Relationship Between Classification and Shear Behavior of MSW

Waste forms the largest structural element in a landfill, it stresses the lining system and often controls both stability and integrity of the landfill. A rigorous classification system is required to help explain mechanical behavior of waste bodies, to group wastes with similar mechanical properties and to facilitate the exchange and interpretation of measured properties. A classification system is outlined. A waste survey of MSW has been conducted and used to identify and select key components to produce a family of synthetic wastes based on this classification. Synthetic wastes have been tested in both a large and a small shear device. Tests in the small device used downscaled components. Results for similar wastes show comparable behavior in the two sizes of devices. They have also been compared to tests on real wastes and these have also shown comparable shear behavior, thus validating the approach of using synthetic wastes for such studies. It has been demonstrated that trends of shear behavior can be related to waste sample classification.