A novel experimental database on the cyclic response of mine tailings

Abstract

Understanding the cyclic response of mine tailings is key for areas with moderate to high seismicity and an active mining industry (e.g. the United States, Peru, and Chile). However, assessing the cyclic response of mine tailings still relies on procedures and correlations developed for natural soils (i.e. sands and clays). This is due to information on the cyclic response of mine tailings being rather scarce compared to natural soils. Hence, it remains unclear if more efficient approaches can be implemented. This study presents an experimental database focused on the cyclic response of mine tailings compiled from various sources. The database is organized considering three classes, where all three contain cyclic simple shear (CSS) information. Class A also includes triaxial (Tx) and cone penetration testing (CPTu) information, Class B has Tx or CPTu information, and Class C contains no additional information beyond CSS. Most materials belong to Class A. It is worth noting that Class C (only cyclic information) is comparable with most databases for natural soils, hence highlighting the uniqueness of our database. In total, the database contains 129 CSS tests on 20 materials that represent a broad range of mine tailings. Thirteen materials belong to Class A, 5 to Class B, and 2 to Class C. In discussing the database, key information (e.g. the range of liquefaction resistance curves) is shared. In addition, potential assessments that can be conducted with the database are illustrated. The study closes by presenting the database organization and discussing potential uses. The database is available under the following DOI: https://doi.org/10.17603/ds2-1k0a-dt17