Pre-Design Geotechnical Evaluation of the OII Superfund Site

School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment

Pre-Design Geotechnical Evaluation

of the OII Superfund Site11thth Ralph B. Peck Lectureby

Edward Kavazanjian, Jr. Ph.D., P.E.Arizona State University

forWasteMINZ New Zealand

15 October 2009

School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment

Ralph B. Peck (1912-2008)

School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment

The Operating Industries, Inc. Landfill

“A unique urban hazard”

School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment

A Unique Urban HazardHazardous WasteSteep North Slope

–60 m-tall, 1.5H:1V–Adjacent to SR-60 (Pomona Freeway)

Proximity to Homes to the South–MSE Toe Buttress

Seismic Exposure

School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment

Steep North Slope, Freeway Proximity1.5H:1V average, 1.3H:1V maximum slope,

rising 60 m above grade

School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment

South Slope Toe Buttress (1987)

School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment

1987 Whittier M 5.9 Narrows Earthquake

The “Big Bend”

School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment

Earthquake-Induced Cracks on Benches

School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment

Pre-Design Scope of WorkReview / Synthesize Available InformationField InvestigationLaboratory Test ProgramLimit Equilibrium Stability AnalysisSeismic Hazard AnalysisSeismic Response and Deformation AnalysisStatic Deformation AnalysisToe Buttress InvestigationFindings / Recommendations for Closure Design

School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment

Review / Synthesis of Available InformationBottom Contours of Quarry

East End Interim CoverSouthwest Corner Liquid Co-DisposalToe Buttress ConstructionInclinometer DataPrevious Geotechnical StudiesStrong Motion Records1992 Cover Failure

School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment

MSW Properties: Shear Strength

School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment

Field InvestigationSASW Survey3 x 34-inch (840-mm) Diameter Borings to

155 ft (47 m)– Waste Characterization– In Situ Unit Weight Tests– Video Logging

20-ft (6-m) Deep Test TrenchToe Buttress Condition SurveyCover Soil Investigation

School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment

Field Exploration Plan

School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment

Vibroseis for SASW Testing

School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment

Sampling and Testing Intervals

School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment

Large Diameter Bucket Auger Borings

School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment

Field Classification Scheme

School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment

Field Logging

School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment

Waste Degradation

School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment

20 30 40 50 60 70 8050

40

30

20

10

0

Dep

th, m

Temperature, OC

BA-1 BA-2 BA-3

Waste Temperature

School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment

In Situ Unit Weight Testing1. Auger and collect waste

3. Place tremie pipe in borehole

2. Weigh waste

4. Fill with gravel of known unit weight

School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment

In Situ Unit Weight Results

School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment

Downhole Video Logging

School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment

Downhole Video Logging

School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment

Downhole Video Logging

School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment

On-Site LaboratoryReconstituted 18-inch (454-mm) Diameter

SpecimensConsolidometer, Direct Shear, Cyclic Simple

ShearLess than1 yr for Design and Fabrication

School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment

Cyclic Simple Shear Device

School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment

Lab Sample Characterization

Bulk Sample Sorted Sample

School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment

Consolidation Test Results

School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment

Direct Shear Results

School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment

Cyclic Simple Shear Tests

School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment

Cyclic Simple Shear Test Results

School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment

Strong Motion Instrumentation

School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment

Quad-4M Seismic Response Model

School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment

13 October 2004

Wastecon 2004

35

Back Analysis of Seismic Response

School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment

MSW Modulus Reduction and Damping

School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment

Limit Equilibrium Analysis

Static Analysis–Horizontal Planes of Weakness–Perched Water Levels –Cover Veneer Failures

Pseudo-Static Analysis–Yield Acceleration

School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment

Cover Veneer Stability

School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment

Seismic Response Analysis

School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment

Seismic Deformation Curves

Typical range of waste mass seismic displacements

School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment

Static Deformation Analysis30-yr Performance of Final Cover

– Drainage– Cracking

30-yr Performance of Toe Buttress– Static (followed by seismic)

School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment

Vertical and Lateral Displacments

School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment

Toe Buttress AnalysisGlobal Stability

–Limit Equilibrium FS = 2.6Internal Stability

–Finite Element Analysis (GeoFEAP)• Static: Imposed Deformations• Pseudo-Static: Seismic Coefficient

School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment

Toe Buttress Displacements

Measured Projected

School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment

Toe Buttress Performance Analysis

School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment

Toe Buttress Analysis Results

School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment

Findings / Recommendations1. The Waste Mass Meets Stability Criteria

– Static and Seismic2. Large Static Deformations are Expected

– Continuous Maintenance3. Toe Buttress Should Maintain Its Integrity

– Long Term Settlement plus Seismic Loading 4. Cover Stability is a Major Concern

– Particularly the Steep North Slope

LESSONS LEARNED1. MSW is Pretty Strong Stuff

– Stronger than Often Assumed in Practice 2. MSW can be Pretty Heavy

– Unit Weight Greater than Typically Assumed– Unit Weight can be Very High if Saturated

3. MSW Cyclic Degradation is Slow– Potential for Significant Seismic Amplification

4. MSW is Anisotropic– Preferred Horizontal Orientation

5. MSW Deformation is Non-Homogeneous

CONTRIBUTIONS TO PRACTICE1. In Situ Unit Weight Test Method2. Field Classification System for Waste3. Data on Waste Composition4. MSW Shear Strength Envelope5. Compositional Effects on Strength,

Compressibility 6. MSW Shear Wave Velocity Measurements7. MSW Modulus Reduction and Damping

School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment

Acknowledgements

School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment

THANK YOU!

School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment

References1. Matasovic,and Kavazanjian, (1998), “Cyclic Characterization of OII

Landfill Solid Waste,” JGGE2. Zornberg and Kavazanjian, (2001). "Prediction of the Performance

of a Geogrid-Reinforced Slope Founded on Solid Waste." Soils and Foundations,

3. Kavazanjian, Matasovic, and Bachus, (1999), “Large-Diameter Static and Cyclic Laboratory Testing of Municipal Solid Waste,” Sardinia ‘99.

4. Avsar, Bouazza, Kavazanjian, Öztürk (2003) “Interpolation of Solid Waste Shear Wave Velocity Using Geostatistics,” XIIIth ECSMGE

5. Kavazanjian, Matasovic, and Caldwell (1998), “Damage Criteria for Solid Waste Landfills,” Proc. 6th U.S. NCEE

OII data is included in 17 additional Journal and Conference papers, 1 CDMG special report, and 1 additional Journal paper submitted for publication.