This document discusses the design and operation of landfills. It covers landfill cell construction, filling plans for single and multi-lift landfills, waste decomposition phases in landfills, and tasks involved in landfill design such as determining waste quantities, site surveys, hydrological studies, and specifying design dimensions, operational features, and facilities like leachate controls. Formulas for calculating landfill volume and capacity are also presented.
Preliminary design and operation of sanitary landfill
1. Prof. M.R.Ezhilkumar
Assistant Professor
Department of Civil Engineering
Sri Krishna College of Engineering and Technology
Coimbatore
ezhilkumar@skcet.ac.in
I only feel angry when I see waste.
When I see people throwing away
things we could use. – Mother
Teresa
1
17CE413
SOLID AND HAZARDOUS
WASTE MANAGEMENT
3.4 – Landfill: Design and Operation
5. SHWM – Module 3 – SANITARY LANDFILL AND HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT Mr.M.R.Ezhilkumar 5
Landfill Design & Operation
Cell Construction
All solid wastes received are spread and compacted in cells or layers within a
confined area.
Cell: compacted wastes and daily cover material (3 m high)
Cell: rectangular in surface area, its sides sloped as steeply as practical
operation will permit. Optimum: 10%, up to 30%
Solid wastes are spread in layers not greater than 60 cm thick
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Landfill Design & Operation
Cell Construction
Lift: a series of adjoining cells, all same height (3~5 m)
Orderly operations: maintain a narrow working face
Cover material: function of surface of wastes to be covered, thickness of the
soil needed to perform the particular functions, and cell configuration
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Landfill Design & Operation
Example Landfill Plan View
13. SHWM – Module 3 – SANITARY LANDFILL AND HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT Mr.M.R.Ezhilkumar 13
Landfill Design & Operation
Waste Decomposition in Landfills
Physical: breakdown or movement of the refuse components by physical
degradation and by the rinsing and flushing action of water movement
Chemical: hydrolysis, dissolution/ precipitation, sorption/desorption, and ion
exchange of refuse components; generally results in altered characteristics and
greater mobility of refuse components ® more chemically uniform.
Biological: most important process; occurs with naturally present bacteria
Byproducts of MSW decomposition: Decomposed solid wastes, new
biomass, generated gases, contaminants into solution (leachate), and heat.
18. SHWM – Module 3 – SANITARY LANDFILL AND HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT Mr.M.R.Ezhilkumar 18
Landfill Design & Operation
Stabilization Phases – Phase IV: Methane Fermentation
Methane and carbon dioxide production
pH at minimum
Nutrient consumption
Precipitation of metals
Leachate BOD/COD declines
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Landfill Design & Operation
Stabilization Phases – Phase V: Final Maturation
Biological dormancy
Nutrients limiting
Gas production ceases
Oxygen slowly reappears
Humic substances produced
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Landfill Design & Operation
SOLID WASTE LANDFILL DESIGN – TASKS
Determine solid waste quantities and characteristics
• Existing
• Projected
Compile existing and generate new site information
Perform boundary and topographic survey
• Prepare base map of existing condition on - site and near - site
• Property boundaries
• Topography and slopes • Surface water • Utilities
• Roads • Structure • Land use
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Landfill Design & Operation
SOLID WASTE LANDFILL DESIGN – TASKS
Compile hydrological information and prepare location map
Soils (depth, texture, structure, bulk density, porosity, permeability,
moisture, ease of excavation, stability, pH, and cation exchange capacity)
Bedrock (depth, type, presence of fractures, location of surface outcrops)
Groundwater (average depth, seasonal fluctuations, hydraulic gradient and
direction of flow, rate of flow, quality, uses)
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Landfill Design & Operation
SOLID WASTE LANDFILL DESIGN – TASKS
Compile climatological data
• Precipitation • Evaporation • Temperature
• No. of freezing days • Wind direction
Identify regulations (Federal, State, and local) and design standards
• Loading rates • Frequency of cover
• Distances to residences, roads, and surface water
• Monitoring • Roads
• Building codes • Contents of application for permit
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Landfill Design & Operation
SOLID WASTE LANDFILL DESIGN – TASKS
Design filling area
Site topography and slopes
Site soils
Site bedrock
Site groundwater
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Landfill Design & Operation
Landfill Design and Layout
Sizing your landfill
Equations for volume
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Landfill Design & Operation
Landfill Design and Layout
Example:
The foot print area of a landfill is 1000 ft by 750 ft. The anticipated depth is 30
ft. What is the volume in yd3?
