A Novel Technosol Formulation for Sustainable Landfill Top Covers Using Non-Hazardous Wastes
Source abstract
Abstract
This study explores the potential of non-hazardous wastes for crafting an engineered soil-like material (Technosol) suitable for landfill capping applications. Three distinct materials—waste foundry sand (WFS), washing aggregate sludge (WAS), and composted biosolids (CBS)—were strategically combined to develop this innovative Technosol. The formulation process involved a comprehensive analysis of their physical–chemical properties, mineral composition, leachate quality, and a series of geotechnical assessments to ensure compliance with landfill top cover construction standards. The blend 90WFS/10WAS showed optimal geotechnical properties for constructing a protective layer, including maximum dry density (1.77 g cm−3), void ratio (0.4), CBR index (23.2), cohesive strength (40 kPa), internal friction (ϕ = 30°), and permeability coefficient (k = 1.48 × 10−6 cm s−1). Further enhancement was achieved by adding 10% CBS, resulting in the development of a functional organo-mineral topsoil horizon (81WFS/9WAS/10CBS). Importantly, leachate analysis confirmed the negligible environmental footprint of this Technosol. Moreover, a pot-based experiment with Brassica juncea planting validated its capacity to support plant growth and establish a vegetative cover on the landfill surface.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline
Research context
OpenAlex topics: Materials Engineering and Processing · Landfill Environmental Impact Studies · Recycling and utilization of industrial and municipal waste in materials production
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
Affiliations
Department of Earth Sciences, University of Huelva, Campus de El Carmen, 21071 Huelva, Spain
Department of Chemistry, University of Huelva, Campus de El Carmen, 21071 Huelva, Spain
Funding
Regional Government of Andalusia (Spain) through the European Regional Development Fund Andalusia 2014–2020
References (46)
Show source-provided references
1. Daniel, D.E. (1993). Geotechnical Practice for Waste Disposal, Springer.10.1007/978-1-4615-3070-1 ↗
2. Cossu, R., and Stegmann, R. (2018). Landfill covers: Principles and design. Solid Waste Landfilling. Concepts, Processes, Technologies, Elsevier.10.1016/B978-0-12-407721-8.00030-9 ↗
3. Novel environmentally friendly vegetated three-layer landfill cover system using construction wastes but without a geomembrane10.1007/s40098-021-00542-7 ↗
4. Koerner, R.M., and Daniel, D.E. (1997). Final Covers for Solid Waste Landfills and Abandoned Dumps, American Society of Civil Engineers Press.
5. Evaluation of using municipal solid waste compost in landfill closure caps in arid areas10.1016/S0956-053X(00)00025-8 ↗
6. Field testing of conversion of sewage sludge to daily landfill cover material10.1007/s10163-011-0034-9 ↗
7. Steel slags in a landfill top cover–experiences from a full-scale experiment10.1016/j.wasman.2013.12.003 ↗
8. Investigations on the hydraulic conductivity and physical properties of silt and sludge as potential landfill capping material
9. 20 years performance measurements of a landfill cover system with components constructed from pre-treated dredged sediments10.1016/j.wasman.2019.09.016 ↗
10. Assessment of the use of dredged marine materials in sanitary landfills: A case study from the Marmara sea10.1016/j.wasman.2020.05.044 ↗
11. Soil Construction: A step for ecological reclamation of derelict lands10.1065/jss2008.03.277 ↗
12. Soil quality assessment of constructed Technosols: Towards the validation of a promising strategy for land reclamation, waste management and the recovery of soil functions10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.111344 ↗
13. Fabbri, D., Pizzol, R., Calza, P., Malandrino, M., Gaggero, E., Padoan, E., and Ajmone-Marsan, F. (2021). Constructed Technosols: A strategy toward a circular economy. Appl. Sci., 11.10.3390/app11083432 ↗
14. Utilisation of chemically stabilized arsenic-contaminated soil in a landfill cover10.1007/s11356-013-1818-3 ↗
15. Effect of material composition on geotechnical properties—Study on synthetic municipal solid waste10.3390/geotechnics3020023 ↗
16. Physical, mechanical and chemical properties of biosolids and raw brown coal fly ash, and their combination for road structural fill applications10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.07.250 ↗
17. Global trends and status in waste foundry sand management research during the years 1971–2020: A systematic analysis10.1007/s11356-021-13251-8 ↗
18. Manufacture of sintered aggregate using washing aggregate sludge and ground granulated blast furnace slag: Characterization of the aggregate and effects on concrete properties10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2022.128025 ↗
19. Review of XRD-based quantitative analyses of clay minerals in soils: The suitability of mineral intensity factors10.1016/S0016-7061(02)00175-1 ↗
20. Unveiling a Technosol-based remediation approach for enhancing plant growth in an iron-rich acidic mine soil from the Rio Tinto Mars analog site10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171217 ↗
21. (2002). Characterization of Waste–Leaching–Compliance Test for Leaching of Granular Waste Materials and Sludges, Part 2: One Stage Batch Test at a Liquid to Solid Ratio of 10 l/kg for Materials with Particle Size below 10 mm (without or with Size Reduction) (Standard No. EN 12457-4).
