Compression Behavior of Municipal Solid Waste: Immediate Compression
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 138, Issue 9
Abstract
An evaluation of scale effects, stress, waste segregation, and waste decomposition on the immediate compression behavior of municipal solid waste is presented. Laboratory experiments were conducted in 64-, 100-, and 305-mm-diameter compression cells. A field-scale experiment [Deer Track Bioreactor Experiment (DTBE)] was conducted on waste of the same composition and material properties. A methodology is presented for determining the end-of-immediate compression strain () that is applicable to both laboratory- and field-scale data. The compression ratio () was comparable between tests conducted in 100- and 305-mm compression cells. Compression tests in 305-mm cells conducted on six wastes (three size-differentiated fresh wastes and three decomposed wastes) yielded ranging from 0.22 to 0.28 in the stress range of 25–100 kPa. A similar (0.23) was determined for the DTBE (20–67 kPa). The variation in is related to the waste compressibility index (WCI), which is a function of waste dry weight water content, dry unit weight, and the percent contribution of biodegradable organic waste (paper/cardboard, food waste, yard waste). A compilation of laboratory data from this study and the literature yielded a predictive relationship for the and WCI. The can be estimated within ±0.087 for a given WCI using this relationship.
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Acknowledgments
Financial support for this study was provided by the University of Wisconsin–North Carolina State University bioreactor partnership (www.bioreactorpartnership.org), which was sponsored by the U.S. National Science Foundation (Grant No. EEC-0538500) and a consortium of industry partners (CH2MHill; Geosyntec Consultants; Republic Services; Veolia Environmental Services; Waste Connections, Inc.; and Waste Management) through the National Science Foundation’s Partnerships for Innovation Program. Additional thanks are extended to Professor Morton Barlaz (North Carolina State University) for his prominent role in the overall project and Ronald Breitmeyer (Exponent, Inc.) for assistance with the laboratory testing.
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Published In
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 138 • Issue 9 • September 2012
Pages: 1047 - 1062
Copyright
© 2012 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Mar 2, 2011
Accepted: Nov 22, 2011
Published online: Dec 10, 2011
Published in print: Sep 1, 2012
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