Lab and modelling DC Resistivity Tests to Analyse the Response of a High Resistivity Liner

Effective monitoring of municipal solid waste landfills (MSWLFs) is crucial to prevent the propagation of pollutants into the subsurface and requires reliable non-invasive tools to study the conditions of the low-permeability plastic liner that is generally placed underneath the waste. Given the fact that the waste leachate is extremely conductive and that the liner is very resistive, geoelectrical methods could be employed to monitor MSWLFs. Nevertheless, penetration and spatial resolution issues should be carefully considered to evaluate the actual potentialities of the geoelectrical techniques. Here, we compare the apparent resistivities, the current penetration and flow features obtained in small scale lab experiments with a simple set up with results derived from modelling tests performed with a new code that we developed in Python language. The objectives are to validate the modelling and laboratory tools that we are using and to suggest the optimal parameters for future tests that will compare damaged and undamaged liner conditions. The final goal of our work is to test and define an effective landfill monitoring protocol based on geoelectrical methods aimed at mitigating the environmental risks associated with the infiltration of pollutants in the subsurface.