Experimental study of bentonite-soil mixtures as anti-seepage materials of constructed wetlands

In this study, mixtures of different kinds of bentonite and soil were used and tested in order to find a cheap alternative to current anti-seepage materials for constructed wetlands. The anti-seepage layer of constructed wetlands was simulated in the experimental study and the permeability coefficient of the mixed materials was determined in order to evaluate the anti-seepage effect of mixtures. The main results are as follows: (i) The minimum mass ratio of bentonite to soil is 10%; (ii) Within a certain range, the more compact and higher the wet density is, then the better anti-seepage effect is (under the condition of certain moisture content). The permeability coefficient of the mixed materials exponentially increased with the increase of wet density; (iii) At the wet density of 1.83 g/cm(3), corresponding with the optimum compactness, the mixture of natural sodium bentonite produced in Wyoming, USA and soil from Cangzhou, Hebei province showed the best anti-seepage performance; (iv) The impermeability of the mixture with smaller particle sizes of bentonite was far better than that with the bigger particle sizes; (v) The hydration effect of bentonite changed the structure of the mixture materials into a special structure that is similar to that of pure bentonite. The particles of the mixture became expanded under SEM investigation and the mixture became more compact, which could have the same or similar effect as pure bentonite for anti-seepage.