Structural Fill Material from Municipal Solid Waste
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing volume of municipal solid waste poses challenges in handling and disposal, with a need for innovative solutions beyond extending the life of landfills and a shift from viewing landfills as liabilities to assets, as well as the requirement for cost-effective barrier-wall structures for border and sound control.
Innovation Solution
An economical barrier-wall structure using processed municipal solid waste as fill-material, stabilized with geosynthetic grids and additive materials, and covered with a layered system to enhance stability and prevent leachate, along with a method to convert solid waste into compacted, stable fill-material suitable for structural use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If traditional landfill disposal methods are used, then waste volume is reduced, but the cost of waste management increases and landfill space becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts harmful solid waste into beneficial structural fill material by processing it through a series of steps including size reduction, screening, and stabilization. The processed waste product serves as a viable alternative to traditional fill materials in barrier wall construction, thereby eliminating waste disposal costs while creating a valuable construction resource.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the physical and chemical properties of solid waste through processing. The waste material undergoes size reduction, moisture content adjustment, and stabilization treatment to transform it from an unusable state into a construction-ready fill material with appropriate engineering properties.
2Ease of manufacture
If processed solid waste is used as fill material, then barrier wall construction cost decreases, but the stability and reliability of the structure must be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces stabilizing agents as intermediaries between the processed solid waste and the final fill material. These stabilizers enhance the engineering properties of the waste material, providing the necessary strength, stability, and durability to meet structural requirements for barrier wall construction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite fill material by combining processed solid waste with stabilizing agents and potentially other binding materials. This composite approach leverages the volume reduction benefits of waste processing while ensuring the structural integrity required for reliable barrier wall performance.
3Volume of stationary object
If more landfill sites are constructed, then landfill capacity increases, but public acceptance decreases and economic costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies multi-functionality by designing the barrier wall structure to serve multiple purposes: it acts as both a border control structure and a waste disposal solution. The fill material simultaneously provides structural support for the barrier wall and serves as a permanent waste product, eliminating the need for separate landfill facilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful presence of solid waste into a beneficial construction resource. By processing waste into stable fill material for barrier walls, the system eliminates waste disposal needs while creating valuable infrastructure, thereby avoiding both the social opposition and economic costs associated with building new landfills.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for converting municipal solid waste to a stable solid fill-material (backfill) in the form of a multiplicity of compacted pieces, the method including mechanically reducing solid-waste piece size to form a solid-waste stream, heating the solid-waste stream and thereby killing bacteria in such stream, adding an antimicrobial agent to the solid-waste stream, and pelletizing the solid-waste stream.