Vertical Landfill Expansion on Existing Acreage

SITUATION
A utility needed to expand its landfill operations and increase capacity to support ongoing plant operations but wanted to use existing acreage and avoid the need for a new landfill.

INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS
Charah Solutions operated the onsite landfill by loading, hauling and disposing of approximately 875,000 tons of Pozatec material produced by the plant each year. To meet the demand for increased capacity, Charah Solutions provided a landfill operations solution that expanded airspace to accommodate landfilled material, which continues to fluctuate with plant production, using a Mechanically Stabilized Pozatec (MSP) wall.

This 3,500 foot long combination wall, along the entire length of the landfill, permitted vertical expansion using vertical H-Pile along with double horizontal post tensions anchors installed into the existing landfill between 60 ft. and 100 ft. in length. In addition, by utilizing Tensar reinforcing in 18 inch vertical increments proceeding to the full height of the wall (15 ft. of soldier pile wall plus 47 ft. of MSP wall), an increase of 62 total vertical ft. was achieved.

RESULTS
This vertical landfill expansion added 17 years of operating life to an existing landfill and added space for additional materials totaling approximately 18 million tons.