m)

Depth (m)

1D Column test-prelim. Num. Model

0.6

0.4

0.4

0.2

0.2
Initial FRA CRA
At breakhthrough FRA CRA

0.0

0.00

0.6

0.05

0.10

0.15

0.20

Volumetric water content

0.25

0.30

Initial condition FRC-CRA

At breakthrough FRC-CRA

0.0

0.35

0.00

0.05

0.10

0.15

0.20

0.25

Volumetric water content

0.30

0.35

0.40

1D Column test-prelim. Num. Model

V olu m e tric w a te r con te n t

0.5

0.4
Fine-grained layer
Coarse-grained layer

0.3

Higher water
storage

0.2

0.1

0.0

0.01

Lower
water
entry
pressure

0.1

10

100

1000

10000

Matric suction (kPa)

Harnas et al., (2013). Design of landfill cover using C&D waste: Material Characterization and
Numerical Modeling

1D Column test- research program

1D Column test- research program

Infiltration
Column
No.
1

Test

Intensity duration
(mm/hr)
(hr)

Evaporation
Mode

Infiltration

duration Column
(hr)
No.
Test
2
CM_FRC_CRC_UI

CM_FRA_CRA_UI

CM_FRA_CRA_DD

CM_FRA_CRA_RF1

CM_FRA_CRA_RF2

CM_FRA_CRA_RF3

50

Evaporation

Intensity duration
(mm/hr)
(hr)

Mode

duration
(hr)

CM_FRC_CRC_DD

CM_FRC_CRC_RF1

CM_FRC_CRC_RF2

CM_FRC_CRC_RF3

50

CM_DCB_FRA_CRA_UI

CM_FRA_CRA_RF4

CM_FRA_CRA_EV1

Lamp

48

CM_DCB_FRA_CRA_DD

CM_FRA_CRA_RF5

CM_DCB_FRA_CRA_RF1

CM_FRA_CRA_EV2

Lamp

48

CM_DCB_FRA_CRA_RF2

CM_FRA_CRA_RF6

50

CM_DCB_FRA_CRA_RF3

50

CM_FRA_CRA_EV3

Lamp

48

1D Column test-Column setup

1D Column test-Instruments

Tensiometer-transducer
system for PWP
measurement

1D Column test-Instruments

TRASE system for water content

measurement

1D Column test-Instruments

Weighing balance with automatic reading

1D Column test-Leakage test

To check leakage
from column and
column
connection.

1D Column test-Installations

1D Column test-operations

Typical behavior of 1D CB-drawdown

1.0

Column height (m)

0.8

0.6
fine-grained layer
coarse-grained layer
0.4

residual matric suction head

0.2

0.0
0.0

-0.2

-0.4

-0.6

-0.8

Pore-water pressure head, hp

Static non-equilibrium condition, Limit the thickness

of the coarse-grained layer

Typical behavior of 1D CB- Low q

1.0
1

0.8

Elevation, z (m)

water-entry value head

0.6

0.4

0.2

0.0
-0.8

-0.6

-0.4

Pore-water pressure head, hp

-0.2

0.0

Typical behavior of 1D CB High q

1.0

hq
1
2

Elevation, z (m)

0.8

water-entry value head

0.6

0.4

0.2

0.0
-0.8

-0.6

-0.4

Pore-water pressure head, hp

-0.2

0.0

1D column test-Recycled material as a CB

1.0

Elevation, z (m)

0.9

0.8

0.7
water storage of
a single layer of
FRA

0.6

water storage
of a FRA_CRA
capillary
barrier

0.5
0.16

0.18

0.20

0.22

0.24

0.26

Volumetric water content, w

0.28

0.30

1D column test-Recycled material as a CB

1.0

0.9
water storage of a

Elevation, z (m)

water storage of a
FRC_CRC capillary
single layer of FRC

0.8

barrier

0.7

0.6

0.5
0.25

0.30

0.35

Volumetric water content, w

0.40

0.45

1D column test-Recycled material as a CB

2000

Water volume (mL)

1500

precipitation

1000
water storage changes CM_FRA_CRA

500

0
water storage changes CM_FRC_CRC
-500
drainage CM_FRA_CRA
-1000

-1500

drainage CM_FRC_CRC
0

10

20

Time (hrs)

30

40

1D column test-Effect of evaporation

1.0

1.0

0.8

Elevation, z (m)

Elevation, z (m )

