Effectiveness of Moisture and Fixatives in Controlling Mobility of Contaminated Soil Particles by Wind Forces

Abstract

Wind tunnel experiments were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of two commercially available fixatives in controlling the mobility of soil particles on soil mounds when exposed to wind forces. The fixatives tested included two commercially available materials: (1) RoadMaster which consists of 38% calcium chloride solution and (2) DuraSoil which consists of a solution of alkanes and alkylated saturated compounds. Soil samples were placed in an open-loop low-speed wind tunnel and exposed to wind forces ranging from 10 to 30 mi per hour (mi/h). The amount of soil loss/displaced and particulate matter (PM10) generated were monitored in relation to soil moisture content and application rate of selected fixatives. The results showed that increase in soil moisture and amount of fixative used had a significant effect in controlling the particulate matter (PM10) concentrations and the amount of soil displaced by the wind forces. The calcium chloride solution was applied by spraying onto the soil samples. However, DuraSoil mixture was applied by pouring the fixative using pipettes due to its high viscosity.