Permeability Behavior of a Water Treatment Sludge

Abstract

The permeability behavior of an alum water‐treatment sludge and treated separately with a slaked lime and a fly ash was investigated and compared with untreated sludge. The treatment level was 60% by dry weight of sludge. The permeability was determined using the conventional consolidation test. The test specimens for the treated sludge were cured for one month. For the untreated sludge, the test specimens were both uncured and cured for one and two months. Results of the study show that for the same curing time and void ratio, the permeability of treated sludge is considerably greater than that of untreated sludge. Also, lime treatment results in a higher permeability than flyash treatment. Within the range of curing time investigated, curing up to two months has insignificant effect on the permeability of untreated sludge. Further, the relationship between permeability and void ratio is a power function for both the untreated and treated sludges.