Simplified method to characterize municipal solid waste properties under seismic conditions

Area of Science:

• Geotechnical Engineering
• Earthquake Engineering
• Environmental Engineering

Background:

• Earthquakes pose significant risks to municipal solid waste landfills globally.
• Seismic hazard assessments are crucial for designing and extending landfills in seismically active regions.
• Understanding landfill dynamic properties is essential for predicting seismic response.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the dynamic properties of municipal solid waste landfill materials.
• To develop simple mathematical models for predicting these dynamic properties.
• To provide tools for designing landfills in seismic zones, especially when site-specific data is limited.

Main Methods:

• Extensive data compilation from various researchers.
• Application of curve-fitting techniques to analyze dynamic properties.
• Development of simple mathematical equations based on analyzed data.

Main Results:

• Proposed mathematical models for key dynamic properties: unit weight, shear wave velocity, shear strength, normalized shear modulus, and material damping.
• Comparison of model-generated profiles with available laboratory and field data.
• Demonstration of the models' utility in predicting landfill material behavior under seismic conditions.

Conclusions:

• The developed mathematical models offer a practical approach to estimate landfill dynamic properties.
• These models are valuable for designing municipal solid waste landfills in seismic zones, particularly when specific field data is unavailable.
• The study contributes to enhancing the seismic resilience of waste management infrastructure.