A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Engineering. / The reliability of using isotropically consolidated specimens in the laboratory determination of liquefaction characteristics of cohesionless sands, as is common practice today, is evaluated. Two series of triaxial tests involved the conventional undrained loading of isotropically and anisotropically consolidated specimens. The third series of tests utilized anisotropically consolidated specimens loaded by following special undrained stress paths. Test results revealed that liquefaction characteristics obtained from isotropically and anisotropically consolidated specimens are different. The effective angles of friction mobilized at peak shear stress and at steady state were greater for anisotropically consolidated specimens. Loading stress path is seen to have no effect on the liquefaction characteristics derived from conventional loading of anisotropically consolidated specimens. The critical stress ratio line is observed to be the line determining the initiation of liquefaction so that any stress path attempting to cross this line, regardless of direction of approach, immediately shows strain-softening behavior leading to liquefaction. / AC 2018

No abstract available. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 1980.

A project report submitted to the Faculty of Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Engineering. / The research report summarises the theory of consolidation, for both linear infinitesimal strain, and for non-linear finite strain. The non-linear finite strain theory isadopted in a computer program to model the building of a tailings dam by thin layers. This program provides the pore water pressure profile over the depth of the deposit, as well as the settlement of the deposit. Making use of the program and the consolidation properties of five mining residues and two industrial residues, the build up of excess pore water pressures is modelled for different rates of deposition of the waste products. These results are used in determining how the rate of deposition affects the stability of the outer slope of a tailings dam. Also, the difference in the stored volume in a dam is investigated, based on different drainage condltions and rates of deposition. / Andrew Chakane 2018

M.Sc. / The Merriespruit Tailings dam disaster killed seventeen (17) people and covered a part of Virginia with approximately 2.5 million cubic metres of tailings, causing such an emotional uproar that all resources were focused on repairing the dam and addressing some of the social issues. Little attention was given to the environment. The identified need in this study was therefore to investigate the consequences of the disaster on the environment, a need which derives from the uniqueness of this particular disaster and its consequences. The Department of Minerals and Energy require the submission of an Environmental Management Program Report (EMPR) on all prospecting and mining operations. It is clear that, in the compilation of such an EMPR, Harmony Gold Mine neglected to establish a Management Plan to regulate the physical impact of the disaster on the environment, mainly because no attention was given to disasters in the Aide-Memoir. A Management Plan was established by adapting existing formats of management plans to the uniqueness of this disaster. By following the procedure stipulated in the Management Plan it can be ensured that Environmental Management requirements will be effectively integrated into either the project management actions and contracts or operational systems and processes for the following issues: • Water management • Storm water control • Waste management • Dust • Aesthetics and socio-economic implications • Rehabilitation of the area. The investigation showed that the disaster exerted a definite negative influence on the environment, which can be managed by taking preventative measures stipulated in the Management Plan. However, one of the main issues identified in this study is that storm water management has been problematic for a period of time. It is therefore noted that some attention should be given to establishing a wetland system to contain the storm water runoff. Although this study does not focus on the socio-economic impacts in detail, it is recommended that these impacts are considered as it is evidently problematic. The primary aim of this study was to compile an EMP in order to manage, and possibly mitigate, the physical impact of the disaster on the immediate environment, an aim which clearly was accomplished. Harmony Gold Mine can benefit from the compilation of this EMT, as management goals were set and feasible means of achieving them were specified.

