Abstract
Biofiltration devices are a potentially effective treatment option for the treatment of stormwater runoff from urban areas. However the performance of these systems and other infiltration devices can be affected by characteristics such as texture, structure and porosity of the soil media that was used during stormwater treatment construction facilities. This presentation focuses on the role of urban soils and the designs and expected performance of infiltration facilities, especially how they can be most suitably sized and located in small commercial establishments. Premature clogging of filtration media by incoming sediment is a major problem affecting the performance of stormwater biofiltration systems in urban areas. Appropriate hydraulic characteristics of the filter media, including treatment flow rate, clogging capacity, and water contact time, are needed to select the media and drainage system.
Controlled laboratory column tests are being conducted using sand mixtures and soil samples obtained from Tuscaloosa, Alabama areas. Mixtures of local sands representing a wide range of compaction, median size, uniformity, and organic content have been examined. Similar lab column tests will be conducted using soils obtained from Gainesville, GA and mixtures of local sands from the State of Georgia representing a wide range of compaction, median size, uniformity, and organic content.
The laboratory compaction test results indicated that compaction has significant effects on the infiltration rates; however changes in bulk density resulting from amending the sand mixture with peat were observed. The field test results indicated that the double-ring infiltration measurements are not a good indicator of the soil infiltration characteristics and it is important that stormwater practice designers determine the subsoil characteristics before designing stormwater treatment facilities.
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Metadata
- Subject
Physics & Astronomy
- Date submitted
19 July 2022
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Author Biography:
Redi Sileshi is an assistant professor of engineering in the physics department at the University of North Georgia (UNG) Gainesville campus where he teaches engineering courses. Prior to coming to UNG, he worked for private engineering consulting firm. Redi received a Ph.D. degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Alabama (UA) in Tuscaloosa and his master's degrees in Civil Engineering and Applied Physics from the UA and Alabama A&M University, respectively. Redi's primary research interests are in the field of Water Resources Engineering. He is interested specifically in the general areas of stormwater management, largely focusing on small and large-scale infiltration studies in urban areas. He has also done an extensive research on impacts of compaction on infiltration capacities for different types of urban soils, along with methods to restore soils to their natural capacities. Redi has authored research papers on topics related to stormwater management and presented his research at international and national conferences.