Application of geogrids in the slope stabilization of tailings storage facilities: An upstream tailings dam case study
Application of geogrids in the slope stabilization of tailings storage facilities: An upstream tailings dam case study
In response to the global upsurge in tailings dam failures, there has been an intensification in the prohibition of upstream construction in a bid to curtail the disasters. Brazil, Chile, Ghana and Peru are some of the countries where the upward construction of tailings storage facilities has been banned. This interdiction is contentious because some of oldest tailings storage facilities which are located around the world including USA and South Africa (SA) were constructed using the upstream method and have remained stable for more than a century. Mainly due to cost effectiveness, the upstream method has been the most popular tailings dam construction technique. However, in the present decade, from 2020, at least 14 major failures have been reported globally. The heightened failure rate demands measures which can be used to ensure the safe construction of the impoundments. This study investigated the slope stabilization of an upstream tailings dam using geogrids. Due to their high tensile strength and resistance to chemical degradation, geogrids can be used to improve the shear strength of tailings storage facilities. In this study, the slope stability analysis was undertaken using the Monte Carlo reliability method. It was found that the geogrid reinforcement system approximately doubled the safety factor of the facility, reduced the probability of failure and increased the reliability index from a negative (-1.45) to a positive (+7.18). The stabilization of tailings dams with geogrids can significantly reduce the risk of dam failure and the consequential environmental, financial and humanitarian impacts.
S. Mudenge; Denis Kalumba
9th International Congress on Environmental Geotechnics (ICEG2023)
Resource Mining and Extraction
https://doi.org/10.53243/ICEG2023-285
Contact Information
- Secretary General - Dr A M McNamara
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: +44 20 7040 8154
- City, University of London
- Northampton Square
- London EC1V 0HB. United Kingdom