Modelling of Municipal Solid Waste as Composite Material

Abstract

Municipal solid waste (further MSW) occupy considerable sites of urban territories. Behaviour of “fresh” MSW is characterized by deformation hardening similarly to stress-strain state of pseudocohesive unsaturated soils reinforced by randomly oriented fibers. Distinctive feature of MSW is predominant orientation of reinforcing component in one horizontal direction, which is associated with the technology of waste deposing on the landfills. During first decades after placement processes of chemical and biological decay proceed in waste massif. After their completion MSW are classified as waste soil with maximal particle size not more than 20 mm. With the progress of biodegradation deformation hardening of MSW under loading is decreasing.