Centrifuge Simulations of Stable Tailings Dam

Abstract

The development of the phreatic surface in a stable tailings dam is investigated by using centrifuge simulation techniques and analytical techniques. The centrifuge simulations, conducted on an 8 m radius machine, use a “modeling‐of‐models” approach to determine the effects of scaling and model construction on the development of the phreatic surface. The analytical techniques are used to predict the location of the steady‐state phreatic surface in the equivalent full‐scale prototype dam and to determine its stability in terms of the conventional factor‐of‐safety. While the analysis indicates that there should be no scaling effect on the steady‐state phreatic surface, the simulations show a rise in the phreatic surface with increased scaling. Numerical predictions of the steady‐state phreatic surface compare well with data taken below 100