T
he Sustainable GeoInfrastructure (SGI) research team completed
a research project on the evaluation of liner systems used in salt bearing detention ponds with support from the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) in 2020. Civil Engineering
Evaluation of Liner Systems Used in Salt Bearing Detention Ponds The long-term service life of GM in contact with saline water is of particular importance because leakage from salt ponds will result in environmental consequences.
Assistant Professor Kuo Tian
The team visited six salt ponds
Professor Burak Tanyu led
polypropylene (APP) GM was
and Civil Engineering Associate
and found that the atactic
the project. Sandarva Sharma
the most common liner materials
conducted this research project
used in the field. The team
for his PhD study.
conducted two laboratory aging tests to investigate the effect of
VDOT has voluntarily constructed
solar/UV radiations and chemical
more than 200 salt ponds to
on the deterioration of APP GM.
collect saline water in the salt
Combining the field survey results
storage and distribution facilities
and laboratory aging test, a
to prevent subsurface water
model was proposed to predict
contamination. A salt storage
the degradation of APP GM as
facility includes a salt dome
a function of service time. The
to store deicing salt, staging
model can be helpful to the VDOT
area to distribute salt, and salt
staff in determining the time to
pond to collect precipitation
replace the APP GM used as liner
from staging area. The salt
in salt ponds. A final report was
ponds were typically built using
submitted to VDOT for review.
polymer modified bituminous
For more information about the
geomembranes (GMs) as liner
SGI Lab go to geotrans.vse.
material to prevent leakage of
gmu.edu. g
saline water to surroundings.
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