In Situ Seismic Investigations for Evaluating Geotechnical Properties and Liquefaction Potential of Fine Coal Tailings
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 146, Issue 5
Abstract
This paper presents a field seismic investigation that is effective in evaluating the in situ geotechnical properties and liquefaction potential of fine coal tailings subjected to mine blasting. In this study, seismic refraction, multichannel analysis of surface waves, and seismic monitoring are performed on two coal tailings impoundments in Appalachian coalfields in the United States. Shear wave velocity, compressional wave velocity, Poisson’s ratio, small-strain Young’s modulus and shear modulus, and peak particle velocity of the fine coal tailings are derived. A relatively high rate of vibration attenuation is observed for the fine coal tailings when compared to other blasting applications. The fine coal tailings are evaluated to be potentially liquefiable when subjected to ground vibrations from mine blasting based on the simplified procedure for liquefaction evaluation with slight modifications and the input parameters from the seismic investigations. The nondestructive techniques and methodology described herein can serve as an alternative for liquefaction assessment.
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Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or code generated or used during the study are available from the corresponding author by request.
Acknowledgments
The authors are grateful for the financial support provided by the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), US Department of Interior. This paper is based upon work supported by OSMRE under Cooperative Agreement No. S16AC20074. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of OSMRE. The authors thank the crew members of Vibra-Tech Engineers for performing the seismic survey. The authors also thank Dr. Behnoud Kermani and Dr. Jintai Wang, former PhD students at the Pennsylvania State University, for their help in the seismic survey.
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Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 146 • Issue 5 • May 2020
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©2020 American Society of Civil Engineers.
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Received: Jun 7, 2019
Accepted: Oct 30, 2019
Published online: Mar 5, 2020
Published in print: May 1, 2020
Discussion open until: Aug 5, 2020
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