Effect of Overburden Pressure
Environmental Engineering · FE Reference Handbook section
Core formulas for this FE topic
Definitions, applicability, units, assumptions and worked examples for each relation.
Worked exam-style examples
The four ways this section is written on the real exam — thoughts first, then equations, then substitution.
effect of overburden pressure on compacted landfill waste settlement Given unit weight of waste/cover (gamma) = 14.5000 kN/m^3; depth of overburden (z) = 30.5000 m, determine the overburden pressure (sigma_v) in kPa.
Given
Find
overburden pressure (sigma_v), in kPa
Start with the thinking
- The governing relation printed in this handbook section is Effect of Overburden Pressure.
- Everything except sigma_v is given, so isolate sigma_v symbolically first — never rearrange after the numbers are in.
- Tabulate each given with its unit and confirm the units are consistent with the relation before substituting.
- The effect of overburden pressure on landfill waste is estimated as the vertical stress from the overlying waste and cover depth.
Step-by-step solution
Step 1 — State the governing relation:
Step 2 — Rearrange symbolically for sigma_v:
Step 3
Step 4 — Substitute the given values:
Step 5 — Evaluate:
Step 6 — Check: returning sigma_v = 442.3 kPa to
reproduces the given quantities, and both sides carry the same units.
Why the other options are there
- 884.5 — kept a factor of two that cancels in the correct rearrangement.
- 221.1 — dropped that same factor in the other direction.
- 486.5 — rounded an intermediate value before the final step.
Reference: FE Handbook — Effect of Overburden Pressure
overburden pressure at the base of a landfill cell Given depth of overburden (z) = 19.5000 m; overburden pressure (sigma_v) = 98.0000 kPa, determine the unit weight of waste/cover (gamma) in kN/m^3.
Given
Find
unit weight of waste/cover (gamma), in kN/m^3
Start with the thinking
- The governing relation printed in this handbook section is Effect of Overburden Pressure.
- Everything except gamma is given, so isolate gamma symbolically first — never rearrange after the numbers are in.
- Tabulate each given with its unit and confirm the units are consistent with the relation before substituting.
- The effect of overburden pressure on landfill waste is estimated as the vertical stress from the overlying waste and cover depth.
Step-by-step solution
Step 1 — State the governing relation:
Step 2 — Rearrange symbolically for gamma:
Step 3
Step 4 — Substitute the given values:
Step 5 — Evaluate:
\gamma = 5.0256\ \text{kN/m^3}Step 6 — Check: returning gamma = 5.0256 kN/m^3 to
reproduces the given quantities, and both sides carry the same units.
Why the other options are there
- 10.0513 — kept a factor of two that cancels in the correct rearrangement.
- 2.5128 — dropped that same factor in the other direction.
- 5.5282 — rounded an intermediate value before the final step.
Reference: FE Handbook — Effect of Overburden Pressure
effect of overburden pressure on waste density with increasing depth Given unit weight of waste/cover (gamma) = 14.3000 kN/m^3; overburden pressure (sigma_v) = 138.0 kPa, determine the depth of overburden (z) in m.
Given
Find
depth of overburden (z), in m
Start with the thinking
- The governing relation printed in this handbook section is Effect of Overburden Pressure.
- Everything except z is given, so isolate z symbolically first — never rearrange after the numbers are in.
- Tabulate each given with its unit and confirm the units are consistent with the relation before substituting.
- The effect of overburden pressure on landfill waste is estimated as the vertical stress from the overlying waste and cover depth.
Step-by-step solution
Step 1 — State the governing relation:
Step 2 — Rearrange symbolically for z:
Step 3 — List the givens: unit weight of waste/cover (gamma) = 14.3000 kN/m^3, overburden pressure (sigma_v) = 138.0 kPa.
Step 4 — Substitute the given values:
Step 5 — Evaluate:
Step 6 — Check: returning z = 9.6503 m to
reproduces the given quantities, and both sides carry the same units.
Why the other options are there
- 19.3007 — kept a factor of two that cancels in the correct rearrangement.
- 4.8252 — dropped that same factor in the other direction.
- 10.6154 — rounded an intermediate value before the final step.
Reference: FE Handbook — Effect of Overburden Pressure
effect of overburden pressure on compacted landfill waste settlement Given unit weight of waste/cover (gamma) = 11.6000 kN/m^3; depth of overburden (z) = 19.0000 m, determine the overburden pressure (sigma_v) in kPa.
