Effects of leachate accumulation on landfill stability in humid regions of China

Journal Article · Sat May 15 00:00:00 EDT 2010 · Waste Management

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2009.12.005· OSTI ID:21357664

Yong, Yang; Shihui, Yang; Bin, Ye; Chang, Zhang ^[1]

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1. Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, 100084 Beijing (China)

Leachate levels are important to landfill stability and safety. High leachate or water levels often lead to landfill instability, which can cause accidents. Here a case study of a landfill located in a humid region of southern China is presented. Leachate distribution and quality were systematically analyzed, and the effect of leachate level on waste-mass stability was assessed. Boreholes were drilled in the field, samples were analyzed in the laboratory, and a simulation was performed. In addition, the safety and stability of the landfill was evaluated. The leachate level in the landfill was 9-19 m, which was higher than the top of the dam crest (8-20 m). Leachate accounted for more than 1/4 of the total landfill storage capacity. The contaminant concentration of the leachate samples collected directly from the waste body was very high, with large variation among the samples. The mean concentrations of NH{sub 3}-N, BOD, and COD from the waste body were 5404, 14,136, and 22,691 mg/L, nearly 2.7, 2.4, and 1.8 times the mean concentrations in the leachate pond, respectively. Three series of shear strength parameters were used in a slope stability analysis, and a limit equilibrium method was used to calculate the factor of safety (Fs). The analysis showed that Fs could be affected by potential anisotropy in the shear strength of the waste. The minimum values of Fs corresponding to series I were 1.84 and 1.17 for units I and II, respectively. The Fs value of unit II was significantly lower than the safe design value (1.25). In addition, Fs decreased with increase in the normalized height of the leachate level, h/H, where h is the height of the leachate mound and H is the maximum thickness of the landfill. If the h/H values of units I and II are kept below 50% and 40%, respectively, a safe design value of 1.25 for Fs can be guaranteed. Therefore, some measures to prevent risk should be considered.

• OSTI ID: 21357664
• Journal Information: Waste Management, Vol. 30, Issue 5; Other Information: DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2009.12.005; PII: S0956-053X(09)00538-8; Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; ISSN 0956-053X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE WASTES, AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
AMMONIA
ANISOTROPY
BOREHOLES
CHINA
HAZARDS
LEACHATES
PYRAZOLINES
SANITARY LANDFILLS
SHEAR PROPERTIES
SLOPE STABILITY
STORAGE
THICKNESS
WASTES
WATER
ASIA
AZOLES
CAVITIES
DIMENSIONS
DISPERSIONS
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
HOMOGENEOUS MIXTURES
HYDRIDES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MANAGEMENT
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
MIXTURES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN HYDRIDES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PYRAZOLES
SOLUTIONS
STABILITY
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT