Conical corner method for morphological optimization of right-angle turning slopes in mining waste dumps and its engineering application

The stability and capacity of waste dump slopes in an open-pit mine significantly impact mining safety and efficiency, with slope morphology crucial for stability and capacity. To enhance slope stability and reduce land usage for waste dumps while expanding their capacity, this study proposes a morphology optimization method applicable to right-angled turning slopes in waste dumps—the conical corner method. This method involves installing a conical slope body at the right-angled turn of the slope. The conical slope body generates two contact surfaces with adjacent slopes, and the optimal angle between these surfaces, set at 30 \(^\circ\) $_{}^{\circ }$ , is determined using Rankine's earth pressure theory and verified through numerical simulation methods. Taking an open-pit mine in Xinjiang, China as a case study, we utilized numerical simulation to conduct both static and dynamic stability analyses of the external waste dump slope. Additionally, we optimized geometric parameters such as bench height, platform width, and bench slope angle. Subsequently, the conical cornering method is applied to optimize the morphology of slopes at right-angle turns. After optimization, the capacity of the external dump increased by 9,077,505m³, saving approximately 3600m² of land for waste disposal. The study results indicate that following the optimization of geometric parameters for the waste dump slope with right-angle turn geometry, applying the conical corner method for morphology optimization enhances slope stability, reduces land occupancy within the waste dump area, and ultimately conserves land resources while expanding the capacity of the waste dump.