LABORATORY INVESTIGATION OF BEACH PROFILES IN TAILINGS DISPOSAL

Transient beach profiles in tailings disposal are investigated both experimentally and theoretically. The effects of feed solids concentration and total slurry discharge on beach profiles are examined using a plexiglass flume 4.87 m long, 0.31 m wide, and 0.46 m deep. The slurry feed solids concentrations examined are up to 14.1% by weight. It is found that the slope of the beach and the rising rate of the beach at the solids feeding point are much influenced by feed solids concentration. On the other hand, when the feed solids concentration is constant and the total slurry discharge is varied, the slope of the beach does not change significantly. A nonlinear mathematical model is developed to predict beach profiles. The resulting partial differential equation is solved numerically by a simple explicit scheme. Very good agreement between the experimental data and the theoretical prediction is observed. The experimental data are also correlated successfully with a power expression, which is often seen in mining engineering literature. © ASCE.