Geotechnical Evaluation of Loess Modifications as the Sustainable Compacted Soil Liner Material in Solid Waste Landfill

This paper studied the anti-seepage ability of the modified loess by using attapulgite, which is abundant in local areas. The possibility of using the modified loess as the sustainable compacted soil liner material in a solid waste landfill was also considered in this research. The materials were then evaluated using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), and an Impermeability Mechanism (IM). The experimental results showed that the permeability coefficient of the attapulgite-modified loess decreases significantly with increasing attapulgite content. However, it becomes less significant when the attapulgite level approaches 10%. Both cases can meet the landfill impermeability requirements, based on the attapulgite content remaining at 10%, adding 15% lime or 5% cement, respectively. The triaxial consolidation and drainage experiment was carried out to investigate the shear strength of the materials under three different working circumstances. The stress-strain curves of each specimen were produced, as were the cohesion and internal friction angle values. This research lays the groundwork for using attapulgite-modified loess as a landfill lining material. It establishes a solid platform for future studies on attapulgite adsorption and purifying performance in landfills.