Stability Assessment of the Dam of a Tailings Pond Using Computer Modeling—Case Study: Coroiești, Romania
Anthropogenic activities related to mining generate both progress and a vast amount of waste that is responsible for environmental degradation. The Jiu Valley is one of the areas of Romania where mining has affected large areas of land, used to build mines and tailings ponds. The former Coroiesti co...
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MDPI AG
2023-12-01
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| Series: | Applied Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/14/1/268 |
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| author | Florin Dumitru Popescu Sorin Mihai Radu Andrei Andras Ildiko Brinas Mihaela-Olga Marita Mirela Ancuta Radu Constantin Laurentiu Brinas |
| author_facet | Florin Dumitru Popescu Sorin Mihai Radu Andrei Andras Ildiko Brinas Mihaela-Olga Marita Mirela Ancuta Radu Constantin Laurentiu Brinas |
| author_sort | Florin Dumitru Popescu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Anthropogenic activities related to mining generate both progress and a vast amount of waste that is responsible for environmental degradation. The Jiu Valley is one of the areas of Romania where mining has affected large areas of land, used to build mines and tailings ponds. The former Coroiesti coal processing plant (CCPP) is such a location with a total area of 25 ha containing approximately 5.5 million tons of tailings. The assessment of the stability of tailings dams is extremely important from safety and environmental aspects. This study proposes a solution based on numerical methods for determining the stability of a section of the dam of a tailings pond. The model of tailings pond no. 1, compartment B, from the Coroieşti Coal Preparation was built using COMSOL Multiphysics. Two scenarios of stability analysis were conducted on a section of the tailings dam: the FOS was determined using the shear strength reduction (SSR) method for both the initial and the current state of this TP. This method is a modern alternative to the limit equilibrium method, and its implementation by COMSOL is new to our country, thus aligning this methodology with current worldwide trends and developments in the field. The results obtained proved to be in line with those calculated in the past with traditional analytical methods, proving that the safety criteria of the studied TP/TD are being met. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T15:11:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c6f59289626c48bfaaaa07caa183c38f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3417 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T15:11:50Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Applied Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-c6f59289626c48bfaaaa07caa183c38f2024-01-10T14:51:33ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172023-12-0114126810.3390/app14010268Stability Assessment of the Dam of a Tailings Pond Using Computer Modeling—Case Study: Coroiești, RomaniaFlorin Dumitru Popescu0Sorin Mihai Radu1Andrei Andras2Ildiko Brinas3Mihaela-Olga Marita4Mirela Ancuta Radu5Constantin Laurentiu Brinas6Department of Mechanical, Industrial and Transport Engineering, University of Petrosani, 332006 Petrosani, RomaniaDepartment of Mechanical, Industrial and Transport Engineering, University of Petrosani, 332006 Petrosani, RomaniaDepartment of Mechanical, Industrial and Transport Engineering, University of Petrosani, 332006 Petrosani, RomaniaDepartment of Mechanical, Industrial and Transport Engineering, University of Petrosani, 332006 Petrosani, RomaniaDoctoral School in Mines, Oil and Gases, University of Petrosani, 332006 Petrosani, RomaniaNational Institute of Research and Development for Safety in Mines and Explosion Protection—INSEMEX Petrosani, 332047 Petrosani, Romania“Dimitrie Leonida” Technological High School, 332020 Petrosani, RomaniaAnthropogenic activities related to mining generate both progress and a vast amount of waste that is responsible for environmental degradation. The Jiu Valley is one of the areas of Romania where mining has affected large areas of land, used to build mines and tailings ponds. The former Coroiesti coal processing plant (CCPP) is such a location with a total area of 25 ha containing approximately 5.5 million tons of tailings. The assessment of the stability of tailings dams is extremely important from safety and environmental aspects. This study proposes a solution based on numerical methods for determining the stability of a section of the dam of a tailings pond. The model of tailings pond no. 1, compartment B, from the Coroieşti Coal Preparation was built using COMSOL Multiphysics. Two scenarios of stability analysis were conducted on a section of the tailings dam: the FOS was determined using the shear strength reduction (SSR) method for both the initial and the current state of this TP. This method is a modern alternative to the limit equilibrium method, and its implementation by COMSOL is new to our country, thus aligning this methodology with current worldwide trends and developments in the field. The results obtained proved to be in line with those calculated in the past with traditional analytical methods, proving that the safety criteria of the studied TP/TD are being met.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/14/1/268tailings pondtailings damfactor of safetystability analysissimulationCOMSOL Multiphysics |
| spellingShingle | Florin Dumitru Popescu Sorin Mihai Radu Andrei Andras Ildiko Brinas Mihaela-Olga Marita Mirela Ancuta Radu Constantin Laurentiu Brinas Stability Assessment of the Dam of a Tailings Pond Using Computer Modeling—Case Study: Coroiești, Romania Applied Sciences tailings pond tailings dam factor of safety stability analysis simulation COMSOL Multiphysics |
| title | Stability Assessment of the Dam of a Tailings Pond Using Computer Modeling—Case Study: Coroiești, Romania |
| title_full | Stability Assessment of the Dam of a Tailings Pond Using Computer Modeling—Case Study: Coroiești, Romania |
| title_fullStr | Stability Assessment of the Dam of a Tailings Pond Using Computer Modeling—Case Study: Coroiești, Romania |
| title_full_unstemmed | Stability Assessment of the Dam of a Tailings Pond Using Computer Modeling—Case Study: Coroiești, Romania |
| title_short | Stability Assessment of the Dam of a Tailings Pond Using Computer Modeling—Case Study: Coroiești, Romania |
| title_sort | stability assessment of the dam of a tailings pond using computer modeling case study coroiesti romania |
| topic | tailings pond tailings dam factor of safety stability analysis simulation COMSOL Multiphysics |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/14/1/268 |
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