0.8

0.6
FRA
CRA

0.4
t=0 (rainfall start)
t=1hr
t=2hrs
t=4hrs
t=6hrs
Interface

0.2

0.0
-1.2

-1.0

-0.8

-0.6

0.6
FRA
CRA

t=0 (rainfall start)

t=1hr
t=2hrs
t=4hrs
t=6hrs
interface

0.2

(a) RF2

-0.4

-0.2

0.0
-1.2

0.0

1.0

1.0

0.8

0.8

Elevation, z (m)

Elevation, z (m )

Pore-water pressure head, hp (m)

0.6
FRA
CRA

0.4
t=6hrs(rainfall end)
t=8hrs
t=12hrs
t=24hrs
t=48hrs
Interface

0.2

0.0
-1.2

-1.0

-0.8

-0.6

-1.0

Pore-water pressure head, h p (m)

0.0

-0.6

-0.4

-0.2

0.0

0.6
FRA
CRA

(b) EV2

0.4

t=6hrs(rainfall end)
t=8hrs
t=12hrs
t=24hrs
t=48hrs
interface

(b) D2
-0.2

-0.8

Pore-water pressure head, hp (m)

0.2

-0.4

(a) RF5

0.4

0.0
-1.2

-1.0

-0.8

-0.6

-0.4

-0.2

0.0

Pore-water pressure head, hp (m)

Change in negative pore-water pressure during drainage and rainfall.

1D column test-Effect of evaporation

However, the water balance did not change much.

Effect of evaporation is quite small.
Harnas et al., (2014) Effect of evaporation on the performance of capillary barrier

1D column- DCB Increase in water storage

Rahardjo et al., (2013) Capillary barrier system for landfill capping

1D column- DCB Increase in water storage

2000
1500

12% increase

Water volume (mL)

1000
500
0

Precipitation
Drainage SCB
Water storage SCB
Drainage DCB
Water storage DCB

-500
-1000
-1500
-2000
0

10

20

Time (hr)

30

40

1D column Increase in water storage

Harnas et al., (2014) Experimental study on dual capillayr barrier

Research Program Outline

2-D infiltration box test

results
Research program
Results and discussion

2D infiltration box-research program

Fine and coarse recycled asphalt were used as materials for 2-D infiltration study

2D infiltration box-research program

BoxNo.

Test

Slope
angle

Infiltration

Intensity
(mm/hr)

duration BoxNo.
(hr)

Test

Slope
angle

Infiltration

Intensity
(mm/hr)

duration
(hr)

BM_SCB15_Sat

BM_SCB30_5Deg_RF1

10

BM_SCB15_DD1

BM_SCB30_5Deg_RF2

20

BM_SCB15_2Deg_RF1

10

BM_SCB30_DD3

BM_SCB15_2Deg_RF2

20

BM_SCB30_7Deg_RF1

10

BM_SCB15_DD2

BM_SCB30_7Deg_RF2

20

BM_SCB15_5Deg_RF1

10

BM_DCB_Sat

BM_SCB15_5Deg_RF2

20

BM_DCB_DD1

BM_SCB30_Sat

BM_DCB_2Deg_RF1

10

BM_SCB30_DD1

BM_DCB_2Deg_RF2

20

BM_SCB30_2Deg_RF1

10

BM_DCB_DD2

BM_SCB30_2Deg_RF2

20

BM_DCB_5Deg_RF1

10

BM_SCB30_DD2

BM_DCB_5Deg_RF2

20

2D infiltration Box- Setup

2D infiltration Box- Setup

2D infiltration Box- Setup

2D infiltration Box- Setup

2D infiltration Box- Setup

2D infiltration Box-instruments

0.0
-0.2
-0.4

Tensiometer-Coarse layer 40

c
b

Tensiometer-Fine layer

-0.6

Moisture Sensor-Fine layer

-0.8

30
20
10

Moisture Sensor-Coarse layer

-1.0

Elapsed time, t (h)

a value depends on the location or height of the instruments

b value depends on the rainfall intensity and location of the instruments.
c value depends on the slope angle, thickness and rainfall intensity

V olum etric w ater co ntent, w (% )

P ore-w ater p re ssure h ead, hp (m )

2D infiltration Box- Results Typical behavior

of CB

2D infiltration Box- Water Balance and

Performance

Water balance (kg)

10
Precipitation
Percolation
Lateral diversion

-5

-10
0

10

20

30

40

Test

Lateraldiversion
(%)

BM_SCB15_2deg_RF1

42

BM_SCB15_2deg_RF2

32

BM_SCB15_5deg_RF1

61

BM_SCB15_5deg_RF2

46

BM_SCB30_2deg_RF1

53

BM_SCB30_2deg_RF2

41

BM_SCB30_5deg_RF1

92

BM_SCB30_5deg_RF2

88

BM_SCB30_7deg_RF1

100

BM_SCB30_7deg_RF2

100

Elapsed time, t (hour)

