Abstract
Limit equilibrium analyses under pseudo-static conditions are compulsory by most international standards, which establish a minimum factor of safety (FoS) typically ranging from 1.0 to 1.2 for stability analysis.
The limitations of this type of analysis are acknowledged, particularly in regard to the fact that the stress-strain response of the materials is not considered, and the seismic load is represented by the addition of an inertial force. However, insights about the seismic response of the structure may still be obtained through a quick and simplified analysis.
In this paper, a review of the parameters influencing the pseudo-static analyses results of downstream and upstream tailings sand dams is presented. During the modeling stage, generic downstream and upstream dams are analyzed using steady-state analysis in Slide2, by which the water table is determined, and a subsequent limit equilibrium analysis (LEA) is performed to assess dam stability.
From this analysis, various dam heights, drainage conditions, and beach lengths are evaluated, allowing the degree of influence of these parameters on the FoS for both construction methodologies to be compared.
