Seismic Characterization of Cycloned Tailings Using Laboratory Testing and Seismic Cone Penetration Test

The mechanical behavior of mine tailings is one of the greatest challenges facing the mining industry nowadays. Therefore, it must be fully understood to ensure the design of a tailings dam that is safe, economical, and environmentally acceptable. This study focuses on a comprehensive characterization of coarse-grained tailings, achieved through advanced laboratory and field tests. Laboratory tests were conducted on tailings samples obtained from the cycloning process. Special static and cyclic laboratory tests, including Resonant Column and Torsional Shear (RCTS), Cyclic Simple Direct Shear (CDSS), and one-dimensional consolidation tests, were performed on disturbed samples classified as non-plastic silty sand. Seismic Cone Penetration Tests (SCPTu) were conducted at the cycloned tailings dam to measure shear wave velocity (Vs), corrected tip resistance (qt), and frictional resistance (fs). The PM4Sand constitutive model is calibrated based on the laboratory test results to model the tailings behavior in dynamic simulations. The selected numerical model produced cyclic behavior patterns similar to those measured in the laboratory, indicating that the PM4Sand model can be used to simulate the cyclic behavior of cycloned tailings.