Chapter 9
Hazard Identification
This chapter discusses hazard identification in terms of hazard vectors, scenarios,
how to determine them, etc. Monitoring is discussed as well, as the mean to keep an
active eye on impinging potential hazards.
Here we will discuss classic monitoring and modern techniques such as space
observation. There is a note on liquefaction, which is a special hazard that cannot be
ignored.
Hazards related to natural and human causes are of primary concern through all
phases of the design and mine life cycle. Risks specifically related to the tailings
deposition method, dam design and site selection are equally important and must be
identified as part of a comprehensive approval process that is ultimately informed by
a dam break analysis and inundation study. Before going any further it is necessary
to go into details of the hazard definition for practical risk assessments.
When tackling a risk assessment, we define as hazard scenarios any malfunctioning or deviations from the intended level of performance of the system or any
of its elements “as is”, such as tailings dam failure or other phenomena, including
not only those generating harm to people, properties and the environment, but also
business interruption and other consequences. System “as is” means with the level
of mitigation and controls present at the moment of the study and with the quality of investigations, design and maintenance which becomes apparent during the
preparation of the study. Thus design choices and considerations performed by the
designers/project engineers, such as:
• factors of safety (FoS);
• liquefaction (static and dynamic) potential (and the resulting requirement for
undrained shear strength analyses);
• effects of reconnaissance boreholes length and number/density effects;
• etc.
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
F. Oboni and C. Oboni, Tailings Dam Management for the Twenty-First Century,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-19447-5_9
117
Hazard Identification
This chapter discusses hazard identification in terms of hazard vectors, scenarios,
how to determine them, etc. Monitoring is discussed as well, as the mean to keep an
active eye on impinging potential hazards.
Here we will discuss classic monitoring and modern techniques such as space
observation. There is a note on liquefaction, which is a special hazard that cannot be
ignored.
Hazards related to natural and human causes are of primary concern through all
phases of the design and mine life cycle. Risks specifically related to the tailings
deposition method, dam design and site selection are equally important and must be
identified as part of a comprehensive approval process that is ultimately informed by
a dam break analysis and inundation study. Before going any further it is necessary
to go into details of the hazard definition for practical risk assessments.
When tackling a risk assessment, we define as hazard scenarios any malfunctioning or deviations from the intended level of performance of the system or any
of its elements “as is”, such as tailings dam failure or other phenomena, including
not only those generating harm to people, properties and the environment, but also
business interruption and other consequences. System “as is” means with the level
of mitigation and controls present at the moment of the study and with the quality of investigations, design and maintenance which becomes apparent during the
preparation of the study. Thus design choices and considerations performed by the
designers/project engineers, such as:
• factors of safety (FoS);
• liquefaction (static and dynamic) potential (and the resulting requirement for
undrained shear strength analyses);
• effects of reconnaissance boreholes length and number/density effects;
• etc.
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
F. Oboni and C. Oboni, Tailings Dam Management for the Twenty-First Century,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-19447-5_9
117