Work

Geoenvironmental Engineered Structures for Water Protection: Challenges and Perspectives for Sustainable Liners

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Geoenvironmental engineered barriers, such as geotechnical and hydraulic layered structures called liners, are essential for protecting the environment from pollution. Liners are usually compacted clay liners (CCL), geomembranes (GM), geosynthetic clay liners (GCL), or a combination of these liners (composite liners), which require significant attention concerning materials, techniques, and procedures to perform adequately. This work reviews the function of geotechnical and hydraulic barriers as liners and highlights the lack of investigation and problematic aspects of them. In addition, the work provides an overview of the literature around earthworks which are liners’ specific configurations, such as landfills, dams, ponds, wastewater lagoons, and vertical barriers. Furthermore, the main investigations, issues, and perspectives are demonstrated, and are discussed alongside the trending research areas and sustainable new materials. This work highlights different directives in several countries for liner construction standards and testing program specifications, analyzing their economic aspects. The main studies on the subject have been compiled, and a bibliometric analysis was performed. Thus, this paper concludes by pointing out gaps in the research regarding alternative materials and structures within geoenvironmental investigations on liners, and signposts future scientific threads related to sustainable development.

Source: Sustainability

DOI: 10.3390/su17051850

Authors: Leonardo Marchiori, Antonio Albuquerque, Luis Andrade Pais, Maria Eugênia Gimenez Boscov, Victor Cavaleiro

Institutions: University of Beira Interior, GeoBioTec - Geobiociências Geotecnologias e Geo-engenharias, Universidade de São Paulo

Language: English

Topic: Landfill Environmental Impact Studies

Subfield: Waste Management and Disposal

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,896