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Containment of hazardous waste is one of the methods that can be used today for its disposal worldwide, especially in landfills. In order to preserve groundwater, landfills are constructed on a natural or reconstituted clay layer of low permeability, known as a passive safety barrier. This paper presents an experimental laboratory study that aims to upgrade local materials for use as a passive barrier in the bottoms of hazardous waste storage facilities (HWSCs). The basic materials are clays from the Adrar region in southern Algeria. An experimental study based on physical-chemical characterization and mechanical tests was performed on 2 samples of clayey soils (AA, Adrar clay, and AB, Bouda clay). Physico-chemical and mechanical characterization of Adrar clay (AA) mixtures with lime was conducted to minimize swelling and improve the studied soil. The permeability criterion allowed the adoption of an optimal mixture of Adrar clay + 6 % lime for a permeability lower than 10-12 m/s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The erosion of watersheds in Algeria is the major concern of dam managers. It depends on the nature of the soil and rainfall aggressiveness. The areas threatened by degradation due to desertification and water erosion are estimated at 50 million hectares. This area represents more than 20% of the total areas of the country, which is around 238 million hectares (MEDDI, 2015). The main objective of this study is the mapping of erosion in Wadi Guir watershed which feeds the Djorf-Torba dam (South-West Algeria), by the combination of Geographic Information System (GIS) and the different empirical formulas used in arid regions. This contribution makes it possible, on the one hand, to determine the zones producing erosion, which feed the main Wadi, through maps of distribution of the degrees of sensitivity to erosion (SADIKI, 2004). On the other hand, the application of empirical formulas makes it possible to evaluate the forecast of solid inputs linked to citation (TOUAÏBIA et al.., 1999). This in order to control the sediment dynamics, and ensure better profitable management of the dam organs during floods and during normal operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]