22. British Environment Agency (2014). Earthworks in Landfill Engineering: LFE4. Design, Construction and Quality Assurance of Earthworks in Landfill Engineering.
23. Li, Y. (2020). Handbook of Geotechnical Testing. Basic Theory, Procedures and Comparison of Standards, CRC Press.10.1201/9780429323744 ↗
24. (2017). Standard Test Methods for Particle-Size Distribution (Gradation) of Soils Using Sieve Analysis (Standard No. ASTM D6913/D6913M).
25. (2018). Standard Test Methods for Liquid Limit, Plastic Limit, and Plasticity Index of Soils (Standard No. ASTM D4318-17e1).
26. (2020). Standard Practice for Classification of Soils for Engineering Purposes (Unified Soil Classification System) (Standard No. ASTM D2487-17e1).
27. (2021). Standard Test Methods for Laboratory Compaction Characteristics of Soil Using Standard Effort (12,400 ft-lbf/ft3 (600 kN-m/m3)) (Standard No. ASTM D698-12).
28. (2014). Standard Test Methods for Specific Gravity of Soil Solids by Water Pycnometer (Standard No. ASTM D854-14).
29. (2021). Standard Test Methods for One-Dimensional Swell or Collapse of Soil (Standard No. ASTM D4546-2).
30. (2021). Standard Test Method for California Bearing Ratio (CBR) of Laboratory-Compacted Soils (Standard No. ASTM D1883-21).
31. (2019). Geotechnical Investigation and Testing. Laboratory Testing of Soil. Part 11: Permeability Tests (Standard No. ISO 17892-11).
32. (2011). Standard Test Method for Direct Shear Test of Soils under Consolidated Drained Conditions (Standard No. ASTM D3080/D3080M-11).
33. Intercalation of smectite with liquid ethylene glycol—Resolved in time and space by synchrotron X-ray diffraction10.1016/j.clay.2010.01.006 ↗
34. Waste foundry sand and its leachate characteristics10.1016/j.resconrec.2010.04.006 ↗
35. Use of standardized procedures to evaluate metal leaching from waste foundry sands10.2134/jeq2012.0356 ↗
36. Ross, S.M. (1996). Sources and forms of potentially toxic metals in soil-plant systems. Toxic Metals in Soil-Plant Systems, Wiley.
37. Rare-earth element and stable isotope signatures of kaolin from a Pliocene lateritic weathering profile at mid-latitude region (Andalusia, Spain): Implications for paleoweathering and paleoclimatic reconstructions10.1016/j.catena.2018.04.025 ↗
38. Intensive kaolinization during a lateritic weathering event in South-West Spain. Mineralogical and geochemical inferences from a relict paleosol10.1016/j.catena.2009.08.005 ↗
39. Effect of compaction on soil hydraulic parameters of vegetative landfill covers10.4236/gm.2012.22005 ↗
40. Waste foundry sand used to cover organic waste in landfills10.1007/s10163-021-01327-z ↗
41. Qian, X., Koerner, R.M., and Gray, D.H. (2002). Geotechnical Aspects of Landfill Design and Construction, Prentice Hall.
42. Foundry green sands as hydraulic barriers: Laboratory study10.1061/(ASCE)1090-0241(2000)126:12(1174) ↗
43. Foundry green sands as hydraulic barriers: Field study10.1061/(ASCE)1090-0241(2002)128:3(206) ↗
44. Bolt, G.H., De Boodt, M.F., Hayes, M.H.B., McBride, M.B., and De Strooper, E.B.A. (1991). Processes of heavy and transition metal sorption by soil minerals. Interactions at the Soil-Colloid-Soil Solution Interface, Kluwer Academic Publishers.10.1007/978-94-017-1909-4 ↗
45. Parker, A., and Rae, F.E. (1998). The biochemical and ecological significance of interactions between colloidal minerals and trace elements. Environmental Interactions of Clays, Springer.10.1007/978-3-662-03651-8 ↗
46. World Health Organization (2022). Guidelines for Drinking-Water Quality, World Health Organization. [4th ed.]. incorporating the first and second addenda.