Sains Malaysiana 42(8)(2013): 1081–1089

Geotechnical Characterisation of Marine Clay as Potential Liner Material

(Pencirian Geoteknik Lempung Marin sebagai Potensi Bahan Pelapik)

Z.A. Rahman*, W.Z.W. Yaacob, S.A. Rahim, T. Lihan, W.M.R. Idris & W.N.F. Mohd Sani

School Environmental & Natural Resource Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600 Selangor D.E. Malaysia

Received: 18 July 2012/Accepted: 22 February 2013

ABSTRACT

Natural clay is commonly used as a liner material to contain landfill leachate from contaminating the environment. A key characteristic of liner material is its hydraulic conductivity. It is recommended that the hydraulic conductivity of the potential liner material should be of 1×10-9 m/s or less. This paper presents the geotechnical characteristics of marine clay that may be used as landfill liner material. The tests were consistency index, compaction behaviour, compressibility and hydraulic conductivity. The marine clay was dominated by finer fraction of silt and clay (78%-88%) followed by sand (12%-22%). The clay minerals commonly present were montmorillonite, kaolinite and illite as well as quartz as the non-clay mineral. The consistency index for the liquid limit, w_L and plastic limit, w_P were 56.6%-80.5% and 36%-45%, respectively. The plastic index, I_p of the marine clay samples ranged from 19% to 37%. The permeability test indicated that the hydraulic conductivity of the samples ranged between 1.10 × 10-9 and 2.44 × 10-9 m/s. The very low permeability showed by the marine clay can be related to the presence of high content of finer fraction. Compaction of marine clay samples resulted in maximum dry density, ρ_dmax that ranged between 1.5 and 1.6 g/cm³ and optimum moisture content, w_opt that ranged between 18.2% and 25%. During the consolidation of the marine clay, the hydraulic conductivity decreased within the recommended permeability for landfill liners. This study showed that some geotechnical characteristics of the studied marine clay were in favour of being used as landfill liner material.

Keywords: Consistency index; landfill; liner; marine clay; shear strength

ABSTRAK

Lempung semula jadi sering digunakan sebagai bahan pelapik untuk menghalang pencemaran cecair larut resap tapak pelupusan ke persekitaran. Ciri utama bahan pelapik adalah sifat ketelapannya. Kekonduksian hidraulik yang disarankan bagi bahan berpotensi sebagai pelapik seharusnya 1×10-9 m/s atau kurang. Kertas ini menunjukkan ciri geoteknik lempung marin yang mungkin dapat digunakan sebagai bahan pelapik tapak pelupusan. Ujian yang dilakukan adalah indeks ketekalan, sifat pemadatan dan kekonduksian hidraulik. Lempung marin didominasi oleh fraksi halus bersaiz lodak dan lempung (78%-88%) diikuti oleh pasir (12%-22%). Mineral lempung yang sering hadir adalah monmorilonit, kaolinit dan ilit serta kuarza sebagai mineral bukan lempung. Indeks kekonsistensi bagi had cecair, w_L dan had plastik, w_p masing-masing adalah 56.6%-80.5% dan 36%-45%. Indeks keplastikan, I_P sampel lempung marin berjulat daripada 19 hingga 37%. Ujian ketelapan menunjukkan kekonduksian hidraulik sampel berjulat antara 1.10 × 10-9 dan 2.44 × 10-9 m/s. Nilai ketelapan yang sangat rendah yang ditunjukkan oleh lempung marin boleh dikaitkan dengan kehadiran kandungan fraksi halus yang tinggi. Pemadatan sampel lempung marin menghasilkan ketumpatan kering maksimum, ρdmax berjulat 1.5 - 1.6 g/cm³ dan kandungan optimum lembapan, wopt berjulat antara 18.2% dan 25%. Semasa pengukuhan lempung marin, kekonduksian hidraulik menurun dalam kebolehtelapan yang disyorkan bagi bahan pelapik tapak pelupusan. Kajian ini menunjukkan ciri geoteknik lempung marin yang dikaji memihak sebagai bahan pelapik tapak pelupusan.

Kata kunci: Indeks ketekalan; kekuatan ricih; lempung marin; pelapik; tapak pelupusan

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*Corresponding author; email: zarah1970@ukm.my