A hybrid Finite Element and Material Point Method for modeling liquefaction-induced tailings dam failures

Abstract: This paper presents a hybrid Finite Element Method (FEM) and Material Point Method (MPM) approach for modeling liquefaction-induced tailings dam failures from initiation through runout. We apply this method to simulate the 1978 Mochikoshi tailings dam failure, which occurred due to seismic loading and liquefaction during an earthquake. Our approach leverages FEM to capture the initial failure mechanism and MPM to simulate the subsequent runout, exploiting the strength of each method in their respective phases of the failure process. We investigate the impact of the FEM-to-MPM transfer time on runout results, identifying an optimal transfer window. This window begins when liquefaction reaches a critical depth to fully trigger the failure and ends before excessive mesh deformation occurs. Our findings demonstrate that the properties of the liquefied tailings significantly influence runout predictions. Notably, we achieve runout distances comparable to the case history only when incorporating additional strain-softening beyond the initial liquefaction-induced strength reduction. Our results demonstrate that the hybrid FEM-MPM method effectively models tailings dam failures associated with complex failure mechanisms and large runouts. This approach offers a promising tool for predicting the runout of seismic liquefaction-induced tailings dam failures, improving risk assessment and mitigation strategies in tailings dam management.