1CVEN 5688 Environmental Geotechnics Course Syllabus and Schedule General Information Professor: John S. McCartney, Ph.D. Office: ECOT 541 Office hours: By appointment E-mail: [email protected] Class: Time: Fall 2011, Tuesday-Thursday 2:00am - 3:15am Room: ECCR 110 Lab: Time: Periodical (Tuesdays 12:00-1:30) Room: ECCE 1B59 Textbook: No textbook is required for this class. Handouts and reference articles will be posted on CULearn throughout the semester. Optional reference texts that you may want to consult are: Koerner, R.M. (2005). Designing with Geosynthetics. Fifth Edition. Prentice Hall, New Jersey, 2005. (on reserve in library) Daniel, D.E. (1993). Geotechnical Practice for Waste Disposal. Chapman and Hall, London (will soon be on reserve in library) Course Description: This course will focus on geotechnical aspects in the disposal of waste materials and the remediation of environmentally contaminated sites. Disposal of waste generated by people and industrial processes is an important issue in our society. In the U.S. alone, we produce more than 7 billion tons of waste annually. If this waste is not managed in a safe and reliable manner, then human health and the environment are at risk. Waste containment facilities (or landfills) are one of the most commonly used means for waste disposal. There are approximately 5,000 municipal waste and 250 hazardous waste landfills operating in the U.S. today. In addition, there are about 500,000 older sites where waste was not disposed safely and it has contaminated soil and groundwater. More than one trillion dollars will be spent over the next 30 years in remediation of these sites in the U.S. alone. We will explore material properties, technical principles, and practical issues related to the design and operation of landfills and remediation systems. Many of the topics that are discussed in this course are relevant to other fields of geotechnical engineering. A detailed outline of course topics is attached. We will rely primarily on lectures and laboratory work to develop your understanding of these principles. However, this course is not intended simply to throw information at you. You will be expected to read and think about material outside class, and to take part actively in class discussions. These discussions will enhance the learning process, allow sharing of experiences, and hopefully make this course more interesting.2Course Outline A. Introduction to waste disposal field 1. Origin of regulations 2. Implications of regulations on engineering design and geotechnical engineering 3. Landfill Components and Functions B. Materials in Waste Containment Systems 1. Waste i. Constituents of Hazardous and Solid Waste ii. Physical and Chemical Characteristics (Index Properties, Strength, Decomposition) 2. Soils i. Soil Types and Functions ii. Clay Mineralogy iii. Soil-Water-Electrolyte Interactions and Chemical Effects on Soil Properties 3. Geosynthetics i. Geosynthetic Types and Functions ii. Durability and Chemical Resistance C. Flow through Landfill Liners 1. Single phase flow 2. Advection/diffusion of contaminants with retardation D. Flow through Landfill Covers 1. Flow of water in unsaturated soils 2. Infiltration 3. Gas flow E. Multiphase Flow of Non-Aqueous Phase Liquids 1. Flow processes 2. Partitioning F. Design of Liner Systems 1. Compacted clay liners 2. Composite liners G. Design of Drainage Systems 1. Capacity and filtration 2. Performance issues (normal stress, biological and mineral clogging) H. Design of Cover Systems 1. Water balance and evapotranspirative covers 2. Capillary barriers 3. Instrumentation for cover systems I. Landfill Stability (3 Lectures) 1. Material Properties and Testing Approaches 2. Design and Analysis of Slope Stability J. Geotechnical Aspects of In Situ Remediation Technology 1. Pump and Treat 2. Soil-Vapor Extraction 3. Reactive Zones and Bioremediation3Course Outcomes Upon completion of this course, students will be able to: A. Introduction to waste disposal field Understand the important characteristics of the waste containment and remediation industry, the responsibilities of a geotechnical engineer in this field, and the potential areas for improvement Know the relevant governmental regulations and engineering design requirements B. Materials in Waste Containment Systems Understand the difference between hazardous and solid waste Plan the lifecycle of a waste containment facility Evaluate the impact of contaminants on the properties of soils and geosynthetics C. Fluid and Contaminant Transport Plan and perform an experiment to evaluate the hydraulic conductivity of a saturated soil Analyze flow through soil layers Plan and perform an experiment to evaluate the SWRC of an unsaturated soil Analyze flow through unsaturated soils Partition mass of contaminants into air-water-solid phases Calculate rates of diffusion and advection through soils and geosynthetics D. Geotechnical Aspects of In Situ Remediation Technology Calculate the conditions necessary to use vacuum collection of VOCs E. Soil Barriers Develop a compaction specification for a clay liner Check the compaction quality using field tests Evaluate the success of clay liner installation F. Geomembrane Barriers Analyze flow through a geomembrane defect Evaluate difference in flow through geomembranes and composite liners Understand basics of leak detection and seam testing G. Drainage Systems Design a drainage system to reach regulatory requirements Evaluate the difference between soil and geosynthetic drains H. Landfill Cover Systems Interpret hydraulic performance of alternative landfill covers given different climatic conditions Calculate rates of gas flow through soil covers I. Landfill Stability Evaluate the suitability of different testing approaches for interface strength Analyze the stability of a landfill liner and cover Course Grade Distribution Participation in in-class discussions 20% Homework 15% Exam 1 15% Exam 2 15% Exam 3 15% Final Paper 20% Total 100%4Course Schedule - I will occasionally have to miss a class to addend conferences and other professional activities. It is vital that you check your e-mail frequently for updates to the course schedule and other pertinent information. Students will be asked for a convenient time to make