Laserfiche WebLink
<br />' San Luis Mine Phase 0, Raise 2 Design Report <br />' For comparison, the post-liquefaction residual strength of the saturated tailings was also estimated <br />using the method of Ishihara, et. al. (1990). This study presents a data base of case histories for <br />earthquake damaged embankments and tailings dams composed of silty sands or sandy silts for <br />' which cone penetration data was available. By comparing the back-calculated residua] strength for <br />these case histories with the cone resistance data, an empirical correlation was developed. The use <br />' of the lower bound correlation presented in this study results in an overall average residual strength <br />of 1068 psf for the saturated tailings. However, the correlation was developed primarily from case <br />histories involving relatively low confining pressures and may be less accurate for deeper portions <br />of the tailings deposit. Accordingly, the average residual strength for the upper 4 m (13.1 ft) of <br />saturated tailings was also determined using the same procedure. The resulting lower bound residual <br />' strength for these tailings was 890 psf which is still far greater than that obtained using the method <br />of Seed and Hazder, however, the later method was adopted for conservatism. Residual strength <br />calculations are presented in Appendix E. <br />' A summary of the material properties incorporated into the stability analyses is presented on Figures <br />' 10 and 11 which summarize the resulu of these analyses. <br />4.3 Phreatic Conditions <br />t No phreatic surface within the embankment was included in the stability analyses as the facility has <br />been designed such that the embankment will drain rapidly relative to maximum potential inflows <br />' I from the tailings. The relative permeability of the embartlaetent material to the tailings is very high <br />thereby maintaining unsaturated conditions in the embankment. This was confirmed by the <br />' piezometer data in the main embattlement and Raise 1 embattlmtent. <br />' Within the tailings themselves, the phreatic surface included in the analyses was above or consistent <br />with the depths given in Table 1. For analysis of potential upstream failure modes, the depths <br />presented in Table 1 were used to estimate an average phreatic surface. For analysis of potential <br />' downstream failure modes associated with future tailings levels, an increased phreatic level relative <br />to the tailings level was included in the analyses. The phreatic surface was assumed to be coincident <br />' with the interface between the Raise 2 fill and the underlying tailings. This assumes a depth of only <br />15 ft to saturated tailings for this location relative to the embankment as opposed to approximately <br />32.5 ft as identified for current conditions. At a distance of 250 ft upstream of the crest of the <br />' raise, saturated tailings were assumed to occur at a depth of only 2 ft. As pr?esented in Table 1, <br />saturated tailings presently occur at an average depth of 22.5 ft at a distance approximately 175 <br />upstream from the embankment crest. Thus the phreatic surface assumed for the future ultimate <br />projected tailings level should represent a conservative or "worst case" assumption for conditions <br />likely to be encountered towards the end of operations. Upon closure of the facility, the large <br />' solution inflows associated with active tailings deposition will cease and the tailings will drain with <br />u y 4-0 rorect o. <br />