Study on the Properties of Natural Shear Strength for Municipal Solid Waste

Abstract

The Properties of natural shear strength for municipal solid waste are studied by applying a new developed direct shear testing instrument. The municipal solid waste is divided into three parts: incompressible solid waste, reinforced material that is difficult to be biodegraded and the material that is easy to be biodegraded. The properties of these three parts are 15%, 5% and 80%, respectively. A series of laboratory tests have been conducted for different initial void ratio, and different pressure applied on the test specimen. The testing results show that the initial void ratio is a key factor for the natural shear strength of the municipal solid waste, the relationship between the shear stress and the shear strain is a strain hardening curve, the shear stress gradually increases with the shear strain. Besides, the natural shear strength shows a linear relationship to the pressure applied on the test specimen, and it is in accordance with the law of coulomb. According to the fitted lines, the shear strength parameters are obtained. The cohesion varies from 4.7 to 12.6kPa, and the internal friction angle varies from 14.5 to 18.3 degree for the shear strain is equal to 5%. When the shear strain is equal to 20%, the cohesion varies from 8.5 to 17.2kPa, and the internal friction angle varies from 25.5 to 30.7 degree.