Test Method for Determining the Effect of Freeze-Thaw on Hydraulic Conductivity of Compacted or Intact Soil Specimens Using a Flexible Wall Permeameter

A total of 108 specimens were prepared to examine the hydraulic performance and strength performance of nine different cement-stabilized soils under unexposed and freeze–thaw exposed conditions. Specimens from each mix design were evaluated under two levels of curing conditions (i.e., immature versus mature). Hydraulic conductivity and unconfined compressive strength (UCS) measurements were performed to assess changes in the performance of specimens after 12 cycles of freezing at −10 ± 1 °C and thawing at 22 ± 1 °C. Measured mass losses of the specimens from a standard brushing test were also monitored at different freeze–thaw cycles, and results were compared with the changes in the hydraulic performance for each mix design. Hydraulic conductivity measurements on unexposed mature specimens showed that the lowest values likely occurred at water contents slightly wet of optimum water content (OWC). The UCS values showed a general decreasing trend with the increase in the water content for both immature and mature specimens under unexposed conditions. After freeze–thaw exposure, specimens showed minor reductions as well as increases of up to 5250 times in hydraulic conductivity values. Increases of up to 14% and reductions of up to 58% in compressive strength were also observed, compared with unexposed conditions. For most cases, mature specimens resulted in a higher degree of damage compared with immature specimens. Results from the brushing tests showed this test method is not a suitable indicator for predicting changes in the hydraulic performance of cement-stabilized soils. Hydraulic conductivity measurements after a period of post-exposure healing showed damaged specimens have some potential in recovering parts of the increased hydraulic conductivity value due to the healing process.

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Assessment of clogging in constructed wetlands by saturated hydraulic conductivity measurements

Water Science & Technology ◽

10.2166/wst.2019.045 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 79 (2) ◽

pp. 314-322 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

F. Licciardello ◽

R. Aiello ◽

V. Alagna ◽

M. Iovino ◽

D. Ventura ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sensitivity Analysis ◽

Hydraulic Conductivity ◽

Constructed Wetlands ◽

Spatial Scales ◽

Pilot Scale ◽

Laboratory Scale ◽

Test Method ◽

Conductivity Measurements ◽

Multiple Spatial Scales ◽

Ks Values

Abstract This study aims at defining a methodology to evaluate Ks reductions of gravel material constituting constructed wetland (CW) bed matrices. Several schemes and equations for the Lefranc's test were compared by using different gravel sizes and at multiple spatial scales. The falling-head test method was implemented by using two steel permeameters: one impervious (IMP) and one pervious (P) on one side. At laboratory scale, mean K values for a small size gravel (8–15 × 10−2 m) measured by the IMP and the P permeameters were equal to 19,466 m/d and 30,662 m/d, respectively. Mean Ks values for a big size gravel (10–25 × 10−2 m) measured by the IMP and the P permeameters were equal to 12,135 m/d and 20,866 m/d, respectively. Comparison of Ks values obtained by the two permeameters at laboratory scale as well as a sensitivity analysis and a calibration, lead to the modification of the standpipe equation, to evaluate also the temporal variation of the horizontal Ks. In particular, both permeameters allow the evaluation of the Ks decreasing after 4 years-operation and 1–1.5 years' operation of the plants at full scale (filled with the small size gravel) and at pilot scale (filled with the big size gravel), respectively.

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