Numerical study on the effect of excavation dewatering on the contaminant emission in sandy soil

Abstract

In recent years, construction has increased widely throughout the world, and the need for excavation and dewatering has increased dramatically. The potential for pollutants to enter soil and groundwater including chemical fertilizers, municipal landfill leachate, and hydrocarbons has also increased. The dewatering process used in the excavation can detrimentally affect the spread of contamination in the soil. In this study, the effect of different parameters on the emission of pollutants in different excavation depths has been investigated. Two software products SEEP/W and CTRAN/W are used for numerical modelling. The results show that the physical properties of soil have a significant influence on the contaminant movement. Also, it is indicated that the change in water level depth and the excavation depth have a massive effect on the contaminant migration process. Moreover, the vertical barrier can be an effective way to reduce the migration of contaminants to the excavation zone.