Thesis (M.Sc. (Aquaculture)) -- University of Limpopo, 2022 / The aim of this study was to provide baseline limnology data that can be used in the management of small dams, Molepo Dam and Hout River Dam. Physico-chemical parameters were assessed to determine the water quality and the effect of water level fluctuations on water quality. Water temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, electrical conductivity, nitrate, total phosphorus, total nitrogen and chlorophyll-a were assessed during the dry season (May-Oct) and wet season (Nov-Apr). Physico chemical parameters showed seasonal variations with the exception of pH. The mean total phosphorus (1.06 and 0.98 mg/L), total nitrogen (1.27 and 1.56 mg/L) and chlorophyll-a (2.97 and 3.32 µg/L) were higher in the dry season than wet season in Molepo Dam and Hout River Dam respectively. Water level fluctuations had a significant effect on total nitrogen, total phosphorus and turbidity in Molepo Dam and total nitrogen in Hout River Dam. Plankton were used as indicators of water quality. Phytoplankton and zooplankton were sampled using nets of 71 µm and 132 µm mesh respectively and identified to genus and species at both Molepo Dam and Hout River Dam. Individual species, number per litre for phytoplankton groups that contributed significantly in terms of abundance were Microcystis aeruginosa and Oscillatoria sp. in both Molepo Dam and Hout River Dam during the dry season months. The Shannon-Wiener diversity index was high during the wet season in these small dams. The abundance of Cyanophyta was greatest during the dry season followed by Desmids in Molepo Dam and Hout River Dam. During the wet season, Bacillariophyta were not recorded for Hout River Dam. The highest composition for Chlorophyta (15.4%) in Molepo Dam was recorded during the wet season months. Phytoplankton abundance was highest in Molepo Dam as compared to Hout River Dam throughout the sampling period. Zooplankton was dominated by Cladocerans (Bosmina longirostris) in both small dams. This study showed that plankton can be used as indicators of water quality. Zooplankton communities were dominated by Bosmina longirostris which was present throughout the sampling period possibly indicating clear water in Molepo Dam and Hout River Dam. Copepoda were sub-dominant phyla mainly represented by Cycloid sp. which are also indicators of clean water. The study determined the abundance and composition of fish species and growth parameters of the most abundant fish species (Oreochromis mossambicus) in the two small dams. Scales were successfully used for the age determination of O. mossambicus. The rings on the scales were validated as being true annuli by marginal increment analysis which indicated that the distance between the last annuli and the scale edge was shortest in the wet season months in Molepo Dam and Hout River Dam. This is the time in which annulus formed. Annulus formation of O. mossambicus at these small dams coincided with the onset of increased water temperature and rainfall (increased water levels and increased water inflow into the dams) in this region. Furthermore, the growth performance index (ϕ) of male O. mossambicus was higher than that of female O. mossambicus in both Molepo Dam and Hout River Dam. The study provides the first record of limnology baseline data of Molepo Dam and Hout River Dam / National Research Foundation (NRF) and Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF)

MESMEG / Department of Mining and Environmental Geology / See the attached abstract below

M.A. (Geography and Environmental Management) / Water can be regarded as a scarce commodity in South Africa and one cannot rely solely on the discovery of new water resources to meet the ever increasing demands. Water is arguably the most precious resource in South Africa and its proper management in all spheres of activity is imperative ( Middleton and Stern,1987 ). This is no different in the mining industry where a primary consumptive use of water is in the tailings dams and associated return water. Restricted implementation of Government water plans and a series of droughts has forced users of water to optimise their use of water. A key to correct water management of a tailings disposal system on a gold mine lies in accurate and meaningful water balance. To provide an accurate water balance, quantifying the water loss is necessary. The water loss in a tailings system is mainly due to evaporation and interstitial flow. For the purpose of this study, evaporation is dealt with in more detail.

Thesis (M.Sc. (Statistics)) -- University of Limpopo, 2022 / Water is a precious natural resource and one of the most vital substance for sustainability of life . The increase in water evaporation is a major prob lem where factors such as high temperature and minimum rainfall are the contributing factors. The aim of the study was to perform time series mod elling of water evaporation from the selected dams in the Limpopo province South Africa. A daily evaporation time series data was used in the study with variables such as temperature and rainfall. Daily water evaporation rate time series data was differenced to make the data series stationary and Dickey-Fuller test was used to test the stationarity of the data series. The Autoregressive Conditional Heteroskasticity (ARCH) and Generalized Au toregressive Conditional Heteroskasticity (GARCH) model was performed on the water evaporation time series data from the selected dams. Vec tor Autoregression (VAR) was used to determine the relationship between the variables evaporation, rainfall and temperature. Identification of time series models was done using the autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA). The best ARIMA models were selected based on the autocor relation function (ACF) and partial autocorrelation function (PACF), and the smallest value of Bayseian Information (BIC). The best models selected for each dam are: Mokolo dam, ARIMA (1, 1, 2) model; Ga-Rantho dam, ARIMA (1, 1, 2) model; Leeukraal DeHoop dam, ARIMA (1, 1, 1) model and Luphephe dam, ARIMA (2, 1, 3) model. The correlation coefficient, coefficient of determinant (R2 ) and root mean square (RMSE) were used to determine the performance of the model. The water evaporation time series data from the selected dams was forecasted using the best selected ARIMA models from the selected dams and then predicted for the next 3 years, where the results showed a positive constant water evaporation rate.

