Engineered Soil Products

ERDC TN-DOER-C12

February 2000

Issues that may require resolution prior to implementation can be, but are not limited to, real estate

issues of ownership of the dredged material and/or confined placement facility where the dredged

material is stored; fees to the owner of the dredged material required for the removal of dredged

material; fees to the contractor for the removal of the dredged material; mechanisms used to

implement a commercialization plan such as contract or bidding or sole source contract; technology

licensing mechanisms such as who is required to obtain the license; liability for products produced

and/or uses of the dredged material derived products; acquisition of any and all permits that may

be required; and any warrantees and quality assurances for successful performance of manufactured

products.

Engineered Soil Products: To evaluate the potential for producing engineered soil products

such as landfill low permeable capping material in a particular location, local sources and types of

residual waste materials will need to be identified. Residual waste materials can be in many forms,

such as fly ash, gypsum, spent lime, etc. The quality, quantity, and availability of these materials

must be determined. Engineered soil products could be used to produce low permeable soil capping

material for most landfill closure needs or in brownfield redevelopment. Characterization tests of

the dredged material should be conducted in accordance with Winfield and Lee (1999) and Lee

(1999). Preliminary tests of blends of the dredged material, available waste materials, and binders

should be conducted to meet requirement specifications for product use. Various commercial

entities that have patented formulations or proprietary processes can conduct appropriate tests.

Results of the characterization and preliminary tests should be presented to local authorities for their

review, comment, and approval as a potential acceptable product. There are no universal contami-

nant concentration standards for capping soil material that are acceptable in all situations. A number

of states have or are attempting to establish acceptable contaminant screening levels for capping

soil materials used for landfill cover. The basis for these screening levels varies from state to state.

In some cases, background concentrations of contaminants in typical local soils are considered,

while other screening levels are related to risk assessments. In either case, local regulatory

authorities will decide the acceptability of engineered capping soil materials and their uses for

landfill cover or any other purposes. Coordination with local entities, such as municipal, county,

State, and Federal agencies, that have requirements for impermeable soil capping material should

be conducted to identify potential markets other than landfill closures. A commercialization plan

should be developed using available resource materials. Participants in the development of the

commercialization plan will vary from location to location. They can be, but are not be limited to,

commercial entities that have appropriate proprietary technology or a properly licensed entity,

sources of available residual waste materials, and other interested entities. The plan should then be