In Situ Temperature Monitoring in an Organic-Waste Landfill Cell

Abstract

This paper presents the results of a temperature-monitoring program in an organic-waste landfill cell under normal operating conditions. The aim of the program was to capture the temporal evolution of temperature at various locations within the cell. Temperatures were measured at two levels within the central body of the cell over a period of 20 months. The results obtained over that period of time indicate that the temperatures increased within the first few weeks, then decreased to a stable value after a few months. The peak temperatures near the base of the landfill cell (2 m above base liner) averaged 60°C at the start of the monitoring program and leveled off to 53°C after 8 months. The peak temperatures in the second lift (4 m above base liner) averaged 57°C and leveled off to 55°C after 13 months. The temperatures taken close to the base of the cell indicate that the lining system is subjected to high temperatures, outside the range of temperature typically considered during testing and design. This observation highlights the importance of considering the possible impact of the changes in temperature on the performance of the different liner system components from both the hydraulic view point and durability.