Thesis DETERMINACIÓN DE LA CURVA DE RETENCIÓN DE AGUA PARA RELAVES MULTIMETÁLICOS DE LA INDUSTRIA MINERA DE CHILE
Date
2018
Authors
MUSSO HOTT, JAIME ANDRES
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Abstract
En la actualidad, gran parte del desarrollo de la ingeniería geotécnica está relacionado con los suelos saturados o en estado seco, i.e. estados límites del suelo, de modo de facilitar su comprensión y comparación de fenómenos geomecánicos particulares, e.g. respuesta sísmica, infiltraciones. Sin embargo, hoy en día, y a partir del desarrollo de nuevas tecnologías y metodologías experimentales, es posible lograr un estudio acabado de los suelos parcialmente saturados (i.e. suelos con un grado de saturación menor a la unidad). En este sentido, se ha demostrado que es posible relacionar las propiedades fundamentales de este tipo de suelos, como lo es el hinchamiento, la permeabilidad y la resistencia corte, mediante la curva de retención de agua, conocida como SWRC debido a su nombre en inglés (soil-water retention curve). Esta curva relaciona el contenido de agua del suelo con su presión intersticial (i.e. succión).La determinación de la SWRC ha sido clave en el desarrollo de la geotecnia en suelos no saturados, impactando a diversas áreas de la ingeniería geotécnica, e.g. fundaciones profundas, estabilidad de taludes naturales, minería. En esta última área, el entendimiento del comportamiento no saturado permite entender fenómenos como el flujo de agua no saturado en depósitos de relaves y pilas de lixiviación, así como procesos de evaporación y balance de aguas.En este contexto, el presente estudio busca caracterizar las principales propiedades índices de relaves mineros (e.g. Gs, Cu, Cc, K, ¿min, ¿max, e), así como determinar su SWRC. Los resultados se compararán con estimaciones de modelos matemáticos tradicionales. Del mismo modo, se propondrá una nueva estimación que considere las principales características de los relaves nacionales. Lo anterior, a partir de una extensa campaña de laboratorio en más de 13 tipos de relaves.
At present, a large part of the development of geotechnical engineering is related to saturated or dry soil, i.e. soil limit states, so as to facilitate their understanding and comparison of particular geomechanical phenomena, e.g. Seismic response, infiltrations. However, nowadays, and from the development of new technologies and experimental methodologies, it is possible to achieve a finished study of partially saturated soils (i.e. soils with a degree of saturation less than unit). In this sense, it has been shown that it is possible to relate the fundamental properties of this type of soil, such as swelling, permeability and shear resistance, through the soil water retention curve, known as SWRC. This curve relates the water content of the soil with its interstitial pressure (i.e. suction).The determination of the SWRC has been key to the development of geotechnics in unsaturated soils, impacting various areas of geotechnical engineering, e.g. deep foundations, stability of natural slopes, mining. In this last area, the understanding of the unsaturated behavior allows to understand phenomena such as the flow of unsaturated water in tailings deposits and leach piles, as well as evaporation processes and water balance.In this context, the present study seeks to characterize the main index properties of mining tailings (e.g. Gs, Cu, Cc, K, ¿min, ¿max, e), as well as to determine the SWRC. The results will be compared with estimates of traditional mathematical models. In the same way, a new estimate will be proposed that considers the main characteristics of the national tailings. The above, from an extensive laboratory campaign in more than 13 types of tailings.
At present, a large part of the development of geotechnical engineering is related to saturated or dry soil, i.e. soil limit states, so as to facilitate their understanding and comparison of particular geomechanical phenomena, e.g. Seismic response, infiltrations. However, nowadays, and from the development of new technologies and experimental methodologies, it is possible to achieve a finished study of partially saturated soils (i.e. soils with a degree of saturation less than unit). In this sense, it has been shown that it is possible to relate the fundamental properties of this type of soil, such as swelling, permeability and shear resistance, through the soil water retention curve, known as SWRC. This curve relates the water content of the soil with its interstitial pressure (i.e. suction).The determination of the SWRC has been key to the development of geotechnics in unsaturated soils, impacting various areas of geotechnical engineering, e.g. deep foundations, stability of natural slopes, mining. In this last area, the understanding of the unsaturated behavior allows to understand phenomena such as the flow of unsaturated water in tailings deposits and leach piles, as well as evaporation processes and water balance.In this context, the present study seeks to characterize the main index properties of mining tailings (e.g. Gs, Cu, Cc, K, ¿min, ¿max, e), as well as to determine the SWRC. The results will be compared with estimates of traditional mathematical models. In the same way, a new estimate will be proposed that considers the main characteristics of the national tailings. The above, from an extensive laboratory campaign in more than 13 types of tailings.
Description
Catalogado desde la version PDF de la tesis.
Keywords
CURVA DE RETENCION DE AGUA , RELAVES MULTIMETALICOS , SWCC , SWRC
