Waste settlement

Question

Hello everybody in EnglishForward. Can you please tell me what "settlement" means here:

"Settlement of municipal solid waste (MSW) typically consists of three phases: (1)
immediate compression, (2) mechanical creep, and (3) biocompression."

or here:

"Waste settlement was measured via aluminum settlement rods connected to perforated
stainless-steel plates placed on top of the waste (Fig. 1). Settlement was monitored during
placement of the gravel surcharge with tapes affixed to the settlement rods, and with dial gages
fixed to the test cell lids after sealing the cells"

Thanks a million in advance.

Avangi · Accepted Answer

Think of the expression, "When the dust settles/settled, etc."

When dust settles, it becomes dirt, or earth.

The particles which make up dust are separated by air space. When there's nothing to agitate the particles, gravity brings them closer and closer together on the ground.
With MSW there are other factors which tend to compact, or compress the material, as described in your paragraph. A lot of the material breaks down or decomposes, allowing the particles to move closer and closer together.

When the wind blows hard over very dry dirt or sand, the material becomes unsettled. We have dust storms and dust clouds. When the wind stops, the material gradually settles back to earth and eventually becomes compressed, or compacted. This is settlement, but we usually say the dust is "settling."

In certain types of earthquakes, we might say "the ground is settling." As particles break up, gravity causes them to move closer together, so the "level" of the ground becomes lower than it was. This is "settlement," or "settling."
You often hear the expression "settling down."

L3lack_light · Answer

Thank you Avangi. It really helped.

Waste settlement

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