Volume = 1,000 ft x 750 ft x 30 ft
Volume = 22,500,000 ft3
Volume = 833,000 yd3
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Landfill Design & Operation
Landfill Design and Layout
This analysis did not consider side slope
How are the side slopes described at a landfill?
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Landfill Design & Operation
Landfill Design and Layout
Note: Slopes are sometimes referred to in %, which would correspond to
In the case of the previous example, a 3:1 slope would be expressed as 33%.
A 4:1 slope would be 25%.
More common when describing shallow slopes
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Landfill Design & Operation
Landfill Design and Layout
How do you factor side slopes into volume formula?
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Landfill Design & Operation
Landfill Design and Layout
Landfill capacity refers to the time that the landfill can receive waste at a given
waste filling rate
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Landfill Design & Operation
Landfill Design and Layout
Example: For the previous landfill volume of 660,000 yd3, what would be the
capacity (years) of the landfill if C&D debris waste accepted at 500 tons per
day and the landfill debris density was 1500 pcy?
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Landfill Design & Operation
SOLID WASTE LANDFILL DESIGN – TASKS
Specify operational features
Use of cover soil
Method of cover application
Need for imported soil
Equipment requirements
Personnel requirements
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Landfill Design & Operation
SOLID WASTE LANDFILL DESIGN – TASKS
Design facilities
• leachate controls • Gas controls
• Surface water controls • Access roads
• Special working areas • Structures
• Utilities • Fencing
• Lighting • Washracks
• Monitoring wells • Landscaping
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Landfill Design & Operation
SOLID WASTE LANDFILL DESIGN – TASKS
Prepare design package
Develop preliminary site plan of fill areas
Develop landfill contour plans
Excavation plans - including benches
Sequential fill plans
Completed fill plans
Fire, litter, vector, odor and noise controls
Compute solid waste storage volume, Soil requirement volumes, and site life
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Landfill Design & Operation
SOLID WASTE LANDFILL DESIGN – TASKS
Develop final site plan showing :
Normal fill areas Special working areas
Leachate controls Gas controls
Surface water controls Access Roads
Structures Utilities
Fencing Lighting
Washracks Monitoring wells
Landscaping
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Landfill Design & Operation
SOLID WASTE LANDFILL DESIGN – TASKS
Prepare elevation plans with cross - sections of :
Excavated fill
Completed fill
Phased development of fill at interim points
Prepare construction details
• Leachate controls • Gas controls
• Surface water controls • Access Roads
• Structures • Monitoring wells
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Landfill Design & Operation
SOLID WASTE LANDFILL DESIGN – TASKS
Prepare ultimate land use plan
Prepare cost estimate
Prepare design report
Submit application and obtain required permits
Prepare operator’s manual
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Landfill Design & Operation
Industrial vs MSW Lfs
Few differences in design requirements
clay liner & cap, no gas extraction
Industrial Lfs usually are simpler in design
Owners are usually large plants generating large waste volumes
Papermills, coal-burning utilities, foundries
Some specialized features, mostly with papermill sludge landfills
Industrial owners are making major efforts to recycle or reduce most of waste
stream
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Landfill Design & Operation
Facilities at a Landfill Site
Entrance Facilities including Weighing Scales
Administrative & Laboratory spaces
Waste Inspection and Sampling Facilities
Temporary Waste Storage
Stockpiling for Cover Materials
Location of Landfill Leachate Management Facilities
Location of Gas Management Facilities
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Landfill Design & Operation
Facilities at a Landfill Site
Monitoring Wells
Fencing and Green Belts
Access Roads
Equipment Shelters
Exit and Emergency Exit facilities
47. SHWM – Module 3 – SANITARY LANDFILL AND HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT Mr.M.R.Ezhilkumar 47
Landfill Design & Operation
Landfill operations
Minimize open area, reach final grades as soon as possible
Daily, alternate, intermediate cover
alternate cover - foundry sand, geotextiles, etc.
