Stability Assessment of the Dam of a Tailings Pond Using Computer Modeling—Case Study: Coroiești, Romania
Source abstract
Abstract
Anthropogenic activities related to mining generate both progress and a vast amount of waste that is responsible for environmental degradation. The Jiu Valley is one of the areas of Romania where mining has affected large areas of land, used to build mines and tailings ponds. The former Coroiesti coal processing plant (CCPP) is such a location with a total area of 25 ha containing approximately 5.5 million tons of tailings. The assessment of the stability of tailings dams is extremely important from safety and environmental aspects. This study proposes a solution based on numerical methods for determining the stability of a section of the dam of a tailings pond. The model of tailings pond no. 1, compartment B, from the Coroieşti Coal Preparation was built using COMSOL Multiphysics. Two scenarios of stability analysis were conducted on a section of the tailings dam: the FOS was determined using the shear strength reduction (SSR) method for both the initial and the current state of this TP. This method is a modern alternative to the limit equilibrium method, and its implementation by COMSOL is new to our country, thus aligning this methodology with current worldwide trends and developments in the field. The results obtained proved to be in line with those calculated in the past with traditional analytical methods, proving that the safety criteria of the studied TP/TD are being met.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline
Research context
OpenAlex topics: Tailings Management and Properties · Rock Mechanics and Modeling · Mine drainage and remediation techniques
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
Affiliations
Department of Mechanical, Industrial and Transport Engineering, University of Petrosani, 332006 Petrosani, Romania
Doctoral School in Mines, Oil and Gases, University of Petrosani, 332006 Petrosani, Romania
“Dimitrie Leonida” Technological High School, 332020 Petrosani, Romania
National Institute of Research and Development for Safety in Mines and Explosion Protection—INSEMEX Petrosani, 332047 Petrosani, Romania
Funding
University of Petroşani
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