Abstract: Geofabriform method is a new method for constructing fine-grained tailings dam construction. To study the basic mechanical performance of tailings dam geofabriform, the frictional and compressive properties of small-scale tailings dam geofabriform are investigated by means of slope sliding test, direct shear test and unconfined compression test. The tailings dam geofabriform is made of geotextile and tailings sand, which both come from a construction site in Yunnan province. The slope sliding test of geofabriform shows that the coefficient of friction between the geofabriforms is larger when the moisture content of the geofabriform is lower. The internal friction angle and cohesion of the geofabriform consolidated for 8 days are around 28º and 40kPa respectively, based on the direct shear test. Under the unconfined compression condition, with the compression of the geofabriform consolidated for 1 day and 3 days, the tangent elastic modulus increases first, then decrease and finally increase again. Due to the combined effect of geotextile and tailings sand, the ultimate compressive strength of the geofabriform is much larger than that of the pure tailings sand. When compressive stress reaches the ultimate compressive strength of the tailings dam geofabriform, geotextile tearing often occurs at the bottom and close to the edge of the geofabriform, The failure mode is analyzed using the active earth pressure theory.

Key words: slope sliding test, direct shear test, unconfined compression test, tailings dam geofabriform, coefficient of friction, ultimate compressive strength