Study on gas transport and water retention In landfill cover solI : a Sri Lankan case study

Abstract

In Sri Lanka, engineered landfills are not usually available and the common procedure is to cover the waste with a good cover soil without providing gas venting facilities. Hazardous gaseous and liquid landfill emissions are major problems of landfills. Hence cover soil of the landfill plays a major role in emission of landfill gases, because once the solid waste is covered with soil these gases are released to atmosphere with high pressure, through this cover soil. Therefore, studying the cover soil parameters are paramount importance in evaluating its future gas diffusion. The Soil gas diffusion coefficient (Dp) and permeability (ka) govern the transport and emission gases in the unsaturated zone. In this study, "V>ll'I'.0'" diffusivity (DplDo, Do is gas diffusion coefficient in free air) and k, was measured for the soil ofMaharagama landifill final cover soil at different soil water matric potentials