Numerical simulation of the dynamics evolution of alluvial mining quarries

Abstract

Alluvial mining quarry (or placer mining) is one of the main techniques for extracting important building materials such as sand and gravels. Prediction of quarries detrimental effects on the hydraulic regimes of rivers, in particular on flow regimes, has been carried on in full details in 0, 1 and 2D problem formulations (in the latter case, a depth-averaging is applied). However, the prediction of the quarry behavior itself is unfeasible, though such information would be of paramount importance for estimating the adverse effect on the river bed. This work studies the dynamics evolution of alluvial mining quarries in the framework of two-dimensional formulation based on width-averaging. The Euler multiphase model, which allows simulating separately the behavior of several interacting phases, is implemented. The conducted numerical experiments show that the upstream part of the quarry is eroded more intensively than the downstream one, displacing the quarry up-stream. This effect was observed during numerous field case-studies.