Investigation on the disaster mechanism and dynamic evolution of a dump slope using experimental and numerical methods: Case study, Kunyang phosphate mine, China

Abstract

Dump slope is mainly attributed to the deep excavation of a mine. In the present work, the dump in Kunyang phosphate mine located in Sanjia Village was investigated. The geographic and geologic settings were first studied according to the field investigation. Aiming at the actual dump scenario, a rainfall system was designed to simulate the process of dump instability induced by rainfall. The novelty lies in conducting comprehensive tests on fundamental parameters, including water content, particle size, compactness, and engineering mechanical properties, through analogous simulation experiments. In addition, the SLIDE software was adopted to analyse the dumps in each mining area and subsequently determine the sliding disaster mode of the dumps in Kunyang phosphate mine. The comparative analysis of the dumps in these different mining areas showed that the dump in No. 6 mining area has a greater factor of safety (FS) and better stability (instability will not occur). Secondly, the stability of the dumps in No. 2, No. 3 and No. 4 is better than that in No. 5, but they have not reached the ultimate equilibrium state (instability will not occur). Nevertheless, the FS of the dump in No. 1 mining area approached or even fell below 1. Thus, it is predicted that a small‐scale landslide disaster may have occurred (instability). Moreover, the dynamic evolution characteristics of dump disasters with different accumulation densities were revealed by model device tests. Finally, the obvious tube surge phenomenon before sliding was observed.