Given
Find
overburden pressure (sigma_v), in kPa
Start with the thinking
- The governing relation printed in this handbook section is Effect of Overburden Pressure.
- Everything except sigma_v is given, so isolate sigma_v symbolically first — never rearrange after the numbers are in.
- Tabulate each given with its unit and confirm the units are consistent with the relation before substituting.
- The effect of overburden pressure on landfill waste is estimated as the vertical stress from the overlying waste and cover depth.
Step-by-step solution
Step 1 — State the governing relation:
Step 2 — Rearrange symbolically for sigma_v:
Step 3
Step 4 — Substitute the given values:
Step 5 — Evaluate:
Step 6 — Check: returning sigma_v = 220.4 kPa to
reproduces the given quantities, and both sides carry the same units.
Why the other options are there
- 440.8 — kept a factor of two that cancels in the correct rearrangement.
- 110.2 — dropped that same factor in the other direction.
- 242.4 — rounded an intermediate value before the final step.
Reference: FE Handbook — Effect of Overburden Pressure
overburden pressure at the base of a landfill cell Given depth of overburden (z) = 10.5000 m; overburden pressure (sigma_v) = 256.0 kPa, determine the unit weight of waste/cover (gamma) in kN/m^3.
Given
Find
unit weight of waste/cover (gamma), in kN/m^3
Start with the thinking
- The governing relation printed in this handbook section is Effect of Overburden Pressure.
- Everything except gamma is given, so isolate gamma symbolically first — never rearrange after the numbers are in.
- Tabulate each given with its unit and confirm the units are consistent with the relation before substituting.
- The effect of overburden pressure on landfill waste is estimated as the vertical stress from the overlying waste and cover depth.
Step-by-step solution
Step 1 — State the governing relation:
Step 2 — Rearrange symbolically for gamma:
Step 3
Step 4 — Substitute the given values:
Step 5 — Evaluate:
\gamma = 24.3810\ \text{kN/m^3}Step 6 — Check: returning gamma = 24.3810 kN/m^3 to
reproduces the given quantities, and both sides carry the same units.
Why the other options are there
- 48.7619 — kept a factor of two that cancels in the correct rearrangement.
- 12.1905 — dropped that same factor in the other direction.
- 26.8190 — rounded an intermediate value before the final step.
Reference: FE Handbook — Effect of Overburden Pressure
effect of overburden pressure on waste density with increasing depth Given unit weight of waste/cover (gamma) = 9.1000 kN/m^3; overburden pressure (sigma_v) = 498.0 kPa, determine the depth of overburden (z) in m.
Given
Find
depth of overburden (z), in m
Start with the thinking
- The governing relation printed in this handbook section is Effect of Overburden Pressure.
- Everything except z is given, so isolate z symbolically first — never rearrange after the numbers are in.
- Tabulate each given with its unit and confirm the units are consistent with the relation before substituting.
- The effect of overburden pressure on landfill waste is estimated as the vertical stress from the overlying waste and cover depth.
Step-by-step solution
Step 1 — State the governing relation:
Step 2 — Rearrange symbolically for z:
Step 3
Step 4 — Substitute the given values:
Step 5 — Evaluate:
Step 6 — Check: returning z = 54.7253 m to
reproduces the given quantities, and both sides carry the same units.
Why the other options are there
- 109.5 — kept a factor of two that cancels in the correct rearrangement.
- 27.3626 — dropped that same factor in the other direction.
- 60.1978 — rounded an intermediate value before the final step.
Reference: FE Handbook — Effect of Overburden Pressure
effect of overburden pressure on compacted landfill waste settlement Given unit weight of waste/cover (gamma) = 18.0000 kN/m^3; depth of overburden (z) = 1.0000 m, determine the overburden pressure (sigma_v) in kPa.
Given
Find
overburden pressure (sigma_v), in kPa
Start with the thinking
- The governing relation printed in this handbook section is Effect of Overburden Pressure.
- Everything except sigma_v is given, so isolate sigma_v symbolically first — never rearrange after the numbers are in.
- Tabulate each given with its unit and confirm the units are consistent with the relation before substituting.
- The effect of overburden pressure on landfill waste is estimated as the vertical stress from the overlying waste and cover depth.
