Liquefaction assessments are a critical component of tailings facility stability evaluations, even in regions with low seismicity. This paper examines the application of piezocone (CPTu) testing for evaluating the in situ engineering properties of tailings and their susceptibility to seismic-induced liquefaction, with particular relevance to upstream-raised facilities.
The presentation compares two widely used empirical procedures for assessing liquefaction potential—Robertson (2010) and Idriss & Boulanger (2008)—through a case study from Western Australia. Key findings highlight differences in how each methodology estimates cyclic resistance, especially in relation to fines content and earthquake magnitude scaling, and identify areas where further research is required to refine liquefaction assessments for low-seismic settings.