daily cover not req’d for industrial waste Lfs
Initial waste placement to protect liner from damage by traffic & exposure - min
of 4 ft
Remove leachate continuously - treat at STP
Prohibited & banned items & special wastes
Restrictions in local agreements
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Landfill Design & Operation
Site Operations
Noise control
Use of trees and berms to attenuate noise
Proper phasing of operations to create a buffer zone or barrier between the
source and nearby residents
Appropriate equipment maintenance
Regulation of hours of operation to reflect adjacent land uses
Maximize the separation distance between the active site face and residents
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Landfill Design & Operation
Site Operations
Odor control
Normally a seasonal problem; sources - putrescible wastes, carcasses, sludges,
landfill gas, sulfides and mercaptans, and leachate seeps
Immediate covering, masking chemicals, a horizontal gas collection system,
proper venting and flaring of landfill gas, collection or prevention of leachate
escape
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Landfill Design & Operation
Site Operations
Litter control measures
Cover open loads
Move operations to protected areas during windy conditions, plant some
windbreaks, or operate the working face so that it is opposite to the direction of
prevailing winds. Alternatively use movable fencing
Litter control
Unacceptable appearance, a food source for vermin, blight, and fires
Caused by open loads, windy-day operation, operational techniques, and
dumping practices
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Landfill Design & Operation
Site Operations
Litter control measures
Unload solid wastes at the bottom of the slope and push materials up the slope
Compact and cover the refuse more frequently during the day
Confine the dumping area to a minimal surface area
Collect the litter on an ongoing basis
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Landfill Design & Operation
Trash Containment System
Should not tip over and release trash
during high wind conditions (50% wind
resistance at 70 mph)
Reduce trash retrieving labor cost
Easy to relocate on site
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Landfill Design & Operation
Site Operations
Dust control
Consider using all-weather roads with proper maintenance
On dirt road, apply calcium chloride at 0.2~0.4 kg/m2 (0.4~0.8 lb/yd2); apply
water from trucks as necessary
Limit earthmoving activities
Use vegetation and windbreaks
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Landfill Design & Operation
Site Operations
Bird control
Danger to aircraft and contamination of surface water
Use elevated wires and/or string netting over a fill
Rodent control
Difficult to eliminate; must be total elimination
Eliminate food
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Landfill Design & Operation
Site Operations
Insect control
Flies and mosquitoes
Cover the solid waste and exterminate
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Landfill Design & Operation
Operation Plan
Compactor operations:- dictates cell construction, operator determines type of cell
constructed, where and when the cell is ready for finishing and covering
Optimum density:- space saving, point of diminishing return, high capital and
operation cost of compactor, cost/benefit
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Landfill Design & Operation
Monitoring
Leachate head within landfill
leakage through landfill liner (groundwater)
ambient air quality
gas
leachate quality
stability of final cover
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Landfill Design & Operation
Ground water Monitoring
Based upon:
Site-specific field collected measurements, sampling, and analysis of physical,
chemical and biological processes affecting contaminant fate and transport,
and
Contaminant fate and transport predictions that maximize contaminant
migration and consider impacts on human health and environment
59. SHWM – Module 3 – SANITARY LANDFILL AND HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT Mr.M.R.Ezhilkumar 59
Landfill Design & Operation
Minimum Groundwater Monitoring
One line of three (minimum) well down gradient from landfill perpendicular to
groundwater flow, penetrating entire saturated thickness of aquifer (1/250 ft of lf
frontage at boundary of site or at surface water
One well immediately adjacent to down gradient edge of filled area at point where
leachate plume meets GW. Screened to intercept water table
One well in area up-gradient from landfill
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Landfill Design & Operation
Air Monitoring
Explosive gases control: Methane is explosive when present in a range of 5
(lower explosive limit, LEL) to 15 (upper explosive limit, UEL) percent by
volume in air. Methane is not explosive when present in concentrations greater
than 15% however, fire and asphyxiation are still a threat at these levels.
62. SHWM – Module 3 – SANITARY LANDFILL AND HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT Mr.M.R.Ezhilkumar 62
Landfill Design & Operation
Type and frequency of monitoring
Determined based on the following factors:
soil conditions;
the hydro-geologic conditions surrounding the facility;
the hydraulic conditions surrounding the facility; and
the location of facility structures and property boundaries.
The minimum frequency of monitoring shall be quarterly.
63. SHWM – Module 3 – SANITARY LANDFILL AND HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT Mr.M.R.Ezhilkumar 63
Landfill Design & Operation
Closure
Describe closure methods
Address final use
financial assurance criteria
estimate cost of closure/post closure care
demonstrate financial assurance
cash
irrevocable letter of credit
trust funds with licensed trust company or state
surety bonds
64. SHWM – Module 3 – SANITARY LANDFILL AND HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT Mr.M.R.Ezhilkumar 64
Landfill Design & Operation
Post closure
30 years
maintain integrity of cover
maintain LCS
monitor GW
maintain gas monitoring system
65. SHWM – Module 3 – SANITARY LANDFILL AND HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT Mr.M.R.Ezhilkumar 65
Assessment Time
Review
Question Recommend a suitable landfill method for Coimbatore region
based on the composition of waste generated in the city.