Today more than ever before, a contractor may be asked to help solve the problem of limiting the flow of water or other liquids from a dam, sanitary landfill, hazardous waste impoundment, industrial storage facility, or pumping plant.
The use of cementitious materials for solidifying hazardous substances has recently shown considerable promise. The advantages of solidification, sometimes called stabilization, include: safer transportation and easier burial; less pollution of the environment caused by leaching and evaporating of hazardous constituents; improved physical properties of the wastes for easier handling; potential for recycling wastes into construction material; detoxification of substances for protection of workers.
Soil-cement is made by thoroughly mixing soil, portland cement and water by one of the ways described in this article. The most practical soils are those that contain not more than 35 percent silt and clay and that are easily pulverized. If more than 4000 cubic yards are to be constructed, the central-plant mixing method proves easy and economical.
