Liquefaction Resistance of Thickened Tailings
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical Engineering
Volume 111, Issue 12
Abstract
A new method is presented for analysis of the potential for triggering liquefaction, i.e., a flow slide, in liquefiable soil masses. The method is based on the principle of steady state deformation. In conventional mine tailings disposal operations, the tailings are pumped as a water suspension into extensive flat containment ponds. These ponds generally are formed by construction of large tailings dams. However, if the tailings are thickened substantially before discharge, the tailing slurry will form a sloping deposit. Maximum slope angles of 3.5° are normally recommended. Use of thickened tailings is less costly and has much less environmental impact than conventional tailings because tailings dams and their associated slime ponds are eliminated. In this paper, the resistance to liquefaction due to earthquakes of a proposed bauxite tailings deposit placed at a 2.9° slope is analyzed. The water content of the thickened tailings is high enough to make them susceptible to liquefaction even when placed at such gentle slopes. However, due to the clay content and thixotropic nature of these tailings, earthquakes that induce 0.1 g peak ground acceleration do not cause enough strain to trigger liquefaction.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
1.
Boutrop, E., “Computerized Slope Stability Analysis for Indiana Highways STABL2 Program,” Joint Highway Research Project JHRP‐77‐26, Purdue University, W. Lafayette, IN, Vol. 2, Dec., 1977.
2.
Casagrande, A., “Liquefaction and Cyclic Deformation of Sands, A Critical Review,” Proceedings, 5th Panamerican Conference on Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering, Vol. 5, Buenos Aires, Argentina, pp. 79–133, 1975.
3.
Casagrande, A., and Poulos, S. J., “Fourth Report on Investigation of Stress‐Deformation Characteristics of Compacted Clays,” U.S. Army Waterways Experiment Station, Harvard Soil Mechanics Series No. 74, Oct., 1964.
4.
Casagrande, A., and Rendon, F., “Gyratory Shear Apparatus Design, Testing Procedures, and Test Results on Undrained Sand,” Harvard Soil Mechanics Series No. 89, U.S. Army Waterways Experiment Station, Technical Report S‐78‐15, Oct., 1978.
5.
Castro, G., “Liquefaction and Cyclic Mobility of Saturated Sands,” Journal of the Geotechnical Engineering Division, ASCE, Vol. 101, No. GT6, June, 1975, pp. 551–569.
6.
Castro, G., and Poulos, S. J., “Factors Affecting Liquefaction and Cyclic Mobility,” Journal of the Geotechnical Engineering Division, ASCE, Vol. 103, No. GT6, 1977, pp. 501–516.
7.
Castro, G., Poulos, S. J., France, J. W., and Enos, J. L., “Liquefaction Induced by Cyclic Loading,” Report Submitted to National Science Foundation, Contract No. PFR‐7924731, 1982.
8.
Newmark, N. M., “Effects of Earthquakes on Dams and Embankments,” Fifth Rankine Lecture, Geotechnique, Vol. 15, No. 2, London, England, 1965, pp. 139–159.
9.
Poulos, S. J., “Control of Leakage in the Triaxial Test,” thesis presented to Harvard University, at Cambridge, MA, in 1964, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
10.
Poulos, S. J., “The Stress Strain Curves of Soils,” Geotechnical Engineers Inc., Winchester, MA, 1971.
11.
Poulos, S. J., “The Steady State of Deformation,” Journal of the Geotechnical Engineering Division, ASCE, Vol. 107, No. GT5, May, 1981, pp. 5513–562.
See also closure to discussion in Vol. 108, No. GT8, Aug., 1982, pp. 1087–1091.
12.
Poulos, S. J., Castro, G., and France, J. W., “Liquefaction Evaluation Procedure,” Journal of Geotechnical Engineering, ASCE, Vol. 111, No. GT6, June, 1985, pp. 772–795.
13.
Robinsky, E. I., “Thickened Discharge—A New Approach to Tailings Disposal,” Bulletin, The Canadian Institue of Mining and Metallurgy, Dec., 1975, pp. 47–59.
14.
Robinsky, E. I., “Tailings Disposal by the Thickened Discharge Method for Improved Economy and Environmental Control,” Proceedings, 2nd International Tailing Symposium, Vol. 2, Denver, CO.
15.
Robinsky, E. I. & Associates Ltd., “Thickened Tailing Disposal System, Final Feasibility Report,” Societe d'Electrolyse et de chimie Alcan Ltee, Jonquiere, Quebec, Canada, Nov., 1980.
16.
Schnabel, P. B., Lysmer, J., and Seed, H. B., “SHAKE,” Report No. EERC 72‐12, Earthquake Engineering Research Center, University of California, Berkeley, CA, Dec., 1972.
17.
Seed, H. B., and Idriss, I. M., “Simplified Procedure for Evaluating Soil Liquefaction Potential,” Journal of the Soil Mechanics and Foundations Division, ASCE, Vol. 97, No. SM9, Sept., 1971, pp. 1249–1273.
18.
Shockley, W. G., and Ahlvin, R. G., “Non‐Uniform Conditions in Triaxial Test Specimens,” ASCE Research Conference on Shear Strength of Cohesive Soils, Boulder, CO, June, 1960, pp. 341–357.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Geotechnical Engineering
Volume 111 • Issue 12 • December 1985
Pages: 1380 - 1394
Copyright
Copyright © 1985 ASCE.
History
Published online: Dec 1, 1985
Published in print: Dec 1985
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.