Compacted　clay　is　an　effective　and　economical　engineering　barrier　for　seepage　prevention　and　gas　blocking　in　landfills　(including　tailings　pond,　landfill,　etc.).　In　addition　to　the　lack　of　durability　such　as　desiccation　cracks　of　compacted　clay　modified　by　clinoptilolite　and　sodium　polyacrylate,　it　is　also　necessary　to　consider　the　changes　of　engineering　properties　such　as　water　holding　capacity,　water　and　gas　resistance,　and　strength　of　compacted　clay.　Therefore,　through　oven　evaporation　test,　flexible　wall　permeability　test　and　unconfined　compressive　strength　test,　this　paper　studies　the　water　retention,　permeability　and　strength　characteristics　of　compacted　clay　with　different　amounts　of　clinoptilolite　and　sodium　polyacrylate.　Orthogonal　experiment　L16(45)　was　used　to　optimize　the　amount　of　clinoptilolite　and　sodium　polyacrylate　and　the　compaction　conditions,　and　further　combined　with　the　analytic　hierarchy　process　(AHP),　the　factors　affecting　the　water　retention,　permeability　and　strength　of　the　compacted　clay　before　and　after　the　modification　of　clinoptilolite　and　sodium　polyacrylate　were　discussed　simply　and　quickly,　and　the　applicability　of　the　orthogonal　experiment　traditional　analysis　method　and　the　analytic　hierarchy　process　in　the　modified　compacted　clay　of　clinoptilolite　and　sodium　polyacrylate　was　studied.　©　2023,　The　Author(s).