The City of Corpus Christi began planning more than a decade ago to ensure that a new landfill would be ready to go when the old facility reached capacity. Kleinfelder was engaged to provide geotechnical investigation, construction materials testing services, and engineering oversight for the new $30 million state-of-the-art Cefe F. Valenzuela Landfill.
The new 2,273-acre facility had to be located far from neighboring ranches and farms and needed to efficiently handle 500,000 tons of waste a year. Soil permeability was crucial, and regulations concerning the disposal of trash were designed to protect the environment. All elements of the project had to be built to last, from construction of buildings and roads to wells for water monitoring. The site needs to be viable for the next 100 years.
Kleinfelder provided engineering oversight for the construction of the structures, roadways, and sector. Our team conducted field testing, including nuclear density, concrete, and flexible membrane testing. The laboratory testing program consisted of Atterberg limits, gradations, and in-place permeability tests. The liner system for the landfill consisted of two feet of compacted clay liner, 60-millimeter flexible membrane liner, and two feet of protective cover to keep rain from the landfill and reduce odors. The two landfill units are designed to hold piles of trash approximately 300 feet high—more than three times higher than the current landfill’s trash peak.
This state-of-the-art landfill meets stringent design, construction, and operation standards to comply with all regulatory standards and laws. Since the landfill opened, Kleinfelder has provided oversight and testing services for more than 35 acres of liner construction. Kleinfelder also installed monitor wells for water sampling and provides the ongoing reports required by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
Location:
Corpus Christi, Texas
Owner:
City of Corpus Christi
