Hydraulic and mechanical behavior of municipal solid waste and high-moisture waste mixtures

The objective of this study was to investigate how addition of high-moisture waste (HMW) affects the hydraulic and mechanical behavior of municipal solid waste (MSW). Direct shear and hydraulic conductivity tests were conducted on MSW, HMW, and MSW-HMW mixtures prepared with HMW contents ranging from 20% to 80% (by total mass). Direct shear tests were conducted at normal stress between 22 and 168 kPa and hydraulic conductivity tests were conducted at vertical effective stresses of approximately 50, 100, and 200 kPa. A threshold HMW content of 40% was identified corresponding to substantial change in friction angle and hydraulic conductivity of the mixtures. Municipal solid waste and MSW-HMW mixtures with less than 40% HMW had friction angles between 29° and 32° and hydraulic conductivities greater than or equal to 1.3 × 10^-6 m/s. At HMW contents above 40%, the friction angle and hydraulic conductivity decreased with increasing HMW content. At 80% HMW, the hydraulic and mechanical behavior of the MSW-HMW mixture was comparable to HMW. The HMW had a friction angle of approximately 2° and hydraulic conductivity of 1.1 × 10^-11 m/s at a vertical effective stress of 50 kPa. Additional direct shear tests conducted on MSW and MSW-HMW mixtures soaked in water to simulate subsequent wetting post disposal revealed a decrease in friction angle from approximately 29° to 24° for MSW mixed with 40% HMW.