Performance of fibre-reinforced landfill mined soil like fraction as an environment friendly fill material

Abstract

Landfill mining is emerging as an effective strategy towards mitigation of the problems associated with legacy landfills. About 40–80% of the landfill mined waste is soil-like fraction (landfill mined soil like fraction, LMSF) that is obtained after removing the combustibles and recyclables. However, due to its lower calorific value and presence of organic content, LMSF has not found many applications except landfill cover material and filling of low-lying areas. In this context, the present study explores the strength properties of LMSF with and without fibres (coir and polypropylene fibres) through unconfined compression, direct shear, UU triaxial, cyclic UU triaxial, indirect tension and bending strength tests. Overall, the shear strength properties of LMSF are similar to sand with some cohesion. Further, the performance of LMSF with optimum fibre proportion (2% for coir fibres and 1.5% for polypropylene fibres) is quite superior under monotonic and cyclic compressive loading conditions, as well as indirect tension and flexural loading conditions. An assessment of 1 m replacement of soft soil with LMSF with/without fibre reinforcement infers substantial increase in the allowable bearing pressure of LMSF. Overall, though LMSF may need assessment/pre-treatment (as required) due to presence of organic content and any possible heavy metal concentration, utilization of LMSF would encourage the adoption of landfill mining process. The current research insights contribute in the direction of achieving sustainable infrastructure development by reduction in the landfill area that would reduce the depletion of conventionally utilized natural resources for fill applications such as sand and gravel, and contribute positively towards environment.