The advent of the “Superfund” legislation and increasing public attention to groundwater quality has created new corporate concern over how industrial liquids are stored and disposed of and, in some cases, how to protect sources of clean water from neighboring pollution. In this paper two types of containments are discussed. Each type is illustrated through a case study of an actual application.
For new work, the best strategy is to prevent industrial liquids from getting into the ground in the first place. The most common method to accomplish this is through a liner system. Different materials for liners are briefly discussed as well as the best ways to use liners in combination with leachate collectors, etc. The selected case study involves the installation of a double synthetic liner with intermediate drainage layer at a municipal waste lagoon.
When remedial work is required, slurry cutoff walls are coming into increasing use. This technique involves the creation of a vertical nonstructural barrier that intercepts and impedes the flow of fluids underground. The construction methods and range of potential applications are discussed. The case study is for a containment constructed at a large utility flyash disposal pond. Performance data for the slurry wall material under the permeation of flyash leachates are provided.