Working-strain based design of landfill final cover systems

[[abstract]]An approach to estimating the strain within geosynthetics placed on a landfill cover slope is emphasized. This approach adopts the analytical method for evaluating the geosynthetic tension within a geosynthetic/soil multi-layered slope system. A review of the assumptions, solutions, and capabilities of this analytical method is summarized. The proposed approach is applied in stability analysis of an example landfill slope to evaluate the geosynthetic strains for different lengths of cover soil placement. The corresponding factors of safety are calculated using conventional slope stability analysis method. The results show that the relationship between the factor of safety and the slope length is convergent, while the relationship between geosynthetic strain and slope length is divergent. This analysis reveals that strain-based design is more rational.[[note]]SC