Seismic Analysis of Municipal Solid Waste Dumps: Site Specific Case Studies From Delhi, India

摘要

Site specific seismic analysis is necessary for reliable assessment of performance of municipal solid waste (MSW) dump sites/landfills due to the highly heterogeneous nature of waste mass. This paper presented the results of one-dimensional site specific seismic studies performed for two old and tall MSW dump sites in Delhi, India. Unit weight profile and dynamic properties of emplaced MSW at these two sites, evaluated from field and large scale laboratory tests, were utilized in seismic analysis. Synthetically generated strong ground motions using finite source model and specific barrier model, with appropriate seismological parameters for the Delhi region, were used. It is observed that the ground motion amplification potential of MSW for low intensity events in the present study compared well with that reported for Operating Industries Inc. landfill in California, which is instrumented with strong ground motion recording stations. Amplification observed in the present study can be useful for the design of a final cover system during the closure of the dump sites studied herein. In addition, results in terms of the maximum horizontal equivalent acceleration for base-sliding case were in agreement with those reported in the literature, and can be used for preliminary estimates for the design of liner system of new engineered MSW landfills in Delhi.