Thesis (MScEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In South Africa a large number of dams owned by the Department of Water Affairs (DWA) need to be rehabilitated. This study investigated the decision process involved in the prioritisation of dams for rehabilitation. DWA developed a risk analysis methodology for defining the risks associated with dam safety, expressed as the combination of the probability and consequences of dam failure. These risks are evaluated usingmultiple acceptability criteria to assess risk to human life and the economic, social, socio-economic and environmental impacts of dam failure. In this study, the criteria used in the decision process to evaluate the acceptability of life safety risks were evaluated by comparing to international best practice methods, where the acceptability of risk to human life is commonly assessed as the expected number of fatalities against life safety criteria presented as FN-criteria on an FN-diagram. Damrehabilitation should reduce the probability of dam failure, thereby reducing the risk to society in terms of the expected lives lost. However, the rehabilitation works come at a cost and the level of these investments are usually large. In addition, the rehabilitation of South African government owned dams are financed by society and these financial resources are limited. Thus investments into dam rehabilitation works should be worthwhile for society. Society’s Willingness to Pay (SWTP) for safety was applied to South African dam safety to determine the acceptable level of expenditure into life safety that is required by society. Investments into improved safety levels are not always dictated by society, but could also be driven by the decision maker or owner requiring an economically optimal solution for the rehabilitation. Economic optimisation accounts for considerations additional to life safety, including economic motivations, damage costs of dam failure as well as compensation costs for lives lost. Often economic optimisation would govern the decision problem. Also, the DWA current evaluation does not take the cost of rehabilitation into account in any way. Thus, FN-criteria that primarily evaluates life safety, but also incorporates a measure of economic efficiency, were suggested in this study. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In Suid-Afrika moet ’n groot aantal dammewat deur dieDepartement vanWaterwese (DWA) besit word gerehabiliteer word. Hierdie studie het die besluitnemingsproses ondersoekwat toegepasword om damme te prioritiseer vir rehabilitasiewerke. DWA het ’n bestaande metodologie wat gebaseer is op risiko-analise. Die risikos wat verband hou met damveiligheid word deur die metode bepaal en word uitgedruk as die kombinasie van waarskynlikheid en die beraamde gevolge van damfaling. Hierdie risikosword geëvalueer teenoor verskeie kriteriawat die aanvaarbaarheid van risikos teenoor menselewens en die ekonomiese, sosiale, sosio-ekonomiese en omgewingsimpakte van damfalings assesseer. In hierdie studie word die kriteria wat gebruik word in die besluitnemingsproses om die aanvaarbaarheid van risikos teenoor menselewens te bepaal geëvalueer deur die kriteria te vergelyk met metodes wat internasionaal as beste praktyk beskou word. Internasionaal word die aanvaarbaarheid van risikos teenoor menselewens oor die algemeen as die verwagte aantal sterftes teenoor lewensveiligheidskriteria FN-kriteria op ’n FN-diagram geassesseer. Dam rehabilitasiewerke behoort die waarskynlikheid van damfaling te verminder, sodoende verminder die risiko teenoor die samelewing in terme van verwagte sterftes. Die rehabilitasiewerke vereis finansiële beleggings, en hierdie beleggings is gewoonlik groot. Verder word die rehabilitasie van Suid-Afrikaanse damme wat deur DWA besit word deur samelewing gefinansier en hierdie finasiële hulpbronne is beperk. Dus moet hierdie beleggings die moeite werd wees vir die samelewing. Die samelewing se bereidwilligheidomte betaal ("SWTP") vir veiligheid word toegepas in Suid- Afrikaanse damveiligheidomdie aanvaarbare vlak van beleggings vir ’n verbeterde veiligheid teenoor menselewens wat deur die samelewing vereis word te bepaal. Beleggings in verbeterde damveiligheidsvlakke word egter nie altyd bepaal deur die samelewing nie,maar kan ook gedryf word deur die besluitnemer of eienaar wat ’n ekonomies optimale oplossing vir die rehabilitatiesewerke vereis. Ekonomiese optimering neem oorwegings addisioneel tot lewensveiligheid in ag, insluitend ekonomiese motiverings, skade kostes as die dam faal, sowel as vergoedingskostes vir die verwagte sterftes. Ekonomiese optimering beheer dikwels die besluitnemingsprobleem. Verder neem die huidige DWA besluitnemingssproses in geen manier die kostes van rehabilitasie in ag nie. Dus word FN-kriteria wat hoofsaaklik veiligheid teenoor menselewens evalueer,maar wat ook ’n mate van ekonomiese doeltreffendheid insluit, voorgestel in hierdie studie.

MEnv.Sc / Department of Geography and Geo-Information Sciences