GeoBioTec@UBI
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A unidade de investigação (UI) GeoBiociências, Geotecnologias e Geoengenharias (GeoBioTec) foi criada em 2007 na Universidade de Aveiro e tem dois polos, um na Universidade da Beira Interior (GeoBioTec@UBI), outro na Universidade Nova de Lisboa (GeoBioTec-NOVA). A investigação é diversificada, envolvendo estudos interdisciplinares sobre recursos geológicos, recursos hídricos e gestão sustentável da água, geotecnia e mecânica dos solos e rochas, geologia estrutural, geomateriais, bacias sedimentares, tecnologias agroindustriais, sistemas ambientais complexos, mobilidade e transportes sustentáveis, deteção remota e sustentabilidade de cidades, comunidades e territórios. A UI está classificada como “Muito Bom” pela FCT e tem como missão conhecer e explorar os processos geológicos, biológicos, físicos e químicos que moldam o ambiente da Terra visando o desenvolvimento sustentável de cidades, comunidades e territórios.
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- Critical review of industrial solid wastes as barrier material for impermeabilization of storage waste facilitiesPublication . Marchiori, Leonardo; Albuquerque, AntonioNatural materials (e.g. clays) and synthetic materials (e.g. geosynthetics) are commonly applied as low hydraulic conductivity layers and environmental protection barriers in civil engineering works for storing solid wastes and wastewaters (e.g. solid waste landfilling, wastewater lagoons and mining waste ponds) for both covering and bottom impermeabilization of soils structures. However, due to a future shortage of clay materials and their high transport costs, in addition to geosynthetics generating more waste and presenting high costs, two needs emerge: reducing the amount of waste generated and developing strategies for preventing this waste from infiltrating the soil and ground water. One of the possible solutions consists in the use of some geotechnically applicable residues to prevent soil infiltration. Thus, the use of waste materials is particularly advantageous since it can considerably reduce construction costs, help preserve natural resources, and contribute to sustainability by turning “waste” materials into “valuable resource”. Many by-products of industry and waste (fly and bottom coal ash, blast furnace slag, foundry sands, water treatment plant sludge, agroindustry ashes, incinerated biomass ash, red mud, drilling mud and mine waste, among others) have been extensively studied as to their suitability as a geomaterial and showed promising results for use in waterproofing barriers (liners). The most significant factors that depend on hydraulic conductivity are index properties, compaction characteristics and compressive strength, so, in this aspect, hydraulic, mechanical, physical-chemical and mineralogical properties determine the valorisation, or not, of the waste as liner material. Industrial wastes and geocomposites acting as hydraulic barriers material literature were reviewed and analysed its actual applications such as lack of researches suggesting future investigations.
- Geotechnical Characterization of Water Treatment Sludge for Liner Material Production and Soft Soil ReinforcementPublication . Marchiori, Leonardo; Studart, André; Albuquerque, Antonio; Cavaleiro, Victor; Silva, AbilioA water treatment sludge (WTS) was characterized in order to evaluate if its properties would be suitable for use as liner of earthworks or for strengthening a clay soil. A WTS and a clayey soil was characterized in terms of granulometry, cumulative volumes, specific surface, density, plastic limit, liquid limit, water content, hydraulic conductivity, and characteristics of compaction (optimal water content and dry density). This study aimed to exhibit and evaluate these investigated parameters of WTS, soft soil and mixed proportions between the materials for liners’ material production while evaluating soft soils’ reinforcement feasibility. The results have shown WTS’s contribution with its fine granulometry and compaction characteristics, indicating filling properties and possible feasibility as soft soils additions for liners’ material production while being applicable for soils‘ reinforcements, corroborating with existing literature on the subject. Thus, the currently developed investigation has exposed WTS as a potential addition for these applications while also attending society’s new demands towards a more sustainable future.
