Design of Waste Transfer Station Concrete Overlays against Premature Deterioration

Start Date:
Sep 2015

Award Amount:
$160,000

The premature deterioration of concrete overlays in waste transfer stations is a major concern for the owners and operators of these facilities. Overlay replacement in these facilities has significant economic impacts including direct costs, operational delays, and planning hurdles. While the overlay deterioration is mainly attributed to the abrasion caused by scraping solid waste, anecdotal evidence suggests that other factors might equally contribute to the deterioration of the overlays. Some of these factors may include contact with acidic leachate from fresh waste, the type and operation of equipment used for handling waste, the amount of waste handled, and the lack of systematic structural design that accounts for concrete material deterioration. If the main contributing factors to deterioration are identified, these overlays can be designed against deterioration, resulting in better long-term performance and predictability, and consequently, reduced life cycle cost for owners and operators. The main objectives of this research are therefore (i) to identify the contributing factors to the premature deterioration of concrete overlays in transfer stations, and (ii) to establish a structural design methodology for the concrete overlay based on the observed degradation mechanism and operational conditions.

Publications
Final Report