Lessons Learned from Landfill Liner Quality Control: A Case Study from Córdoba, Argentina

Ensuring the integrity of landfill liners is crucial for effective waste containment and environmental protection. This study presents lessons learned from the construction and quality control of landfill liner systems in Córdoba, Argentina, comparing two landfill cells, one built in 2021 and the other in 2023. The analysis highlights key factors influencing liner performance, including soil compaction, permeability optimization, and geosynthetic seam integrity. Field measurements demonstrate that rigorous quality control during liner installation significantly reduces defect density, decreasing from 28.6 instances of damage per hectare in 2021 to 15.8 instances of damage per hectare in 2023. Seam integrity improved from a 45% pass rate in air pressure tests in 2021 to 90% in 2023, emphasizing the impact of thermal imaging techniques and structured installation plans. Results also show that replacing compacted clayey soil layers with geosynthetic clay liners can maintain equivalent performance up to a leachate head of 0.3 m. This case study underscores the critical role of environmental geotechnics in optimizing landfill design, controlling the leachate level, improving operational efficiency, and enhancing long-term containment reliability.