Analysis of long-term MSW settlement based on field data measured at two closed landfills

Waste settlement characteristics vary depending on waste composition, physical properties, waste management operations, and time. In this study, the post-closure waste settlement behavior was analyzed using field data measured at two closed municipal solid waste landfills in Korea, for 23 and 5 years after landfill closure. The long-term waste settlement data was analyzed to derive a time-varying long-term compression ratio (C_LT) that was consistent with modeled biodegradation processes. A statistical assessment of the field data was conducted to examine the relationship between C_LT and several factors that may affect the observed settlements. The C_LT of Landfill #1 and #2 was found to vary between the two landfills that had differences in the percentage of organic matter (B₀), total unit weight (γ_waste), and moisture content (w) due to changes in waste management policies.