Hydraulic Conductivity of Fresh Municipal Solid Waste at Various Compositions and Compactive Efforts

Bioreactor landfills are a recent invention in the field of waste management. However, the successful operation of these landfills mainly depends on additional moisture content and physical and engineering properties. Accordingly, the hydraulic properties of wastes and their impact on the flow of fluids within the waste mass will also be affected. Hydraulic conductivity is greatly influenced by the composition, particle size, unit weight, compaction, and biodegradation of MSW. Therefore, understanding municipal solid waste’s hydraulic properties at various parameters needs to be investigated. The objective of the present study is to determine the effect of different compositions and particle sizes of fresh MSW on hydraulic conductivity at various compactive efforts. The bioreactor simulator was used for experimental investigation under anaerobic conditions in a laboratory. A constant head laboratory test was conducted on fresh MSW at different compositions, particle sizes, and energy levels. The coefficient of permeability k was found to be 1.16 × 10–2 to 9.85 × 10–3 cm/s. The results show decreased hydraulic conductivity of MSW at a reduced particle size and increased energy levels. This study gives a wide range of k for predefined compositions of biodegradable and non-biodegradable components of fresh MSW at various compactive efforts.