Study on the Influence of Wet Backfilling in Open Pit on Slope Stability

Abstract

The residual open pit left in the wake of open-pit mining poses significant safety hazards, with backfilling being an effective strategy to wholly eliminate these risks. The stability of the slope following wet backfilling, however, should not be overlooked. This paper examines the impact of the seepage field conditions and backfill height on the stability of open-pit slopes using a case study of cemented backfill in a specific open pit in Anhui Province. Moreover, it utilizes onsite research, Slide simulations, and similar simulation tests. The study findings suggest that as the height of the tailing solidification backfill increases, the safety factor of open-pit slopes gradually elevates. When the backfill height exceeds 10 m, all profiles of the studied open-air slope fulfill the stability prerequisites. Furthermore, when the solidification backfill reaches 20 m, all profiles of the studied open-pit slope satisfy the stability requirements. The research outcomes offer a methodology for mining corporations to avert slope instability and destruction, thereby providing effective safeguards for the extraction of scarce resources in mines.