Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 16

Vegetated long-term solution for fly ash landfill capping project
during the coal combustion process. The
pond structure is utilized as a landfill to
prevent the release of contaminants into
the environment.
Ash ponds utilize gravity to settle out
large particulates and reduce the total
suspended solids (TSS) from the power
plant's wastewater before treatment.
These containment basins are generally
built using a ringed embankment of
various heights. The height is determined
by the capacity needs of the site. Many
embankments are designed using specifications
associated with embankment
dams and include clay cores to prevent
seepage and failure. According to the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA), as of 2012, there were 735 surface
impoundments in the United States.
FIGURE 3 Fly ash
Project team
Vistra hired the engineering team of Civil
& Environmental Consultants Inc. (CEC)
from Pittsburgh, Pa., to develop the final
closure design solution and create specifications
for the best management practices
(BMPs) to be used on the project.
Central Landscaping of Princeville, Ill.,
was hired to complete the swale stabilization
work on-site.
Design solutions
Upon closure of the two ash ponds, the
owner was faced with engineering a solution
to stabilize and contain approximately
143 surface acres (57.87 h) of
residual ash. A time-tested closure design
would be implemented at both pond
locations (see Figure 4). As part of the
capping design, the plan would require
a layer of clay soil to minimize seepage
of surface water into the stabilized pond
core. The clay layer and crowned surface
design would significantly increase rainfall
runoff.
This runoff would require a system
of swales designed to handle flow volumes
and shear stress levels that vegetation
alone would not withstand. To
prevent damage to the containment
structure, the solution needed to provide
long-term support to the channels,
eliminate erosion, be easy to maintain,
re-vegetate quickly and blend in with
the environment.
Best management
practice specification
After evaluating the performance, specifications,
appearance and cost of various
BMP options, the CEC team chose
to use Recyclex TRM-V® by American
Excelsior Co. as part of a vegetative swale
solution. The TRM chosen used fibers
made from 100% postconsumer recycled
polyester fibers (green plastic bottles).
Eighty percent of the fibers were 5
FIGURE 4 Typical ash pond closure design
16
Geosynthetics | February March 2023
inches (12.7 cm) or greater in length.
These fibers differ from many of the

Geosynthetics February/March 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Geosynthetics February/March 2023

Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - Cover1
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - Cover2
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 1
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 2
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 3
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 4
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 5
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 6
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 7
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 8
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 9
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 10
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 11
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 12
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 13
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 14
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 15
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 16
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 17
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 18
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 19
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 20
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 21
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 22
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 23
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 24
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 25
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 26
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 27
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 28
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 29
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 30
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 31
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 32
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 33
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 34
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 35
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 36
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 37
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 38
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 39
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 40
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 41
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 42
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 43
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 44
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - Cover3
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - Cover4
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