Numerical Analysis of Stability of Tailings Dam in Cold Region under Freeze-Thaw Cycle

DOI: https://doi.org/10.62517/jcte.202406101

Author(s)

Cheng Cao1,*, Ruoxing Zhou2

Affiliation(s)

1China Construction Fourth Engineering Division Corp. Ltd, Xi’an 710065, Shaanxi, China 2Xi’an University of Technology, Xi’an 710048, Shaanxi, China *Corresponding Author

Abstract

The reasonable design and treatment of tailings dams in cold region is an important embodiment of the implementation of China's strategy for sustainable development. The stability of tailings dams undergoing freeze-thaw(F-T) cycle is a key issue in minerals resource development in cold region. At present, the stability evaluation of tailings dam under an established state is mostly carried out to judge whether the dam is unstable or not, but the dynamic development law that can reasonably describe the stability of tailings dam has not been obtained. Based on FLAC3D, combined with the heat conduction theory considering the ice-water phase transition, the elastic-plastic constitutive model and the strength reduction method, a numerical analysis platform for the stability of tailings dams in cold region under the F-T cycle is established. The numerical simulation calculation under three operating conditions is carried out to obtain the variation rule of the thaw depth of the dam with time under different operating conditions and the SF of the dam under different F-T cycle. As the stress-strain state and safety factor of tailings materials are analyzed in real time, the development law and internal mechanism of the SF of tailings dam under the F-T cycle are identified.

Keywords

Frozen Soil; Tailing Dam; Freeze-Thaw Cycle; Safety Factor

References

[1] Tian W.Q., Xie X.Y., Tailings pond situation in China and safety countermeasures suggestion. China Mine Engineering, 2009, 38(06):42-49. [2] Yin G.G., Yang Z.Y., Wei Z.A., Physical and mechanical properties of YangLa-copper’s tailings. Journal of ChongQing University. Natural Science Edition, 2007, 30(9):117-122. [3] Qi J.L., Cheng G.D., Vermeer P.A., State-of-the-art of influence of freeze-thaw on engineering properties of soils. Advance in Earth Science, 2005(08): 887-894. [4] Shen L.Y., Lu J.J., Influence of tailings classification and its comprehensive utilization on the safety and stability of tailings pond. Mining and Metallurgy, 2023,32(01):14-18+59. [5] Bhanbhro R., Knutsson R., Zardari M.A., Mechanical Properties of Soft Tailings from different Depths of a Swedish Tailings Dam: Results from Triaxial tests. Scientia Iranica, 2018(3). [6] Dedring T., Graw V., Thygesen K., Validation of an Empirical Model with Risk Assessment Functionalities to Simulate and Evaluate the Tailings Dam Failure in Brumadinho. Sustainability, 2022, 14. [7] Liu Y.N., Influence of Freezing-Thawing Cycles on Mechanical Properties of Tailing Soil at Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau .Journal of Southwest Jiaotong University, 2022,55(5):1053-1059. [8] Zhang E.J., Liang B., Wang B., Deformation behaviors of the tailing sands under the shear strength and freezing-thawing recycling impact, 2018, 18(1):134-138. [9] AI K., Zhou K., Hu J.H., Experiment on environmental response of tailings' mechanical properties in cold regions. Mining And Metallurgical Engineering, 2014, 34(3):5-9. [10] Jin J., Li S.W., Liang B., Study on mechanical response characteristics of tailings dam under freezing thawing cycle. Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 2019(4):7. [11] Zhang, M., Wang, J., Lai, Y., 2019. Hydro-thermal boundary conditions at different underlying surfaces in a permafrost region of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Sci. Total Environ. 670, 1190–1203. [12] Jin, C., Fu, X., Chen, W., 2019. Measurements of borehole heat flflow in northern Tibet, 08 Chin. J. Geophys. 62, 3095–3105.