Physical Characterization and Geotechnical Properties of Municipal Solid Waste

Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) is complex refuse consisting of various materials with different properties. Some of the components are stable while others degrade as a result of biological and chemical processes. Leachate resulting from this is hazardous pollutant to the soil and ground water underlying. Leaching of this leachate and heavy metals into the soil leads to the contamination of both soil and groundwater. Municipal solid waste disposal on land has become one of the challenges in landfill engineering design. The stability of landfill is governed by the strength parameters and physical properties of MSW. For the analysis of MSW, geotechnical properties of the MSW play an important role in designing of the landfill and slope stability issues. In this paper results of laboratory investigation of the geotechnical properties of MSW are presented. Waste samples collected were subjected to specific gravity, moisture content, particle size analysis, compaction, permeability, consolidation and direct shear tests. The influence of these properties on the stability of the landfill and other issues of MSW in the designing of landfill are discussed.