Use of Geogrids to Enhance Stability of Slope in Bioreactor Landfills: A Conceptual Method

Abstract

In biroreactor landfills, biodegradation of municipal solid waste (MSW) is accelerated by leachate recirculation. However, the addition of moisture raises stability concerns. Reduced interlocking can also cause stability issues when MSW is shredded before disposing in bioreactor landfills. Engineers usually select safe slopes such as 3H:1V to design above ground MSW slopes in traditional dry landfills. But these slopes may not be safe for bioreactor landfills due to the stability concerns. Use of shallower slopes is not attractive because of the reduction in effective landfill capacity. This paper describes how geogrids may be used to enhance the stability of MSW slopes in bioreactor landfills. A preliminary stability analysis of un-reinforced and geogrid-reinforced MWS slopes was conducted using PLAXIS. The results indicated that the geogrids are capable of improving the factor of safety of MSW slopes. In geogrid-reinforced MSW failure surface developed at the ends of embedded geogrids separating reinforced MSW from un-reinforced MSW. This failure surface was larger than the failure surface developed for un-reinforced MSW. A different failure mechanism triggered when various lengths of geogrid were used. Although large displacements were found near the toe of the slope, a greater factor of safety was obtained.

Meeting Name

2009 International Foundation Congress and Equipment Expo

Department(s)

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering

Keywords and Phrases

Landfills; Slope Stability; Geogrids

Document Type

Article - Conference proceedings

Document Version

Citation

File Type

text

Language(s)

English

Rights

© 2009 American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), All rights reserved.

Publication Date

01 Jan 2009

Link to Full Text

Share

 
COinS