Comparative analysis of limit equilibrium and finite element methods for tailings dam safety
Paper by Eng. José Luis Ramírez Castañeda published in Minería magazine (Lima, November 2024) comparing two approaches to assessing tailings dam stability.
Author: Eng. José Luis Ramírez Castañeda, General Manager of GEORAM.
Published in: Minería magazine, Lima, November 2024 (in Spanish).
What it is about
The paper compares the two most widely used approaches to assessing tailings dam stability: the limit equilibrium method, which calculates the factor of safety of failure surfaces, and the finite element method, which analyzes stresses and deformations of the dam-foundation system.
Why it matters
Understanding the scope of each method helps choose the right analysis and better support decisions on the safety of these critical mining structures.
