A passive reactive barrier wall was installed to remediate groundwater contaminated with tetrachloroethylene (TCE) at a site in a busy commercial center. This project posed unique challenges due to its location, where tight site parameters and ongoing business operations required a careful approach to minimize disruption.
The site’s geology consisted of sand and clay layers overlaying fractured shale bedrock, which was located 6 to 9 meters below the ground. Initially, a conventional slurry trench installation was considered. However, the decision was made to install a zero-valent iron (ZVI) wall using DeWind’s One-Pass Trenching technology.
This technology provided several key advantages:
- Adaptability to the constrained site conditions.
- Avoidance of collateral costs and issues associated with traditional slurry trench methods.
- Suitability for winter operations, eliminating the need for slurry in freezing temperatures.
By leveraging this innovative approach, the project was successfully completed without disrupting other activities or compromising on remediation goals.
