Design Methodology for Permeable Reactive Barriers Combined With Monitored Natural Attenuation

dc.contributor.authorHafsi, Amineen
dc.contributor.committeechairWiddowson, Mark A.en
dc.contributor.committeememberFilz, George M.en
dc.contributor.committeememberLittle, John C.en
dc.contributor.departmentCivil Engineeringen
dc.date.accessioned2014-03-14T20:35:20Zen
dc.date.adate2008-06-06en
dc.date.available2014-03-14T20:35:20Zen
dc.date.issued2008-04-23en
dc.date.rdate2011-02-09en
dc.date.sdate2008-05-06en
dc.description.abstractPermeable reactive barrier (PRB) technology is increasingly considered for in situ treatment of contaminated groundwater; however, current design formulas for PRBs are limited and do not properly account for all major physical and attenuation processes driving remediation. This study focused on developing a simple methodology to design PRBs that is easy to implement while improving accuracy and being more conservative than the available design methodologies. An empirical design equation and a simple analytical design equation were obtained to calculate the thickness of a PRB capable of degrading a contaminant from a source contaminant concentration to a maximum contaminant level at a Point of compliance . Both equations integrate the fundamental components that drive the natural attenuation process of the aquifer and the reactive capacity of the PRB.The empirical design equation was derived from a dataset of random hypothetical cases that used the solutions of the PRB conceptual model (Solution I). The analytical design equation was derived from particular solutions of the model (Solution II) which the study showed fit the complex solutions of the model well. Using the hypothetical cases, the analytical equation has shown that it gives an estimated thickness of the PRB just 15 % lower or higher than the real thickness of the PRB 95 percent of the time. To calculate the design thickness of a PRB, Natural attenuation capacity of the aquifer can be estimated from the observed contaminant concentration changes along aquifer flowpaths prior to the installation of a PRB. Bench-scale or pilot testing can provide good estimates of the required residence times ( Gavaskar et al. 2000) , which will provide the reactive capacity of the PRB needed for the calculation. The results of this study suggest also that the installation location downgradient from the source of contaminant is flexible. If a PRB is installed in two different locations, it will achieve the same remediation goals. This important finding gives engineers and scientists the choice to adjust the location of their PRBs so that the overall project can be the most feasible and cost effective.en
dc.description.degreeMaster of Scienceen
dc.identifier.otheretd-05062008-122931en
dc.identifier.sourceurlhttp://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-05062008-122931/en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10919/32264en
dc.publisherVirginia Techen
dc.relation.haspartAmine_Hafsi_MS_Thesis.pdfen
dc.rightsIn Copyrighten
dc.rights.urihttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/en
dc.subjectnatural attenuationen
dc.subjectpermeable reactive barriersen
dc.subjectgroundwater remediationen
dc.titleDesign Methodology for Permeable Reactive Barriers Combined With Monitored Natural Attenuationen
dc.typeThesisen
thesis.degree.disciplineCivil Engineeringen
thesis.degree.grantorVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State Universityen
thesis.degree.levelmastersen
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Scienceen

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