Settlement Characteristics of Mechanically Biologically Treated Wastes
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 139, Issue 10
Abstract
The legal limitations on the amount of biodegradable municipal solid waste (MSW) disposed of to landfill have led to the development of a range of pretreatment processes known generically as mechanical biological treatment (MBT). This paper presents the results of a detailed study of the degradation and settlement characteristics of two such MBT waste residues. The effects of mechanical creep and biodegradation are quantified separately, and compared with each other and with those for raw (untreated) MSW. The effects of different degrees of treatment prior to landfilling are considered in the context of the relationship between biodegradation and settlement. The results are discussed with reference to uncoupled models for estimating consolidation, creep, and biodegradation-induced settlements in MBT wastes. The methods for determining appropriate parameter values and applying these models to practice are also suggested.
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Acknowledgments
The measurements and discussion presented have arisen from a large program of research into the mechanics of liquid and gas flow processes in wastes, which was carried out at the University of Southampton and funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). The authors are grateful to Mr. Harvey Skinner for his development and support of the CAR facilities and to Professor J. K. White for his contributions to the ideas presented in this paper.
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Published In
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 139 • Issue 10 • October 2013
Pages: 1676 - 1689
Copyright
© 2013 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jun 15, 2012
Accepted: Feb 25, 2013
Published online: Feb 27, 2013
Published in print: Oct 1, 2013
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