Experimental and numerical investigations of a catastrophic tailings dam break in Daye, Hubei, China

Tailings ponds are composed of residual mining sediments and represent a high risk due to their mechanical instability. A tailings dam break can cause extensive damage to the safety of downstream residents and the surrounding environment. This paper introduces a collapse of the tailings dam that occurred in Tonglushan, Daye, Hubei, China. To examine the rheological properties and evolutionary mechanism of the tailings slurry from initiation to run-out, a numerical simulation was conducted through a dynamic model (DAN3D) to simulate the run-out behaviors of the tailings slurry based on the models and parameters obtained from the rheology tests. The results indicate that the slurry properties are highly consistent with the Bingham model during the movement process, and the rheological parameters of a slurry with a solid mass concentration of 74% provide the best performance in simulating this catastrophe. During the process of the Tonglushan tailings dam break, the duration of the movement is estimated at approximately 100 s, with a maximum velocity of 22 m/s. The final distribution of the tailings deposit obtained from simulated results is in good agreement with the actual situation, indicating the validity of the selected rheological models and parameters. It is expected that the method of combining the DAN3D model with rheology tests could help clarify the propagation process of the similar tailings dam break and thus improve the accuracy of hazard prediction.

Automated summary

This study investigates the rheological properties and evolutionary mechanism of a tailings dam break through numerical simulation and rheology tests. The selected model and parameters show good accuracy in simulating the tailings dam break, indicating the potential of improving hazard prediction for similar disasters.