Geotechnical testing and Finite Element Modeling of Geomorphic Landform Design with a Multi-Layer Cap and Cover System

This research was aimed at implementation of Geomorphic Landform Design (GLD) principles to the Royal Scot abandoned coal refuse disposal facility in Greenbrier County, West Virginia, USA. This facility currently exhibits many undesirable environmental problems including acid-mine drainage and significant erosion and sediment transport.;A multi-layer cap and cover system in conjunction with GLD principles was proposed as a solution to these environmental problems. This cover is proposed to be constructed from the coarse coal refuse material on-site and a short paper fiber material (MGro(TM)) from the MeadWestVaco paper mill in nearby Covington, Virginia, USA. To determine the possible effectiveness of this design, multiple research stages were completed. First, the principles of GLD and landform covers were investigated, as well as the use and properties of coarse coal refuse combined with short paper fiber. Second, a suite of geotechnical laboratory testing was completed on the materials to be used in the construction. Third, the cap and cover system was designed based on the measured geotechnical parameters. Fourth, the cap and cover system was applied to three reclamation alternatives and its seepage control performance and geotechnical stability were analyzed by the finite element method (FEM) for slope stability and seepage using SVFlux(TM) and SVSlopeRTM computer modeling software.;Geotechnical testing results concurred with literature and tended to indicate that blending short paper fiber at 40 percent with 60 percent coarse coal refuse (volumetric ratio); along with layers of 100% coarse coal refuse at Royal Scot could make an effective cap and cover system. Short paper fiber is a suitable growth media in literature and laboratory testing of a MGro(TM) and coarse coal refuse blended (60/40) material indicated a suitably strong material with an internal angle of friction of approximately 30°. The coarse coal refuse shale material (100%) had a friction angle of 40° with hydraulic conductivity values of 10-6 to 10-7 cm/s when compacted to standard proctor effort. Constructing a cover with a 0.915m (3 ft) thick 60/40 MGro / coarse coal refuse growth layer, a 0.915m (3 ft) thick drainage layer of loose coal refuse, and a 0.915 m (3 ft) thick layer of compacted coal refuse. The total cap thickness was 2.75 m (9 ft) which produced a cover system capable of reducing seepage into the underlying acid-generating fill by 85%. The cap and cover system was stable on slopes up to 21.8°.;FEM stability modeling indicated that the cover design could be applied to a design of the Royal Scot re-graded to geomorphic profiles. The design was stable, with a geotechnical factor of safety over the required minimum 1.5 on slopes less than or equal to 21.8°. Additionally, seepage into the acid-generating fill was shown to be reduced by nearly 75%. With the addition of internal drains, which will be required on shallower slope benches of the reclamation to reduce the accumulation of internal pore water pressure, the seepage reduction was further reduced by 10%, which is a nearly 85% reduction of infiltration

Recycled Materials in Kentucky Highway Construction

The objectives of this study were to identify and list waste materials which should be recycled to reduce solid waste disposal; report current and past efforts of the Kentucky Department of Highways to utilize recycled and waste materials; determine through a thorough literature search and review, the efforts of other local, state, national and international transportation agencies to utilize recycled materials; and, present preliminary recommendations listing areas where additional recycling efforts appear promising, feasible and needed. Waste materials that were identified which could be recycled to reduce solid waste disposal included demolition waste (building rubble, recycled concrete pavement, recycled asphalt pavement), rubber tires, plastics, glass, and paper. It has been found that these materials contain recoverable fractions that are potentially useful in highway related applications. Examples of their use in highway construction and maintenance activities have been accented and discussed. Additionally, other reclaimed by-product materials have been identified that are effective in highway applications. Those include fly ash, bottom ash, scrubber sludge, AFBC residues, cement and lime kiln dust, and slag aggregates. A significant reduction in the extensive amount of land area required for waste disposal would be achieved through recycling only a portion of these materials. The Kentucky Department of Highways has actively promoted research into the utilization of by-product materials in highway construction. The Department utilizes significant amounts of by-product materials as a result of the strong commitment to fund research in this area. However, recyclable materials such as rubber tires, plastics wastes, building rubble, waste glass, and waste paper have not been widely used. Research is recommended relative to the use of recycled rubber in asphaltic concrete mixtures to determine whether any threat to human health or the environment exists, whether asphaltic concrete pavements containing rubber can be recycled, and whether those pavement types provide acceptable levels of performance. High volume uses of discarded tires should be investigated in other highway construction and maintenance applications such as light-weight embankments, retaining walls, and safety hardware. Recycled portland cement concrete as aggregate in paving applications appears feasible. The use of recycled plastic fibers in asphaltic and portland cement concrete mixtures should be evaluated. Innovative uses of recycled paper in highway applications should be studied. The Kentucky Department of Highways should increase high volume uses of fossil-fuel by-product materials that have been proven effective. High volume use of reclaimed asphaltic concrete materials should continue. In order for the use of recycled and by-product materials to be feasible, a longer life, greatly improved performance, and reduced disposal costs must offset the higher initial costs related to their use

