Estimation of the Settlement Components of Municipal Solid Waste

Abstract

The results of the one-dimensional simulator represented the behavior of synthetic municipal solid waste (MSW), including biodegradation, physical, and mechanical properties, and main stages of settlement. The MSW settlement was divided into two main stages: immediate settlement and secondary settlement. Based on the MSW composition generated in Baghdad City, synthetic specimens of MSW were prepared. They were randomly collected by distributing bags to 30 houses at three different neighborhoods in Baghdad and transported to the laboratory in locked bags and were decomposed in anaerobic bioreactor cell with leachate recirculation. Many parameters were monitored simultaneously for 400 days, to permit for an overall description of biodegradation of MSW. The water content (w = 57.9%) and the specific gravity (Gs = 1.58) of the entire specimen was measured. The values of the initial void ratio (e0) and wet unit weight (γbulk) of the specimen were 2 and 8.12 kN/m3, respectively. Measuring of all geotechnical, physical, microbial, and chemical parameters is important to generate a universal understanding of long-term biodegradation of MSW. The main parameters of the model, which are Cc′, Cα′, k, and εbt, are important in the evaluation of settlement components and total settlement in landfill. The settlement and mass loss data obtained from this study could be used for the development of the settlement models.KeywordsMunicipal solid waste (MSW)CompressionSettlementCreepBiodegradationLandfillAnaerobicLeachate recyclingBiogasBioreactor