Modeling the flow behavior of a simulated municipal solid waste

Flow slides in the municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill are common geological disasters that have the potential to cause loss of life, destruction of property, and damage to the natural environment in the surrounding region. In this work, a mixture of peat, kaolin clay and quartz sand was used as a model test material to simulate MSW. A series of physical model tests on MSW simulant flows was carried out to capture the run-out behavior of the waste and analyze its mobility. The testing assembly consisted of a transparent model box, a steel frame and a high-speed camera. Flow failure was induced by lifting up a baffle to cause the MSW simulant to collapse and flow. Images of the flowing mass were taken by the high-speed camera. The series of images clearly displays the propagation of MSW simulant flows. The final profile of the MSW simulant and the shape of the deposition area were observed and measured. The run-out distances, final deposit shapes, flow depth, velocities and angle of reach showed significant variation between test configurations, indicating the strong influence of moisture content on overall mobility. The test results obtained can aid in the prediction of distal reach, flow depth and maximum velocity of solid waste following a landfill slope failure, which are necessary for hazard assessment and mitigation planning, and also to provide physical data for theoretical and numerical model verification.