- Evaluation of the potential use of water treatment sludge (WTS) as a waterproofing material for waste containment earthworksPublication . Marchiori, Leonardo; Studart, André; Morais, Maria Vitoria; Albuquerque, António; Cavaleiro, VictorIndustrial wastes’ incorrect disposal can cause groundwater and soils contamination. In this aspect, the water treatment sludge (WTS) appears as a potential residue to be valorized within soils in order to enhance wastes’ stabilization while mitigating its environmental impacts. Therefore, geotechnical and chemical evaluations were conducted for assessing WTS’s potential as a waterproofing agent for earth works, considering their impacts on the properties of the analyzed clayey soil for assessing possible soil’ reinforcement through a further investigation. Found results on the WTS characterization have shown a high percentage of fines, which contributes for the reduction of the soil’s plasticity. In addition, its chemical composition is compatible with pozzolanic characteristics while being possible to associate the analyzed WTS with materials already used in earth works. These results indicate a solid beginning for a complete characterization of the WTS and its stabilization within soils as they indicate possible reinforcement of clayey soils and use for liners application, which have yet to be confirmed by in-depth investigations around resistance and permeability properties.
- Granitic Mining Waste Feasibility for Liner Material ProductionPublication . Marchiori, Leonardo; Albuquerque, Antonio; Cavaleiro, VictorThis work aims to characterize geotechnically and mechanically a granitic mine waste (MW), a clayey soil, and two mixtures of M:soil with 50% and 25% of (dry mass), looking to evaluate its feasibility for liner material production. Samples of MW, soil, M:soil(50:50%) M:soil(25:75%) were analysed in terms of specific gravity (GS), coarse and fine portions granulometry distributions, Atterberg limits (WL and WP), Normal Proctor compaction parameters (wopt and ρd,opt), oedometer compressibility test, consolidated undrained (CU) triaxial compression and hydraulic conductivity (k). MW showed finer granulometry, and higher plasticity than the soil, possibly showing filling properties for the mixtures, lower GS and ρd,opt indicating weight-reduction for a new liner material development. Furthermore, k values can reach the requirement for liner application of a minimum of 10-9 m/s, although it needs more investigation on leachability capacity, cation exchange capacity and chemical compatibility in case addition of chemicals are needed for improving mixtures properties for liner material.
- Industrial solid wastes acting as barrier material for storing solid wastes and wastewaters - A critical reviewPublication . Marchiori, Leonardo; Albuquerque, Antonio; Cavaleiro, VictorClays and geosynthetic materials are commonly applied as low hydraulic conductivity layers and environmental protection barriers for storing solid wastes and wastewaters for both cover and bottom impermeabilization of geotechnical structures. However, due to a future shortage of clay materials and their high transport costs, in addition to geosynthetics generating more waste and presenting high costs, two needs emerge: reducing the amount of waste generated and developing strategies for preventing this waste from infiltrating the soil and ground water. One of the possible solutions consists in the use of some geotechnically applicable residues to prevent soil infiltration. Many by-products have been extensively studied as to their suitability as a geomaterial and showed promising results for use in liners. The most significant factors that depend on hydraulic conductivity are index, compaction, and compressive properties, so, in this aspect, hydraulic, mechanical, physic-chemical, and mineralogical properties determine the valorization, or not, of the waste as liner material. Industrial wastes and geocomposite acting as hydraulic barriers material and its geotechnical properties were reviewed and analyzed lack of research and future investigations suggestions.
- Geotechnical Characterization of Biomass Ashes for Soil Reinforcement and Liner MaterialPublication . Marchiori, Leonardo; Studart, André; Morais, Maria Vitoria; Albuquerque, Antonio; Andrade Pais, Luís; Boscov, Maria Eugenia Gimenez; Cavaleiro, VictorBiomass ashes (BA) have been intensively studied as amendments for soil in earthworks. This paper aimed to geotechnically characterize BA from pines and olive trees compared to the soil from Castelo Branco, Portugal. Namely, granulometry, specific gravity, Atterberg limits and optimal compaction values were obtained and analyzed in order to valorize the residue incorporated into soils. This work is part of broader efforts to develop an alternative material that can be used in hydraulic barriers as liners and for soil reinforcement. Thus, BA can contribute to reductions in weight and plasticity, and filling properties. Further studies are needed, particularly mechanical and hydraulic performance tests.
