Modelling Hydrological Performance of a Bauxite Residue Profile for Deposition Management of a Storage Facility
Accurate scheduling of bauxite residue (red mud) deposition time is required in order to prevent the risk of storage facility failure. This study was conducted to precisely determine the hydraulic parameters of bauxite residue and investigate the capability of HYDRUS to accurately estimate the resid...
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MDPI AG
2020-07-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/12/7/1988 |
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| author | Mandana Shaygan Brent Usher Thomas Baumgartl |
| author_facet | Mandana Shaygan Brent Usher Thomas Baumgartl |
| author_sort | Mandana Shaygan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Accurate scheduling of bauxite residue (red mud) deposition time is required in order to prevent the risk of storage facility failure. This study was conducted to precisely determine the hydraulic parameters of bauxite residue and investigate the capability of HYDRUS to accurately estimate the residue moisture profile and the timing for its deposition. The hydraulic properties of the bauxite residue profile were determined by solving an inverse problem. A one-dimensional hydrological model (HYDRUS-1D) was validated using a 300 mm long column filled with bauxite residue and exposed to a dynamic lower boundary condition. After numerical validation, the model was used to simulate the moisture profile of bauxite residue under the climatic conditions of an alumina refinery site in Queensland, Australia, as well as other scenarios (i.e., high (300 mm) and small (1.7 mm) rainfall events of the site). This study showed that the HYDRUS model can be used as a predictive tool to precisely estimate the moisture profile of the bauxite residue and that the timing for the re-deposition of the bauxite residue can be estimated by understanding the moisture profile and desired shear strength of the residue. This study revealed that the examined bauxite residue approaches field capacity (water potential −10 kPa) after three days from a low rainfall event (<1.7 mm) and after eight days from an intense rainfall event (300 mm) at the time of disposal. This suggests that the bauxite residue can be deposited every four days after low rainfall events (as low as 1.7 mm) and every nine days after high rainfall events (as high as 300 mm) at the time of deposition, if bauxite residue experiences an initial drying period following deposition. |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4441 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T18:28:26Z |
| publishDate | 2020-07-01 |
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| spelling | doaj.art-37a9bc2853e5482faec65ac8afddade62023-11-20T06:46:06ZengMDPI AGWater2073-44412020-07-01127198810.3390/w12071988Modelling Hydrological Performance of a Bauxite Residue Profile for Deposition Management of a Storage FacilityMandana Shaygan0Brent Usher1Thomas Baumgartl2Centre for Water in the Minerals Industry, Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, AustraliaKlohn Crippen Berger Ltd., Brisbane, QLD 4101, AustraliaGeotechnical and Hydrological Engineering Research Group, Federation University, Churchill, VIC 3841, AustraliaAccurate scheduling of bauxite residue (red mud) deposition time is required in order to prevent the risk of storage facility failure. This study was conducted to precisely determine the hydraulic parameters of bauxite residue and investigate the capability of HYDRUS to accurately estimate the residue moisture profile and the timing for its deposition. The hydraulic properties of the bauxite residue profile were determined by solving an inverse problem. A one-dimensional hydrological model (HYDRUS-1D) was validated using a 300 mm long column filled with bauxite residue and exposed to a dynamic lower boundary condition. After numerical validation, the model was used to simulate the moisture profile of bauxite residue under the climatic conditions of an alumina refinery site in Queensland, Australia, as well as other scenarios (i.e., high (300 mm) and small (1.7 mm) rainfall events of the site). This study showed that the HYDRUS model can be used as a predictive tool to precisely estimate the moisture profile of the bauxite residue and that the timing for the re-deposition of the bauxite residue can be estimated by understanding the moisture profile and desired shear strength of the residue. This study revealed that the examined bauxite residue approaches field capacity (water potential −10 kPa) after three days from a low rainfall event (<1.7 mm) and after eight days from an intense rainfall event (300 mm) at the time of disposal. This suggests that the bauxite residue can be deposited every four days after low rainfall events (as low as 1.7 mm) and every nine days after high rainfall events (as high as 300 mm) at the time of deposition, if bauxite residue experiences an initial drying period following deposition.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/12/7/1988bauxite residue hydraulic parametersHYDRUSinverse modellingmoisture contentred mudshear strength |
| spellingShingle | Mandana Shaygan Brent Usher Thomas Baumgartl Modelling Hydrological Performance of a Bauxite Residue Profile for Deposition Management of a Storage Facility Water bauxite residue hydraulic parameters HYDRUS inverse modelling moisture content red mud shear strength |
| title | Modelling Hydrological Performance of a Bauxite Residue Profile for Deposition Management of a Storage Facility |
| title_full | Modelling Hydrological Performance of a Bauxite Residue Profile for Deposition Management of a Storage Facility |
| title_fullStr | Modelling Hydrological Performance of a Bauxite Residue Profile for Deposition Management of a Storage Facility |
| title_full_unstemmed | Modelling Hydrological Performance of a Bauxite Residue Profile for Deposition Management of a Storage Facility |
| title_short | Modelling Hydrological Performance of a Bauxite Residue Profile for Deposition Management of a Storage Facility |
| title_sort | modelling hydrological performance of a bauxite residue profile for deposition management of a storage facility |
| topic | bauxite residue hydraulic parameters HYDRUS inverse modelling moisture content red mud shear strength |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/12/7/1988 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT mandanashaygan modellinghydrologicalperformanceofabauxiteresidueprofilefordepositionmanagementofastoragefacility AT brentusher modellinghydrologicalperformanceofabauxiteresidueprofilefordepositionmanagementofastoragefacility AT thomasbaumgartl modellinghydrologicalperformanceofabauxiteresidueprofilefordepositionmanagementofastoragefacility |