title: Assessment of rock wool as support material for on-site sanitation: hydrodynamic and mechanical characterization.
abstract: This study proposes mechanical and hydrodynamic characterization of rock wool used as support material in compact filter. A double-pronged approach, based on experimental simulation of various physical states of this material was done. First of all a scanning electron microscopy observation allows to highlight the fibrous network structure, the fibres sizing distribution and the atomic absorption spectrum. The material was essentially lacunar with 97 ± 2% of void space. Static compression tests on variably saturated rock wool samples provide the fact that the strain/stress behaviours depend on both the sample conditioning and the saturation level. Results showed that water exerts plastifying effect on mechanical behaviour of rock wool. The load-displacement curves and drainage evolution under different water saturation levels allowed exhibiting hydraulic retention capacities under stress. Finally, several tracer experiments on rock wool column considering continuous and batch feeding flow regime allowed: (i) to determine the flow model for each test case and the implications for water dynamic in rock wool medium, (ii) to assess the rock wool double porosity and discuss its advantages for wastewater treatment, (iii) to analyse the benefits effect for water treatment when the high level of rock wool hydric retention was associated with the plug-flow effect, and (iv) to discuss the practical contributions for compact filter conception and management.
authors.affiliation: a Icube, UMR 7357, ENGEES, CNRS , Université de Strasbourg , 2 rue Boussingault, 67000 Strasbourg , France.
authors.forename: Adrien
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wanko
authors.affiliation: a Icube, UMR 7357, ENGEES, CNRS , Université de Strasbourg , 2 rue Boussingault, 67000 Strasbourg , France.
authors.forename: Julien
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Laurent
authors.affiliation: a Icube, UMR 7357, ENGEES, CNRS , Université de Strasbourg , 2 rue Boussingault, 67000 Strasbourg , France.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bois
authors.affiliation: a Icube, UMR 7357, ENGEES, CNRS , Université de Strasbourg , 2 rue Boussingault, 67000 Strasbourg , France.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mosé
authors.affiliation: b LPMT, EA 4365 , Université de Haute-Alsace , 11 rue Alfred Werner, 68093 Mulhouse Cedex , France.
authors.forename: Christiane
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wagner-Kocher
authors.affiliation: a Icube, UMR 7357, ENGEES, CNRS , Université de Strasbourg , 2 rue Boussingault, 67000 Strasbourg , France.
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bahlouli
authors.affiliation: c Rockwool France SAS , 111 rue du Château des Rentiers, 75013 Paris , France.
authors.forename: Serge
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tiffay
authors.affiliation: d Rockwool B. V ., Industrieweg 15, 6045 JG Roermond , The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Bouke
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Braun
authors.affiliation: d Rockwool B. V ., Industrieweg 15, 6045 JG Roermond , The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Pieter-Willem
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Provo kluit
mesh_terms: D003252:Construction Materials / Q000032:analysis*; D004867:Equipment Design; D005374:Filtration; D057446:Hydrodynamics; D016062:Porosity; D012499:Sanitation / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*
keywords: compact filter; hydrodynamic; mechanical; on-site sanitation; rock wool