Influence of Consolidation Characteristics on the Stability of Red Mud Yard During Construction Period Filling and Under Dynamic Load During Operation Period
摘要
Under conditions of high moisture content, the red mud at the bottom of the disposal yard is susceptible to abnormal consolidation, posing a threat to the overall stability of the facility. To investigate the deformation patterns and instability behavior of the yard under different consolidation characteristics, improved filtration loss experiments and microscopic examinations were first carried out on the impermeable layer to clarify its permeability and underlying mechanism. Building on this, a numerical model of the red mud yard was developed to analyze the displacement response and instability mechanisms during both the construction phase-under filling conditions-and the operation phase-under dynamic loading-considering varying consolidation behaviors. The results indicate that infiltration of red mud leachate enlarges and multiplies the seepage channels within the impermeable layer, thereby increasing its permeability. Abnormal consolidation of the bottom red mud leads to an expanded range of shear stress, displacement, and potential slip surfaces, as well as a lower safety factor during the construction period. Under normal consolidation conditions, the safety factor remains constant at 1.494, whereas under abnormal consolidation, the minimum safety factor drops to 1.49. With increasing peak ground acceleration (PGA) of seismic waves, the permanent displacements of both the main dam and the starter dam during operation gradually increase, as does the relative seismic subsidence of the dam crest under dynamic conditions. Under normal consolidation, when PGA rises from 0.2 g to 0.4 g, the permanent horizontal displacement at point G at the right slope toe of the starter dam increases by 10.7 times, and the relative seismic subsidence of the dam crest rises from 0.08% to 0.26%. Under seismic waves of identical PGA, abnormal consolidation of the underlying red mud results in a larger plastic zone within the red mud yard under dynamic conditions.