WASTE CONTAINMENT TECHOLOGY –

LIFETIME PREDICTION OF THE LANDFILL LINER

Yick Hsuan,

Civil and Architectural Engineering

Problem Set

  1. Define the term Integrated Waste Management (IWM).
  2. Find the following facts from the EPA web sit and go to the “Browse EPA topics” and then “Landfill”:
  3. Write down the seven requirements in the Federal Landfill Standard.
  4. Which State has the highest number of landfill sites and which has the lowest?
  5. Plot the number of landfills versus year from 1990 to 1996.
  6. What is the percentage of waste in landfilling, recycling and combustion in the State of Pennsylvania? How many landfill in PA is greater than 2000 ton per day of waste and identify their owner?
  7. What are the criteria to distinguish hazardous and non-hazardous waste?
  8. What is the major different in the MTG between Subtitle C and D landfills? Why such different is necessary?
  9. How is gas generated from the landfill? Should a municipal landfill require a gas vent? Give your reasons.
  10. Log onto a web site and find the type of geosynthetic and the functions of each geosynthetics. Summarize the information in a Table form
  11. Drawn a cross sectional diagram similar to Figure 4(a) for a Subtitle C landfill liner system but using geosynthetics as alternative materials when you see fit.
  12. Explain the benefits of composite liner system in comparison to systems with a geomembrane/sand and single compacted clay layer.
  13. Write down the chemical formula of polyethylene, and define co-polymers.
  14. How many different types of linear polyethylene resins (Find them from ASTM D 833)? What is the fundamental difference between them?
  15. Why does the HDPE geomembrane degrade under sunlight? Do other polymers degrade under sunlight? How does carbon black protect the polymer from sunlight degradation?
  16. What are the functions of antioxidants in the HDPE geomembrane?
  17. What are the three stages of degradation stages in the HDPE geomembrane?
  18. Define “free radical” using the electron configuration concept. Write down all the free radical species in the oxidation reaction of polyethylene.
  19. How does the acceleration oxidation take place in the polymer?
  20. Describe the differences between the two categories of antioxidants regarding the function in protecting the polymer. Give an example in each of them.
  21. Based on the information provided in Table 6 and Figure 10, select the appropriate antioxidants to stabilize a HDPE geomembrane.
  22. What is the fundamental theory used in this acceleration laboratory study?
  23. Why does temperature play such important role in the acceleration test? What is the second parameter that can increase the rate of reaction?
  24. Describe the function of OIT test. What are the limitations of the OIT test?
  25. Describe the relationship between molecular weight and melt index test.
  26. Why are tensile break properties more sensitive to degradation than tensile yield properties?
  27. What will be lifetime of antioxidant at temperatures of 10oC and 40oC?
  28. How can the Bioreactor landfill benefit the environment?

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