Investigation of the potential of static liquefaction of tailings by taking into account the evolution of the hydro-geotechnical properties during and after their deposition – Year two

Mines generate large quantity of tailings. In most cases, they are transported by pipes and deposited in tailings ponds and confined by dams. To limit the footprint and land area of tailings pond, the dams have to be uplifted progressively with the increase in the tailings level. Several methods exist to uplift the tailings dams. Our partner is particularly interested by the upstream dam construction and a critical concern is how to evaluate the maximum height of the uplift to avoid any static liquefaction. Several numerical models exist to this end. Most of them use constant hydro-geotechnical properties obtained with tailings samples taken at a specific time and at a specific position. The variation (in space) and evolution (with time) of the tailings’ hydro-geotechnical properties during and after their deposition were not taken into account. The objective of this project is to provide an analytical or a numerical model that can be used to evaluate the tailings’ potential of static liquefaction by taking into account the variation and evolution of the hydro-geotechnical properties of the different tailings layers subjected to the cycle of deposition, self-weight consolidations and loading by the tailings depositions of subsequent overlying layers.

Faculty Supervisor:

Li Li

Student:

Partner:

Agnico Eagle Mines Limited

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Mining; Sustainability & the Environment; Environmental Science and Technology

University:

École Polytechnique de Montréal

Program: