Contrastive analysis of dynamic response of tailings dam with and without geofabriform by shaking table model test

Construction using geofabriform is a new promising technology to build fine grain tailings dam. Large-scale shaking table tests are conducted in this study to investigate the dynamic performances in terms of horizontal acceleration and displacement of the tailings dam with and without geofabriform subject to horizontal earthquakes. Test results indicate that the seismic performance of the tailings dam with geofabriform is significantly better than that of tailings dam without geofabriform. The two types of tailings dams have different failure modes under the action of earthquake. The acceleration amplification factor(Am), vertical displacement and horizontal displacement of the tailings dam with geofabriform under the same seismic acceleration input are smaller than that of the tailings dam without geofabriform, the maximum attenuation amplitude of the Am at the dam slope reaches to 81%. The horizontal displacements of the two types of dams are nonlinearly distributed in the height direction and the geotextile bags of the tailings dam have an upward displacement and are tilted upward. According to the failure mode of the tailings dam with geotextile bags, it is recommended to strengthen the drainage measures and set up anti-slide piles at the bottom of the geotextile bags body to strengthen the tailings dam.