Utilization of boron waste clay as geomembrane in landfills

In this thesis, with the intent of utilizing waste clay generated annually 400.000 tons at Eskişehir Kırka Boron Works, bitumen, bentonite, waste tire and carrier materials were supplemented to the waste clay in order to produce a geomembrane which is appropriate to use in landfills as impermeable layer. Thickness, mass per unit area, tensile strength, elongation and hydraulic conductivity tests were performed on geomembrane samples and the optimum sample was determined as PK-BTM30CW70 (Carrier: Non-woven Polyester, 30 % Bitumen, 70 % Waste Clay; Tensile Strength: 3,08 MPa, Elongation at Yield: 68 %, Hydraulic Conductivity: 3×10-6 m3/m2/day). In order to investigate the interaction between the stated geomembrane and leachate, experimental studies were performed with samples collected from a municipal solid waste and a hazardous waste landfill leachate; then alteration in the geomembrane structure were specified. Except some minor fractures comprised of waste clay releasing from the bitumen and leaving minor gaps in geomembrane, SEM analysis showed no structural differences, and this alteration did not affect the hydraulic conductivity of geomembrane so that leaching was not observed during the experiment.