Failure mechanisms of landfills under dynamic loading

Seismic stability of above-ground landfills is an issue of extreme engineering interest, and the proper implementation of the corresponding analyses requires dealing with several uncertainties related mainly to the special features of such large-scale geostructures. This study aims at providing an insight into the role of these parameters on the development of the potential failure modes that may take place during a seismic event. Additionally, the different failure modes are compared with respect to their seismic instability potential. Furthermore, an insight is provided on phenomena related to the simultaneous generation of more than one failure surfaces within the landfill. This is examined by developing a simple model based on the Newmark's sliding-block approach. Results indicate that the circular surfaces may provide a more critical mode of failure than the base sliding. © 2008 ASCE