The seismic safety of tailings storage facilities becomes increasingly important as these structures are progressively raised during operation. Continuous embankment construction modifies the engineering geological conditions and surface topography, which may significantly affect local seismic site response and, consequently, the design seismic loading. This study investigates the influence of progressive tailings dam raising on seismic site conditions using numerical modelling.
The methodology integrates a digital geological model, engineering geological and geophysical investigation data, and three-dimensional models of the natural and projected topography. The spatial distribution of technogenic deposit thickness was determined from the difference between the natural and design ground surfaces. Local seismic site response was evaluated using one-dimensional equivalent-linear soil response modelling and two-dimensional finite-difference simulations to account for topographic effects. Site-specific synthetic accelerograms and corresponding response spectra were generated for different stages of tailings dam raising.
The modelling results demonstrate that increasing the thickness of technogenic deposits and the development of pronounced technogenic relief significantly modify local seismic response by changing the frequency characteristics and amplifying earthquake ground motion. The greatest amplification occurs in areas with substantial elevation differences and steep relief gradients, resulting in increased design seismic loading.
The proposed approach provides an effective framework for evaluating the evolution of local seismic hazard throughout the operational life of tailings storage facilities. The results demonstrate that progressive changes in engineering geological conditions should be explicitly considered in seismic hazard assessment and in the development of site-specific design seismic loading for tailings dams.
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