Field and Laboratory Evaluation of Artificial Soil as an Evapotranspirative Barrier

An “artificial soil” created from industrial and municipal by-products has been evaluated as an evapotranspirative (ET) barrier via a full-scale field monitoring study and laboratory testing program. Two full-scale test sections were constructed and instrumented with moisture sensors, temperature sensors, lysimeters, and a surface weather station to quantify the rate and depth of moisture infiltration under natural precipitation events. Laboratory tests were conducted to quantify relevant engineering properties including moisture-density relationships, specific gravity, saturated hydraulic conductivity, and field capacity. The test sections were monitored for one year to observe infiltration behavior over a full range of environmental extremes. Results indicate that the artificial soil acts as an effective cover system by restricting wetting front propagation and causing water to either evaporate, transpirate, or flow laterally.