Document Type
Thesis
Date of Award
5-31-1986
Degree Name
Master of Science in Environmental Engineering - (M.S.)
Department
Civil and Environmental Engineering
First Advisor
John R. Schuring
Second Advisor
Paul N. Cheremisinoff
Third Advisor
Dorairaja Raghu
Abstract
Contaminated soils were tested to determine if a relationship existed between their index properties and hydraulic conductivity. Atterberg Limit tests and Particle Size Analysis tests were performed on Woodbury, Raritan and Brunswick formation soils. The chemicals examined were Benzene, Phenol and Trichloroethylene (TCE). Tests were performed following the ASTM Standard Test Methods with only slight modification to accommodate the use of contaminated soils. Two different methods of soil contamination were used, one for chemical solutions and the other for pure chemicals.
Particle Size Analysis tests were performed both with and without dispersing agent. Hydrometer tests with dispersing agent resulted in a shift in the gradation curves of Phenol contaminated soils. This shift was associated with a flocculation of soil particles and amounted to an effective particle size increase ranging from 29 to 70 percent. These results together with hydraulic conductivity studies correlated well at high Phenol concentrations. No correlation could be made at low Phenol concentrations. Hydrometer results with volatile chemicals were adversly affected by the contamination procedure. The only flocculation observed for volatile organics was with Woodbury soil contaminated with TCE, which displayed an effective particle size increase of approximately 34 percent.
Liquid and Plastic Limit results were found to decrease slightly with low concentration contamination. Maximum decreases were seen in Plastic Limit results where decreases of 3.9 and 2.9 percent moisture were recorded in Raritan soil. Maximum decreases observed in Liquid Limit results were somewhat lower with 3 and 1.9 percent moisture decreases in Woodbury soil. The Liquid Limit of Brunswick soil" was unaffected by chemical contamination.
Changes in hydraulic conductivity correlate well with changes in Atterberg Limits. These results along with other studies indicate that contamination with pure Benzene and Phenol caused large decreases in Liquid Limit results and large increases in hydraulic conductivity results. Low chemical concentrations resulted in small Liquid Limit and hydraulic conductivity changes.
Recommended Citation
DiCola, Ronald, "The effect of toxic substances on the index properties of soils" (1986). Theses. 3565.
https://digitalcommons.njit.edu/theses/3565