- Mechanical and Chemical Behaviour of Water Treatment Sludge and Soft Soil Mixtures for Liner ProductionPublication . Marchiori, Leonardo; Studart, André; Albuquerque, Antonio; Andrade Pais, Luís; Boscov, Maria Eugenia Gimenez; Cavaleiro, VictorBackground: Clay-based and geosynthetic liners are generally used as hydraulic barriers in solid waste disposal facilities, mining tailing ponds, and soil-based wastewater treatment technologies, avoiding the leaching of hazardous compounds into subsoil and groundwater. Water treatment sludge (WTS) is a water treatment plant (WTP) residue which due to hydraulic properties seems to decrease the permeability in WTS:soil mixtures and may become an alternative material to produce sustainable waste-based liners. Objectives: This research aims to characterize and analyse physical, chemical and mechanical parameters of a WTS, a soft soil and four mixtures WTS:soil following 05:95%, 10:90%, 15:85%, 20:80% ratios, Thereby, evaluating the best ratio for producing waste-based liners for civil engineering applications. Methods: The geotechnical characterization was performed for particle size distribution, specific surface, specific gravity, Atterberg limits, and Normal Proctor compaction; chemical composition due to oxides analyses through X-ray fluorescence (XRF), mineralogical description by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) with energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS) coupled for imaging; and mechanical behavior performing - –oedometric consolidation, consolidated undrained (CU) triaxial, and falling head permeability. Tests were conducted for all mixtures, the soil, and WTS, with pointed-out exceptions. Results and Discussion: The results showed that the fine-grained WTS filled the soil voids but rearranged soil particles, thus, compacted dry unit weight decreased with WTS addition, probably due to its chemical composition with high amounts of aluminium and silica. The compressibility of the compacted mixtures did not differ significantly compared to the soil, while the shear strength analysis demonstrated a reduction in cohesion and an increase in the effective internal friction angle proportional to WTS addition. Hydraulic conductivity increased with WTS until 10% of residue introduction, decreased for 15%, and continued to decrease for 20%, reaching optimum permeability at 15%. Conclusion: The incorporation of WTS can improve or just not interfere with soil’s properties to be used as liner material in solid wastes storage facilities, mining ponds and soil-based wastewater treatment technologies. Furthermore, 15% of WTS (15:85% mixture) incorporation provided the best results meeting the hydraulic conductivity requirement for liner materials, i.e., equal, or lower than 10-9 m/s. The reuse of WTS for this purpose would allow producing a new added-value material in the scope of circular economy.
