CS30C - Concurrent Session 30C: 2015 Failure of Fundao Dam [DFIC Decade Series]

Abstract Description: On November 5, 2015, Fundão Dam, a tailings storage facility located near the City of Belo Horizonte, Brazil, failed and released roughly 32 million cubic meters of liquefied iron mine tailings. The failure resulted in the loss of 19 lives, destruction and severe damage to more than 200 structures, and extensive environmental impacts on the downstream lands and waterways. Based on post-failure evaluations, the dam likely failed due to a static liquefaction flow slide, although it is recognized that very small ground accelerations from earthquake shaking may have hastened the static liquefaction failure.

This paper presents a summary and compilation of information related to the dam failure. The compiled data and case history includes summaries of: the dam design, the initially planned use, variation to the design during use, notable dam safety incidents prior to failure, the geotechnical conditions, potential seismic triggering, failure description, consequence-reduction actions, consequences, post-failure forensic engineering studies, reported environmental and human health impacts, and a summary of possible human factors likely involved in the failure. The compiled data focuses on the dam structure, likely failure mechanisms, and extent of areas inundated. The paper concludes with lessons to be learned.