Waste-composition-dependent ‘HBM’ model parameters based on degradation experiments

Municipal solid waste (MSW) is biodegradable in landfills under anaerobic conditions. The evolution of the hydro-biochemical-mechanical (HBM) processes during degradation investigated first through experiments and subsequently modelling. Three well-characterised MSW specimens from US landfill sites with significantly different compositions ranging ‘waste-rich’ to ‘soil-rich’ were degraded large-scale experimental set-ups that enabled simultaneous characterisation time. closely monitored are modelled using a two-stage model which incorporated HBM model. This allows an assessment performance as function composition derivation waste-composition-dependent parameters. performed fairly well capturing biochemical physical behaviours. An increase material specimen corresponds activity (volatile fatty acids methanogenic biomass accumulation), higher rate organic fraction depletion, settlement methane production. However, found overpredict production for all specimens.