- Geotechnical Characterization of Vegetal Biomass Ashes Based Materials for Liner ProductionPublication . Marchiori, Leonardo; Studart, André; Morais, Maria Vitoria; Albuquerque, Antonio; Cavaleiro, VictorThis paper aims to evaluate geotechnically, chemically, mechanically, and hydraulically parameters of vegetal-based biomass ashes (VBA) and its soil incorporation with different ratios as potential liner material and soils strengthening. Composites were developed for testing with different ratios of VBA: soil, following 05:95, 10:90, 15:85, and 20:80%. All laboratorial testing program followed European standards. For geotechnical characterization, the following tests were performed for all mixtures, the soil and VBA: granulometric distribution, specific gravity and Atterberg limits. Chemical characterization was done by collecting pH values and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) parameters for elemental and oxides analysis. Also, x-ray diffraction (XRD) was done to evaluate all sample’s mineralogical description. In addition, mechanical analysis was conducted by analyzing expansibility, one-dimension consolidation through oedometer, and consolidated undrained (CU) triaxial test, along with falling head permeability for additional permeability analysis. Results have shown a finer granulometry and decrease of plasticity, 5% to non-plastic behavior, as higher amounts of VBA are introduced, exposing a filling-material behavior. EDS and XRD analysis indicate quartz, muscovite, orthoclase and calcite composition, and VBA could possibly have pozzolanic properties due to high silica-alum-ferric oxides amount. Mechanical parameters have shown a stabilization of VBA within the analyzed soil, exposing a slight reduction on settlements while increasing friction angle, 25–30º, and decreasing cohesion, 5–0 kPa. Permeability values have shown their feasibility for liners application, as found values characterizes all mixtures as low-permeability materials, especially introducing 5% of the residue into soil which values were below 10–9 m/s. Thus, the incorporation of VBA into soils paves a solid alternative for reusing this material in varied applications, as the analyzed soft soil has been geotechnically enhanced. Additional analysis, mainly pozzolanicity levels and leachability tests, can contribute for this on-going study to stablish VBA as a feasible material for the industry.
- New Methodology for Rocks’ Geomechanical Characterization with Schmidt SclerometerPublication . Cavaleiro, Victor; Marchiori, Leonardo; Morais, Maria Vitoria; Marchi Oliveira, Gabriel; Cocchiarale, MarcelaHardness is a parameter that gives information about the behavior of rocks when subjected to certain deformations. Various non-destructive tests are available for hardness quantification, the use of the Schmidt Sclerometer is the most used due its expedition, among existing sclerometers, the Schmidt rebound hammer, type N-34, with an impact energy equal to 2,207 N.m (0.225 Kgm) was selected for experimental tests. Schmidt's hardness index (R) obtained were related to other physical parameters of the rock, namely uniaxial compressive strength (UCS), elasticity modulus (Ɛ), specific gravity and granularity. For comparison purpose, several literature’s methodologies are present focused on improving procedures and developing correlations for different rock types. In this sense, to assess the methodology that best suits granitic rocks’ characterization, several laboratorial and “in situ” tests from the literature were performed. Additionally, the paper proposes a new methodology based on the analysis of the results and a good relation between R and UCS parameters, concluding reliability on the methodology for values of non-porphyroid granitic rocks, predominantly biotitic and from medium to fine granularity, in a precise and consistent way.
- Cracking and desiccation of water treatment sludge for incorporation into soils for alternative liner material productionPublication . Marchiori, Leonardo; Morais, Maria Vitoria; Albuquerque, Antonio; Ferreira-Gomes, L.M.; Cavaleiro, VictorCracks may lead to hydraulic failure in soils due to increase of hydraulic conductivity which facilitate water infiltration, impacting negatively for liner materials. Therefore, cracking and desiccation investigation on liner material is advised. Water treatment sludge (WTS) is a by-product resulting from water treatment plants, and it seems to be suitable for geotechnical applications and soil replacement due to hydraulic latent properties, chemical similarities to soils, and mechanical behaviour. In this work WTS samples were incorporated into soil in different ratios – 05%; 10%; 15% and 20% of waste in dried mass of the geocomposites. The four mixtures, a soil sample and a WTS were tested according to the following procedure: two different circular Petri dishes samples were used, 5mm(H5) and 10mm(H10), and two cylindrical compacted samples with 65-70mm of diameter and 20-140mm of height (EDO-TRI, respectively) - dried for 10 days in controlled temperature and humidity. Water release curves (WRC), digital images correlation supported Crack Intensity Factor (CIF) index results were obtained for each material. Cracking behaviour results were compared with the permeability through falling head laboratorial tests, and studies around WTS ratio. Composites with 10% and 15% had the best results, showing no cracks during Petri dishes procedures for H10, in addition, the permeability for these materials reached the maximum for liner production – 10-9 m/s according to European and American directives - making possible the development of an alternative and feasible liner material.
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