Stability Evaluation of a Mine Waste Pile

Abstract

Research Article| January 01, 2005 Stability Evaluation of a Mine Waste Pile JOHN C. STORMONT; JOHN C. STORMONT 1Department of Civil Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar ENRIQUE FARFAN ENRIQUE FARFAN 1Department of Civil Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information JOHN C. STORMONT 1Department of Civil Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131 ENRIQUE FARFAN 1Department of Civil Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131 Publisher: Association of Environmental & Engineering Geologists First Online: 02 Mar 2017 Online ISSN: 1558-9161 Print ISSN: 1078-7275 Copyright © 2005 Geological Society of America Environmental & Engineering Geoscience (2005) 11 (1): 43–52. https://doi.org/10.2113/11.1.43 Article history First Online: 02 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation JOHN C. STORMONT, ENRIQUE FARFAN; Stability Evaluation of a Mine Waste Pile. Environmental & Engineering Geoscience 2005;; 11 (1): 43–52. doi: https://doi.org/10.2113/11.1.43 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyEnvironmental & Engineering Geoscience Search Advanced Search Abstract Failure of a portion of a mine waste pile motivated a study to identify remaining portions of the pile that were unstable and to suggest appropriate, remedial stabilization efforts. Data collection focused on the principal parameters that control stability, namely, pile geometry and material strength. Data from a topographic survey of the pile and the interpolated bedrock surface under the pile were used to characterize the slope of the mine waste pile and the thickness of the waste material. Strength data were obtained from conventional, small-scale laboratory test methods and a large-scale test method that was used in the field and the laboratory. The small-scale tests, which did not include the relatively coarse fraction of the mine waste material, tended to overestimate the strength of the waste pile material. Strength and pile geometry data were combined in a GIS-based model that provided a first-order, conservative estimate of the stability of the pile based on the infinite slope method. Results from this model indicated three potentially unstable areas. These areas were analyzed using the method of slices. A single location on the pile was found to have an unacceptable factor of safety. A simple grading plan to remediate the problematic location was developed. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.