Risk Assessment of Modern Landfill Structures in Finland

The purpose of this thesis was to investigate environmental permits of landfills with respect to the appropriateness of risk assessments focusing on contaminant migration, structures capable to protect the environment, waste and leachate management and existing environmental impacts of landfills. According to the requirements, a risk assessment is always required to demonstrate compliance with environmental protection requirements if the environmental permit decision deviates from the set requirements. However, there is a reason to doubt that all relevant risk factors are identified in current risk assessment practices in order to protect people end environment. In this dissertation, risk factors were recognized in 12 randomly selected landfills. Based on this analysis, a structural risk assessment method was created. The method was verified with two case examples. Several development needs were found in the risk assessments of the environmental permit decisions. The risk analysis equations used in the decisions did not adequately take into account all the determining factors like waste prospects, total risk quantification or human delineated factors. Instead of focusing on crucial factors, the landfill environmental protection capability is simply expressed via technical factors like hydraulic conductivity. In this thesis, it could be shown, that using adequate risk assessment approaches the most essential environmental impacts can be taken into account by consideration of contaminant transport mechanisms, leachate effects, and artificial landfill structures. The developed structural risk analysing (SRA) method shows, that landfills structures could be designed in a more cost-efficient way taking advantage of recycled or by-products. Additionally, the research results demonstrate that the environmental protection requirements of landfills should be updated to correspond to the capability to protect the environment instead of the current simplified requirements related to advective transport only

Best Available Techniques (BAT) Reference Document for the Production of Pulp, Paper and Board. Industrial Emissions Directive 2010/75/EU (Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control)

The BAT reference document entitled ‘Production of Pulp, Paper and Board' forms part of a series presenting the results of an exchange of information between EU Member States, the industries concerned, non-governmental organisations promoting environmental protection, and the Commission, to draw up, review and, where necessary, update BAT reference documents as required by Article 13(1) of the Directive 2010/75/EU on industrial emissions. This document is published by the European Commission pursuant to Article 13(6) of the Directive. This BREF for the production of pulp, paper and board covers the activities specified in Sections 6.1(a) and 6.1(b) of Annex I to Directive 2010/75/EU, i.e. the integrated and non-integrated production in industrial installations of: (a) pulp from timber or other fibrous materials; (b) paper or cardboard with a production capacity exceeding 20 tonnes per day. In particular, this document covers the following processes and activities: - chemical pulping: (a) kraft (sulphate) pulping process (b) sulphite pulping process - mechanical and chemimechanical pulping - processing paper for recycling with and without deinking - papermaking and related processes - all recovery boilers and lime kilns operated in pulp and paper mills. Important issues for the implementation of Directive 2010/75/EU in the pulp, paper and board industry are the emissions to air of nitrogen oxides, sulphur oxides, dust, total reduced sulphur and ammonia; emissions to water of organic carbon, suspended solids, nitrogen, phosphorus and adsorbable organically bound halogens. The BREF contains nine chapters. Chapters 1 and 2 provide general information on the pulp, paper and board industry and on the common industrial processes and techniques used within the whole sector. Chapters 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 correspond to the following specific sectors: kraft (sulphate) pulping process, sulphite pulping process, mechanical and chemimechanical pulping, processing of paper for recycling with and without deinking, and papermaking and related processes. For each sector, these five chapters provide information and data concerning the applied processes and techniques; the environmental performance of installations in terms of current emissions, consumption of raw materials, water and energy, and generation of waste; the techniques to prevent or reduce the environmental impact of installations; and the emerging techniques. In Chapter 8 the BAT conclusions, as defined in Article 3(12) of the Directive, are presented for the pulp, paper and board industry. Chapter 9 is dedicated to concluding remarks and recommendations for future work regarding the sector.JRC.J.5 - Sustainable Production and Consumptio