Effect of LCRS clogging on leachate recirculation and landfill slope stability

Vertical wells are commonly used for recirculating leachate into a landfill which can offer significant environmental and economic benefits. However, in some cases, the leachate collection and removal system (LCRS) at the bottom is overloaded and clogged due to biological and chemical processes. This results in a relatively high leachate level which could pose a threat to landfill slope stability. This study develops a three-dimensional landfill slope model with vertical recirculation wells and then investigates the effect of LCRS clogging on leachate recirculation and slope stability in terms of leachate saturation, pore water pressure, and factor of safety (FS) of a landfill slope. The results show that with an increase in clogging level that is characterized by an increased leachate level, the pore water pressure below the well injection screen is significantly increased by leachate recirculation, giving rise to a decreased slope FS value. In such conditions, the landfill slope formed by highly anisotropic waste is more likely to suffer instability. To prevent this kind of slope failure, a safe injection pressure of vertical recirculation wells is proposed for a wide range of parameter combinations involving waste anisotropy, clogging level, and the setback distance from the slope surface. This design guideline can be used to control the injection pressure in leachate recirculation applications and contributes to a better understanding of the slope stability of a bioreactor landfill.