Dynamic Behavior of Geosynthetic Lined Waste Impoudments

Over the last fifteen years increased research interest has been observed on the dynamic response and stability issues of landfills. Nevertheless, there are still important aspects that have not been yet fully resolved. Geosynthetic liners, constructed to isolate waste material from the environment, are undoubtedly one of the most important issues related to seismic design of landfills, since a potential failure is directly related to leakage of leachate to the environment. This study aims to highlight the contributing role of the base liner on the seismic behavior of landfills. As landfills are characterized by several uncertainties, related mainly to waste material characterization, the current investigation takes also into consideration the significant parameters addressed in the literature affecting the dynamic response of this type of geostructures. For this purpose, two-dimensional efficient dynamic finite-element analyses are performed. The tension of the geosynthetics resulting from the seismic loading is estimated along with the potentially induced seismic slip deformations taking place on the interfaces. Results indicate that the seismic strains on the geosynthetics should not be neglected. Conclusively, seismic design of landfills should take into account these phenomena and ensure the integrity of the lining systems as well as the stability of the waste impoundment.