1.

Title of the paper:

Interaction of Landfill Leachate with Olivine-Treated Marine Clay:
Suitability for Bottom Liner Application

2. Outline of the Paper:

The interaction between landfill leachate and olivine-treated marine
clay was studied to assess its chemical compatibility for suitable
application as a bottom liner material in engineered landfills. Soil
specimens were prepared using three compactive energies (reduced,
standard, and modified Proctors) at -2, 0, +2, and +4% moisture contents
of the optimum moisture content and treated with up to 35% olivine
content. Index properties, volumetric shrinkage strain (VSS), unconfined
compressive strength (UCS), and hydraulic conductivity (HC) tests were
conducted. Overall acceptable moisture content range for which the
specimens are apt as a bottom liner material was obtained. Test results
demonstrate improvement in the UCS, HC, and VSS with increasing
olivine content up to 30% olivine content when all three compactive
efforts were employed. Formation of magnesium aluminate hydrate (M-
A-H) and magnesium silicate hydrate (M-S-H) were the key components
responsible for this hydro mechanical properties improvement and were
confirmed using morphological and mineralogical analyses. Based on the
obtained overall acceptable moisture content range, all olivine-treated
samples met the required specifications over a range of moisture
content varying between 9.5 and 20.9% depending on the compactive
efforts. These findings indicate that compacted marine clay treated with
up to 35% olivine content can be utilized as a potential barrier material
in engineered landfills with optimum results at 30% olivine content.

3. Reason for this study:

In the current study, our objective is to treat marine clay with
up to olivine content by dry clay mass, employing different
compactive efforts at various moisture contents and permeated
with leachate to evaluate its chemical compatibility for suitable

application as a bottom liner material in engineered landfills.

 4. Method of simulation:
Olivine Preparation
The Landfill Leachate samples were dried in an oven at 105 ◦C for three days,
by which the clay had reached a constant weight. The dried clays were then
crushed before testing. The crushed clay samples passing through 2-mm sieve
size were blended with the required quantity of olivine according to the
experimental design by dry soil mass, prior to Olivine treatment with Marine
Clay addition.
Geotechnical tests:
Grading characteristics, particle density, and plasticity characteristics
Compaction test
Hydraulic conductivity (HC) test
Unconfined compressive strength (UCS) test
Volumetric shrinkage strain (VSS) test

Microstructural investigations:
X-ray diffraction (XRD) test
Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) test

5. Result:
Highlights:
(1) Compaction characteristics and consistency of the clay improved upon
olivine addition.
(2) Compressive strength of the clay increased after treatment with olivine.
(3) Leachate permeation increases the hydraulic conductivity of the untreated
clay.
(3) Hydraulic conductivity of the clay decreased after treatment with olivine

Summary and Conclusions:

In the current study, marine clay was treated with up to 35% olivine
content by dry clay mass, employing three different compactive efforts at
various moisture contents and permeated with leachate to evaluate its
chemical compatibility for suitable application as a bottom liner material in
engineered landfills. Changes occurring in the treated-clay hydro-mechanical
properties were examined by employing microstructural analyses.