A project report on

EFFECTS OF LEACHATE ON ENGINEERING PROPERTIES OF SOIL

Submitted by

Ritesh B. Chavan

Tushar A. Patole

Priyanka K. Wagh

Jarar T. Saire

PROJECT REPORT SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT

For The Degree Of

BACHELOR OF ENGINEERING

CIVIL DEPARTMENT

Y. T. C. E. M. Karjat
ACADEMIC YEAR 2019-2020
 ABSTRACT

The project work on ”THE EFFECT OF LEACHATE ON ENGINEERING PROPERTIES

OF SOIL” is an effective study on the physical characterstics of the soil after being exposed
to a highly reactive and nutrient rich liquid , which has the ability of deteorating materials
like gypsum and cemet. The project work comes under two different streams environmental
engineering and geotechnical engineering. Our work is confined to the geotechnical portion.
The physical analysis of the soil includes testing the soil for various engineering and index
properties of soil.

Solid waste open dumps are sited indiscriminately in Mumbai and are always potential
hazards to health , loss of soil nutrients and are sources of groundwater pollution. The study
will investigate the effects of leachate on some engineering properties of three different soil
conditions which includes a soil site where no dumping has been done , second site is one
where dumping has been done for past three year and the last is the site where dumping has
been done for a longer span of time around 92 years. A comparative study will be done to
determine the effect of leachate . In order to determine whether there are significant
differences between the characteristics at different dump a statistical test of hypothesis will
be carried out. The values of the specific gravity, liquid limit, plasticity limit, permeability,
moisture content, dry density and direct shear test will be evaluated in the soil under the
dumps. The results will indicate the needs for proper site investigation before solid waste
dumps are selected.

The project work will comprise of a comparative analysis of three different soil samples in
order to bring out the contrast in the change in properties of the affected soil. Vast research
is being done in the field of environmental science to counter the problem of leachate and
to treat the affected soil. As it is known that leachate is not any special structured chemical
compound nor it is a highly reactive nuclear waste , it is just liquid which through the
leaching action collect all the ingredients presents in that layer it passes by. It is a naturally
occuring liquid which is so reactive that it can completely deteriorate the soil and make it
barren.
The project work has been divided into 4 stages

1. Site selection

2. Sampling of soil

3. Lab testing

4. Comparative analysis

1. Site selection

The selection of site has been done keeping in mind the need to evaluate the effect of
leachate over the soil at the sites. For this purpose the sites need to be old enough and
must have seen atleast one monsoon. The season of monsoon is necessary for the
formation of leachate , as leachate is formed by the percolation of water through the
layer in open garbage dumps. Sites of varying age have been selected in order to
highlight the effect of leachate. The older the site is more is the leachate formed and
more is the effect on soil. The site selected is rich in garbage dump and the variety of
refuse in it. A healthy site has also been taken into consideration to highlight the
difference between the properties of a heathy soil and an affected one. The two
affected sites taken into consideration vary in their age, which contrasts effect of
leachate on the soil.
Site 1 – At Dr. Keshav Baliram Hedgevar Udhyan, Ghatkopar, Mumbai : Normal soil
site
Site 2 – Kanjurmarg Dumping Ground, Kanjurmarg, Mumbai : Young Dumping site
Site 3 – Deonar Dumping Ground, Gowandi, Mumbai : Old Dumping site.
2.Sampling of soil

Soil sampling will be done keeping in mind the various tests to be perfomed. The samples
extracted will be disturbed samples. Soil samples will be extracted from the site at considerable
depth wiz. At grass root level for the healthy site , at a depth of 1 ft. at the dumping site at
Kanjurmarg dumping ground, Kanjurmarg, Mumbai and the depth of extraction of soil from the
site at Deonar Dumping ground, Gowandi, Mumbai will be more than 15 ft.

The soil samples will be collected from the points where the concentration of leachate is
assumed to be maximum on the basis of observed surface moisture content.

3.Lab Testing

After collecting soil sample we will test the soil sample by performing test of liquid limit ,
plastic limit , permeability , direct shear , specific gravity ,moisture content and dry density test.
We are highly thankful to the H.O.D. of Dilkap college and institutes of engineering, Karjat
department of civil engineering , for making us available the lab support
4.Comparative Analysis

The comparative analysis in the project will be done on the basis of the result obtained from
various tests performed on the soil samples. These results will clearly depict the effect of
leachate over the soil samples. The tests will be performed in order to carry out a physical
analysis of the soil samples. The tests to be performed to get the current state of the physical
properties such as liquid limit, plastic limit, etc.