The invention relates to a low-permeability geotechnical barrier material including a blend of approximately equal parts of: aggregate particles, sand-size particles and manufactured composite particles that include a hydratable sealant material composed of naturally-occurring clay minerals and/or polymer-enhanced clay minerals, such that the actual percentage of clay mineral component is less than 10% by weight in the blended material. In a particular embodiment, the construction of a low-permeability geotechnical barrier using predominantly coarse grain materials by conventional compaction efforts is rarely attempted due to the difficulty of maintaining a uniform mix of well-graded sand and aggregate blends necessary to achieve low permeability. The regularly achievable permeability offered by this material blend when installed with specific proscribed techniques using conventional equipment can be 5×10.sup.−8 cm/sec or lower.

A membrane-lined wall for levee reinforcement or leak prevention, prevention of water migration, and pollution control of impoundments. The membrane-lined wall generally includes a cementitious or concrete wall formed within an excavated trench. The concrete may be internally reinforced, and the wall may also comprise a double-layer of impermeable geomembrane liner that forms a barrier between the concrete and the sides and bottom of the trench. The membrane or liner reduces water migration, prevents levee leakage, and prevents the escape of contaminants in impoundments.

Composite particles contain a natural stone or aggregate core and a coating of two or more sorbent layers collectively containing at least two distinct kinds of sorbent materials effective for sorbing two distinct contaminants. One or both sorbent layers may be mixed with a water-absorbent, swellable clay that, upon contact with water, causes spalling or disintegration of the coating layer to release the sorptive material into a body of water such as a pond, ditch, stream, or riverbed. Additional swellable or protective layers may also be present. The composite particles are deployed into a pond, ditch, river, or streambed where the core of natural stone remains in the riverbed. The sorptive materials of the two different sorbent layers sorb and fix a wide range of contaminants, including both the heavy and light-weight hydrocarbons, from the water, and settle as a fine sediment. The sediment with sorbed contaminants is then removed by means such as hydraulic collectors or dredging.

A pressing-pulling device includes: a pressing-pulling bracket, wherein slotting oil cylinders are symmetrically and vertically mounted on the pressing-pulling bracket, and a piston rod of each of the slotting oil cylinders faces downwardly; a bottom end of the piston rod is connected to a connecting plate, and a through-hole is provided in a middle of the connecting plate; a continuous lifting mechanism is installed in a middle of the pressing-pulling bracket, and a slotting rod is vertically inserted into the continuous lifting mechanism; a lifting ring is installed at a top end of the slotting rod; a bottom end of the slotting rod extends downwardly through the through-hole to connect to a slotting cutter; a locking device is fixed on the connecting plate near the through-hole for fixing the slotting rod.

A method of constructing a prefabricated wall structure comprising orienting interspaced stud molds having an H-shaped channel shape cross sections and edges defining an open portion of the channel shape, in a horizontal configuration within a framing means having a top, bottom, and sides and providing containing walls of the mold such that the edges of the molds form uppermost parts of the stud molds and are located within an essentially horizontal plane within the framing means; the stud molds being spaced equally between the top and bottom framing means to thereby create a space above and below, wherein the stud molds and framing means create cavities that are in fluid communication with one another; positioning rigid insulation panels within the framing means, to form a continuous surface within the framing means; pouring concrete into the enclosed forms so as to cover the rigid insulation panels and to fill the stud molds thereby forming the prefabricated wall structure, permitting the poured concrete to set; and removing the wall structure.

A wall structure comprising horizontal concrete base and top beams; two or more concrete vertical support members integrally joined to the base and top beams and meeting at an essentially right angle; wherein the two or more vertical support members define left and right wall boundaries, and wherein the top and base beams define top and a bottom wall boundaries, respectively; an exterior wall shell extending from the left to the right wall boundaries, and extending from the top to the bottom wall boundaries, and continuous with the base and top beams, and the support members; H-shaped insulation encompassing the vertical support members, attachment strips attached to the insulation along its length with fasteners joining the attachment strip to the vertical support member, wherein the fasteners pass though the insulation; and insulation attached to the exterior wall shell between the vertical support members.

Systems and methods are disclosed for landfill systems, comprising waste, a geosynthetic product, and a layer of foam glass aggregates interposed between the waste and the geosynthetic product.

Improved containment mats and systems of containment mats may include multiple adjoining mats with a top surface and a bottom surface. The multiple mats may provide a modular structural mat system that may be installed at a drill site, with multiple mats placed adjacent to each other with a lap joint connecting adjacent mats. A geotextile may be used to cover the lap joints and a coating applied to the geotextile. Such a system may provide containment of potential spills, a reliable working surface for drilling operations, and relatively fast and less expensive installation.

A portable hazardous spill or waste water, ground containment system adapted for receipt on a ground surface. The containments system can have various geometric configurations, such as a circle shape or an oval shape. The containment system includes a plurality of spaced apart, vertical metal posts and a plurality of horizontal plastic straps. The straps are disposed one on top of each other. The vertical metal posts are used to hold the plastic straps around a circumference of the containment system. A plastic liner is disposed over the ground surface inside the containment system. A top portion of the liner is attached to a top of the vertical metal posts. The liner is adapted for receiving various types of equipment, tanks and containers holding different types of toxic chemicals, waste water, and other liquid materials.

A thermal-break assembly including a thermal-insulation block configured to be installed between a first floor section and a second floor section. A weight-receiving device is configured to receive the thermal-insulation block. Spaced-apart reinforcing bars extend through, and beyond, the thermal-insulation block; this is done in such a way that the spaced-apart reinforcing bars, in use, extend into the first floor section and into the second floor section (once the thermal-insulation block is installed therebetween). The spaced-apart reinforcing bars are in intimate contact with the weight-receiving device.