Name: The Failure of the Church Rock Tailings Dam
Author: Joseph D. Kane and John D. Nelson

Quotes from The Failure of the Church Rock Tailings Dam (Joseph D. Kane and John D. Nelson)

Joseph D. Kane and John D. Nelson, The Failure of the Church Rock Tailings Dam (1980)

“ Wedge type stability analyses were conducted assuming that a longitudinal crack formed the upstream boundary of the active wedge and the crack was filled with water. For various assumed positions of longitudinal cracks, factors of safety less than unity were computed assuming an undrained shear strength of 300 lb/ft2. Thus, it is evident that after cracking of the embankment and introduction of tailings water into the cracks, instability of the downstream toe of the embankment could result. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Joseph D. Kane and John D. Nelson, The Failure of the Church Rock Tailings Dam (1980)

“ However, if a decrease in shear strength due to collapse of the foundation soils is taken into account and if cracking of the embankment is considered, instability of the downstream toe of the embankment can occur. It is likely, therefore, that when the tailings solution was introduced into the cracks in the embankment, an initial stability failure of the toe occurred. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Joseph D. Kane and John D. Nelson, The Failure of the Church Rock Tailings Dam (1980)

“ In order to protect against internal erosion of the embankment in the cracks, it was recommended that a sand beach be maintained against the face of the embankment. The purpose of this sand beach was to provide for sand to be carried into any cracks that developed, thereby preventing internal erosion from occurring. The fact that sand was carried into the cracks was confirmed by the observation of sand in cracks on the walls of the breach after the failure. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Joseph D. Kane and John D. Nelson, The Failure of the Church Rock Tailings Dam (1980)

“ Laboratory test data to be utilized in the design of the embankment should be performed with representative tailings solutions.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS Stability analyses utilizing laboratory obtained shear strength values and conventional methods of stability analysis have indicated that general slope instability as represented by sliding of the embankment was most likely not responsible for the breach. Also, as noted by the owner's consultants (Ref. 2) , the breach was too narrow to have been caused by a shear failure extending to the upstream face. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Joseph D. Kane and John D. Nelson, The Failure of the Church Rock Tailings Dam (1980)

“ Consequently, it is apparent that wetting of the entire depth of foundation soils beneath the impoundment could have occurred in the breach are the beginning of operations until the time at which the breach occurred. Due to lateral migration of the wetting front, the upstream side of the embankment would settle first thereby causing cracking. Longitudinal cracks had been observed in the embankment and had been plugged with bentonite and kerosene slurry on two occassions prior to the failure. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Joseph D. Kane and John D. Nelson, The Failure of the Church Rock Tailings Dam (1980)

“ Water levels in these piezometers have indicated that over a monitoring period of approximately six months, ten to fifteen feet of rise in piezometric level could occur. This piezometrlc behavior indicates that a groundwater mound has been established in that region within a short period of time after resumption of operation. ”

Joseph D. Kane and John D. Nelson

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Quotes from The Failure of the Church Rock Tailings Dam (Joseph D. Kane and John D. Nelson)

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Joseph D. Kane and John D. Nelson

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Quotes from The Failure of the Church Rock Tailings Dam (Joseph D. Kane and John D. Nelson)

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