Development of Model for Shear-Wave Velocity of Municipal Solid Waste
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 140, Issue 3
Abstract
The shear-wave velocity and associated small-strain shear modulus of municipal solid waste (MSW) are important engineering parameters in evaluating the seismic response of MSW landfills as well as in characterizing the waste material and its response to static loads. Semiempirical and empirical models for the shear-wave velocity are presented. The semiempirical model is a more comprehensive model that aims to separately capture the effect of waste density and confining stress on the shear-wave velocity of MSW. It is based on similar models for soils, and its mathematical expression is formulated using data generated from large-scale laboratory studies on reconstituted MSW. The empirical model has a simpler mathematical expression that is a function of depth only. The parameters of both models are derived by calibrating them against a total of 49 in situ shear-wave velocity profiles at 19 MSW landfills, i.e., 13 profiles from four landfills in Michigan generated as part of this study and 36 additional shear-wave velocity profiles from 15 landfills available in the literature. The models can be used to estimate the shear-wave velocity of MSW and to evaluate the seismic response of landfills. Also, in the absence of in situ data, the models can be used at existing MSW landfills for preliminary design purposes. The models are not intended to replace in situ data and do not predict abrupt changes in the shear-wave velocity profile as a result of abrupt changes in waste type and composition.
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Acknowledgments
This paper is based upon field work supported by the National Science Foundation Division of Civil and Mechanical Systems under Grant No. CMMI-1041566 and earlier laboratory work supported by the National Science Foundation Division of Civil and Mechanical Systems under Grant Nos. CMMI-0220064 and CMMI-0219834. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed in this paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation. Additional information about this research project is available on the project’s GeoWorld website (http://www.mygeoworld.info).
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Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 140 • Issue 3 • March 2014
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© 2013 American Society of Civil Engineers.
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Received: Oct 16, 2011
Accepted: Jul 29, 2013
Published online: Jul 31, 2013
Published in print: Mar 1, 2014
Discussion open until: Apr 29, 2014
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