After successfully completing this course, you should have a basic understanding of the fundamental principles of geotechnical design of tailings and the relevant legislative framework including an understanding of:
1. Significant local and international tailings dam failures, the fundamental reasons for these failures and impact of each event;
2. available documents for international best practice in the design, construction, operation and management of tailings dams;
3. relevant local legislation governing the geotechnical design of tailings dams in South Africa;
4. critical state soil mechanics, application of the state parameter to tailings, and the NorSand critical state model;
5. drained and undrained shear strength of tailings, including the characterisation of brittle behaviour, and available estimates of peak and residual undrained shear strength ratios;
6. appropriate techniques to sample and transport tailings material;
7. appropriate specifications and techniques for high-quality laboratory testing and interpretation of results, including triaxial testing for critical state parameters and direct simple shear tests;
8. appropriate specifications and techniques for high-quality in situ testing of tailings and interpretation of results; and
9. breach (dam break) analysis of tailings.