Step-by-step solution
Step 1 — State the governing relation:
Step 2 — Rearrange symbolically for sigma_v:
Step 3
Step 4 — Substitute the given values:
Step 5 — Evaluate:
Step 6 — Check: returning sigma_v = 18.0000 kPa to
reproduces the given quantities, and both sides carry the same units.
Why the other options are there
- 36.0000 — kept a factor of two that cancels in the correct rearrangement.
- 9.0000 — dropped that same factor in the other direction.
- 19.8000 — rounded an intermediate value before the final step.
Reference: FE Handbook — Effect of Overburden Pressure
overburden pressure at the base of a landfill cell Given depth of overburden (z) = 9.5000 m; overburden pressure (sigma_v) = 462.0 kPa, determine the unit weight of waste/cover (gamma) in kN/m^3.
Given
Find
unit weight of waste/cover (gamma), in kN/m^3
Start with the thinking
- The governing relation printed in this handbook section is Effect of Overburden Pressure.
- Everything except gamma is given, so isolate gamma symbolically first — never rearrange after the numbers are in.
- Tabulate each given with its unit and confirm the units are consistent with the relation before substituting.
- The effect of overburden pressure on landfill waste is estimated as the vertical stress from the overlying waste and cover depth.
Step-by-step solution
Step 1 — State the governing relation:
Step 2 — Rearrange symbolically for gamma:
Step 3
Step 4 — Substitute the given values:
Step 5 — Evaluate:
\gamma = 48.6316\ \text{kN/m^3}Step 6 — Check: returning gamma = 48.6316 kN/m^3 to
reproduces the given quantities, and both sides carry the same units.
Why the other options are there
- 97.2632 — kept a factor of two that cancels in the correct rearrangement.
- 24.3158 — dropped that same factor in the other direction.
- 53.4947 — rounded an intermediate value before the final step.
Reference: FE Handbook — Effect of Overburden Pressure
effect of overburden pressure on waste density with increasing depth Given unit weight of waste/cover (gamma) = 10.6000 kN/m^3; overburden pressure (sigma_v) = 405.0 kPa, determine the depth of overburden (z) in m.
Given
Find
depth of overburden (z), in m
Start with the thinking
- The governing relation printed in this handbook section is Effect of Overburden Pressure.
- Everything except z is given, so isolate z symbolically first — never rearrange after the numbers are in.
- Tabulate each given with its unit and confirm the units are consistent with the relation before substituting.
- The effect of overburden pressure on landfill waste is estimated as the vertical stress from the overlying waste and cover depth.
Step-by-step solution
Step 1 — State the governing relation:
Step 2 — Rearrange symbolically for z:
Step 3 — List the givens: unit weight of waste/cover (gamma) = 10.6000 kN/m^3, overburden pressure (sigma_v) = 405.0 kPa.
Step 4 — Substitute the given values:
Step 5 — Evaluate:
Step 6 — Check: returning z = 38.2075 m to
reproduces the given quantities, and both sides carry the same units.
Why the other options are there
- 76.4151 — kept a factor of two that cancels in the correct rearrangement.
- 19.1038 — dropped that same factor in the other direction.
- 42.0283 — rounded an intermediate value before the final step.
Reference: FE Handbook — Effect of Overburden Pressure
effect of overburden pressure on compacted landfill waste settlement Given unit weight of waste/cover (gamma) = 15.0000 kN/m^3; depth of overburden (z) = 6.0000 m, determine the overburden pressure (sigma_v) in kPa.
Given
Find
overburden pressure (sigma_v), in kPa
Start with the thinking
- The governing relation printed in this handbook section is Effect of Overburden Pressure.
- Everything except sigma_v is given, so isolate sigma_v symbolically first — never rearrange after the numbers are in.
- Tabulate each given with its unit and confirm the units are consistent with the relation before substituting.
- The effect of overburden pressure on landfill waste is estimated as the vertical stress from the overlying waste and cover depth.
Step-by-step solution
Step 1 — State the governing relation:
Step 2 — Rearrange symbolically for sigma_v:
Step 3
Step 4 — Substitute the given values:
Step 5 — Evaluate:
Step 6 — Check: returning sigma_v = 90.0000 kPa to
reproduces the given quantities, and both sides carry the same units.
Why the other options are there
- 180.0 — kept a factor of two that cancels in the correct rearrangement.
- 45.0000 — dropped that same factor in the other direction.
- 99.0000 — rounded an intermediate value before the final step.
Reference: FE Handbook — Effect of Overburden Pressure