Ground Investigation into the Hydro-Geotechnical Characteristics of a Municipal Waste Fill Using Static Cone Penetration Tests

This study describes the procedure used to undertake Cone Penetration Tests (CPTs) on the municipal solid w aste landfill at W hite’s pit, Wimborne, UK. The results of the CPTs were interpreted and analysed in the context of the usefulness of the tests for determining the geo-environmental properties of the emplaced waste. The general hydro-physical characteristics of the emplaced w aste are comparable to sand/silt mixtures, with no dynamic pore pressure. Although CPTs may not be appropriate for determining accurate quantification of the hydro-physical properties of an emplaced waste, it may be suitable for a general characterisation of the waste fill in relations to the soil type behaviour, especially at old sites with no historical data of the type of materials that were emplaced. This finding will significantly enhance the decisions of geoenvironmental engineers in field investigations concerning waste fills.