Geotechnical Modelling and Numerical Analysis of the Tailing Dam Stability

The global issue of waste accumulators poses a significant threat to human health and the environment. The total number of tailings, sludge pits, and hydraulic dumps worldwide and in Russia exceeds hundreds of thousands and is considered hazardous due to pollution and potential catastrophic consequences. Issues regarding risk management and forecasting during construction and operation require a broader perspective than departmental interests and pose risks with a planetary character. A case study on the Unal tailing dump of the Mizur mining and processing plant in North Ossetia-Alania exemplifies the unique structure and properties of tailings. Characterizing each type of technogenic tailings requires laboratory testing since standard indicators do not apply. Comprehensively studying the properties of technogenic soils justifies the formation of alluvial technogenic arrays and ensures the reliability of design decisions. The use of fuzzy sets coupled with mathematical planning and circular cylindrical sliding surfaces for modeling and evaluating the bearing capacity of tailing dams offers promising methods for forecasting geotechnical processes, improving design decisions’ reliability.