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Geophysical Prospection (ERT) for the detection of leachate in a Municipal Solid Waste landfill
Published on 29 September 2019
Spain
Andalucía
This is the good practice's implementation level. It can be national, regional or local.
About this good practice
Electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) is a geophysical technique for imaging sub-surface structures from electrical resistivity measurements made at the surface of landfill.
The execution of this method consists in the introduction of a continuous current into the ground by two electrodes connected to a source of energy of a known intensity. The difference in power is measured by two other electrodes. With these two measurements (intensity and power difference) the apparent resistance, which is related to greater leachate saturation, is obtained regarding the material affected.
Before starting the field campaign the plans for exploiting the installation and available reports, annual controls were revised.From information a campaign of profiles has been designed and planned, allowing all of these areas to be covered and in such a way that the ground penetration can reach sufficient depth to determine lechate levels. ERT profiles were prepared in such a way that the centre, profile section that penetrates the ground most, is situated above the areas which are expected to be the thickest.
In the same way, in order to acquire a greater resolution and reliability level both in implementation as well as in later data reading, it has been charted following three main directions, trying to achieve the straightest line possible at all times, following the existing berms
Resources needed
A budget of approximately 15,000€ for 5,500 linear metres of electrical resistivity imaging (one week of work and another for data interpretation, conclusions, plans, profiles ...,and writing the report).
Evidence of success
ERT, as a decision making tool in LfM (landfill management), allow to identify and partially characterize materials inside the waste mass; locate leachate acumulations and control landfill evolution and stability. Therefore this technique provides information to manage landfill in operational phase and to optimise sealing design in order to guarantee landfill stability.
Potential for learning or transfer
Electrical Resistivity Tomography is a decision-tool cost-effective decision making tool in LfM (landfill management) that allow to identify and partially characterize materials inside the waste mass, locate leachate acumulations and controllandfill evolution and stability. This technique could be applied in any landfill (not only municipal solid waste but also industrial waste landifll) to provide more information about landfill state of art.
Good practice owner
Organisation
LIMASA3
Spain
Andalucía
Contact
Responsible for Environmental center of Cordoba