OBJECTIVES :

      The main objective of this study is to assess the feasibility of using alternative earthen covers in Florida landfills. These covers provide public and private landfill operators with more effective and less costly methods for capping landfills across the state.

Methodology:

   The proposed study starts by collecting climate data, soil properties variation, and vegetation characteristics from several regions of the state.  Whenever possible, hydraulic properties of the soils along with vegetation root density function will be evaluated in the laboratory.  The accumulated data will then be used as input into an unsaturated flow model to simulate infiltration into a landfill during peak weather events.   Based on these simulations, preliminary cover designs will be recommended for the different regions of the state.

Rationale:

    Final covers are used to reduce the quantity of water that infiltrates into the waste mass in solid and hazardous waste storage containment facilities. Current regulations require that final covers be constructed with clayey soils or with geosynthetic clay liners (GCLs), with or without geomembrane.  These types of covers tend to be expensive and prune to degradation due to wet-dry cycling.  An alternative approach is to use “Alternative Earthen Final Covers”, such as Evapo-Transpiration (ET) covers, which exploit the water storage capacity of finer textured soils and the water removal capability of vegetation to reduce infiltration into the underlying waste.

Status: Finished

Update: 07/03/2004

Final Reports