Influence of Nano-bentonite in Hydraulic Conductivity Performance

Faculty of Civil Engineering, UiTM Pasir Gudang, 81750 PAsir Gudang, Johor

Abstract

Nano-clay is one of the innovation recently been studies as one of the enhancing materials to the soils. By adding a slight amount of nano-clay can improve some of behaviour such as hydraulic conductivity. Therefore, this research will investigate the performance of the hydraulic behaviour of different percentage of nano-clay in developing new soil liner design to be used in landfill. To complete the objectives, bentonite was pulverized by the process of high energy milling to obtain nano-bentonite. The milling sample is being analysed using Zeta Potential Analyzer and Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM). The laboratory studies were conducted by the determination geotechnical properties of the liquid limit, plastic limit, plasticity index shrinkage limit, particle density, compaction characteristic and also hydraulic conductivity value of raw bentonite mixed with 0%1%,2% and 3% of nano-bentonite. The laboratories result shows that the value of liquid limit, plastic limit, particle density and maximum dry density is increase in every addition of nano percentages meanwhile the value of plasticity index, optimum moisture content and hydraulic conductivity is decrease after adding nano-bentonite in the sample. The result shows the improvement of the soil by the geotechnical properties with addition of small amount of nano-bentonite.