101157379 — MiDSafe

Project summary:

Post-mining waste dumps represent a highly intricate category of earth structures, primarily due to their complex geotechnical attributes exhibiting substantial variations in their physical, mechanical, and strength properties, occasionally leading to critical failures. The MiDSafe project aims to enhance safety and sustainability in coal and lignite mine waste dumps. It focuses on identifying, analyzing, and mitigating geotechnical and associated risks to improve waste management practices. MiDSafe's core mission includes establishing an extensive geotechnical database encompassing dumps from lignite and hard coal mines. This database will support risk assessment and the development of a practical monitoring system. Additionally, the project seeks to pioneer innovative materials to mitigate specific risks in these waste dumps. The MiDSafe initiative involves a multifaceted investigation of geotechnical and environmental hazards in mine dumps. This includes analyzing historical designs to create a comprehensive European Coal & Lignite Mine Waste Dumps Database. The project also evaluates options for repurposing waste dumps and designs an advanced monitoring system for continuous data collection, utilizing innovative methodologies such as fuzzy inference systems and 3D numerical modeling for assessing slope stability. Within MiDSafe's scope, a rigorous risk assessment methodology will be developed to identify potential risks impacting mine dumps. A comprehensive dump management strategy will also be formulated, alongside exploration of geotechnical aspects related to common revitalization methods. Ultimately, the MiDSafe project aims to minimize risks in post-mining waste dump management by developing innovative materials like geopolymers and zeolites, advancing safety, and enhancing sustainability.