Use of Dense Asphaltic Concrete on Landfill Sites

Dense Asphaltic Concrete has been used as a Landfillas a very low permeability barrier material.
Lining membrane material for many years andThe Dense Asphaltic Concrete is formulated in a
although it is not commonly seen in the UK, it is usedmanner which ensures both very low permeability
much more often in Europe, and particularly inand possibly as low as 1 x 10^-11 m/s, and
Germany.permeability to landfill gas is also lower than for clays.
Asphaltic Concrete is the black substance based onThis is an imporant point as the ability of clays to
either macadam or a petroleum based substance - itpass some methane gas is often overlooked for
is also known as "tarmac" (tar macadam). While it issingle clay liner designs.
not as durable as Portland Cement for someAsphaltic concrete is stable on steeper slopes than
applications, it is can be cheaper initially but as it canHDPE unless special measures are taken to support
be designed to remain flexible it is more it is suitableand/or reinforce the HDPE, and much less prone to
be used in very large areas without expansion orthe sort ofslip plane development we often see
contraction joints. Extensively used in the USA andbetween HDPE and clay and sand/HDPE on slopes
Europe, asphaltic concrete is similar to bitmac in thatand banking.
through-graded aggregate is used. Asphaltic concreteAnother big assett when considering this alternative
is used for making airfields in the UK and in worldwidelining material is its robustness during the infilling of the
road construction. It is made from asphalt cementfirst layer of waste.
which is a petroleum bi-product, as well as coarseResistivity checks completed once the leachate
aggregate.drainage stone over the membrane often identify
Dense asphlatic concrete contains very few voids insmall holes in the HDPE linerafter the leachate stone
the cement/aggregate matrix and is therefore usefulhas been spread and levelled.