Larger slope angle creates larger lateral diversion %

Higher rainfall intensity creates lower lateral diversion %
Thicker fine grained layer creates larger lateral diversion %

2D infiltration Box- Effect of thickness

numerical model

Normalized lateral diversion capacity

1.0

0.9

0.8

0.7

0.6

Fine-grained layer
Coarse-grained layer

0.5
0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

Thickness of layer (m)

1.0

1.2

1.0
0.0
-0.2
-0.4
-0.6
-0.8
-1.0

Tensiometer at lower coarse-grained layer

Tensiometer at lower fine-grained layer
Tensiometer at upper coarse-grained layer

0.8
0.6

Tensiometer at upper fine-grained layer

Moisture sensor at lower fine-grained layer

0.4

Moisture sensor at upper fine-grained layer

0.2

Moisture sensor at upper and lower coarse-grained layer

0.0

Volumetric water content, w

Pore-water pressure head, hp(m)

2D infiltration Box- Typical readings

2D infiltration Box- Flow pattern

2D infiltration Box- Lateral diversion

percentages
Test

Lateraldiversion
(%)

BM_SCB15_2deg_RF1

42

BM_DCB_2deg_RF1

82

BM_SCB15_2deg_RF2

32

BM_DCB_2deg_RF2

75

BM_SCB15_5deg_RF1

61

BM_DCB_5deg_RF1

100

BM_SCB15_5deg_RF2

46

BM_DCB_5deg_RF1

100

BM_SCB30_2deg_RF1

53

BM_SCB30_2deg_RF2

41

BM_SCB30_5deg_RF1

92

BM_SCB30_5deg_RF2

88

BM_SCB30_7deg_RF1

100

BM_SCB30_7deg_RF2

100

Test

Lateraldiversion(%)

Conclusions
a. The 1-D laboratory column test and the 2-D infiltration box test results

showed that RA and RC can be used as materials for constructing capillary

barriers.

b. An increase in water storage was obtained when a single capillary barrier

was used compared to a single layer cover.

c. There are two desired characteristics of materials used for capillary

barrier construction. The first characteristic is that the coarse-grained
layer material should have a low water-entry value. The second
characteristic is that the fine-grained layer material should have a high

Conclusions
e. The thickness of the coarse-grained layer in SCB and DCB systems can

be limited to the residual matric suction head of the coarse-grained

layer

f. Evaporative flux affected the pore-water pressure head in the capillary

barrier. A more negative initial condition of the pore-water pressure
head was achieved with the application of evaporative flux. As a result,
the initial condition enabled the column to store more water during
rainfall before breakthrough occurred. Nevertheless, the increase in
water storage was relatively small due to the fact that the water
availability in the fine-grained layer was low

Conclusions
h. A comparison of the volumetric water content profiles and water balance

graphs of the laboratory column test results showed that DCB stores more
water than SCB before breakthrough

i. The laboratory infiltration box test results show that DCB can achieve a
significantly higher lateral diversion capacity than SCB for the same slope
angle and rainfall intensity

Publications
Harnas, FR., Rahardjo, H., Leong, EC., Wang, JY. (2014) "An Experimental

study on dual capillary barrier". Canadian Geotechnical Journal. doi

10.1139/cgj-2013-0432
Harnas, FR., Rahardjo, H, Leong, EC, Wang. JY. "Design of landfill cover

using C&D waste: Material Characterization and Numerical Modeling". In

Proceeding of 18th South East Asian Geotechnical Conference, Singapore
29-31 May 2013
Rahardjo, H., Satyanaga, A., Harnas, FR., Leong, EC. Wang, JY. "Capillary

barrier systems for landfill capping". In proceeding of Coupled Phenomena

in Environmental Geotechnics, Torino-Italy 1-3 July 2013.
Harnas, FR, Rahardjo, H, Leong, EC, Wang JY. "Effect of evaporation on the

performance of capillary barrier" In Proceedings of the 14th IACMAG, Japan

22-25 September 2014.
Under review:
Harnas, FR., Rahardjo, H Leong, EC, Wang. JY. A physical model for the

investigation of capillary barrier performance Geotechnical Testing Journal.

Acknowledgements
NTU research scholarship
R3C, NEWRI
Prof. Harianto Rahardjo
Laboratory Technician and Supervisors
Unsaturated soils research group NTU
Family and friends

End. Thank you