The effect of stress on the hydraulic conductivity of rubber soil liners permeated with gasoline

One of the most frequently observed contaminations in urban areas is gasoline leakages from underground storage tanks and spillage at transfer points. Previous research has shown that rubber fibers absorb gasoline on contact and will swell up to 2.5 times their original volume. Waste rubber fiber additives were used to stabilize kaolinite clay against increases in conductivity due to gasoline permeation. A special oedometer type permeameter was designed to test large size samples such that confinement pressures simulating field conditions may be applied during testing. Vertical stresses between 10 and 300 kPa were applied to kaolinite and rubber added kaolinite clay samples, prior to contamination., Increases in hydraulic conductivity upon gasoline permeation were successfully prevented with the addition of 10% rubber additive.