Engineering properties of municipal solid waste

Landfilling is the most important controlled method for municipal solid waste disposal. The design and permitting of landfills requires performing comprehensive geotechnical analyses. Correct selection of engineering properties of waste materials for using in landfill design is of paramount importance. The engineering properties of waste materials vary within broad ranges, change significantly with time, and is not easily amenable to direct measurement, due to heterogeneity and hard inclusions. In this paper, typical values for engineering properties of municipal solid waste are presented , such as unit weight, moisture content, porosity, hydraulic conductivity, capacity, wilting point, shear strength, and compressibility. These properties are presented merely as a guide for preliminary engineering evaluation for designing soild waste landfills.