Journal of Engineering Research

As one of the most vulnerable slope units in mining engineering, the stability of open-pit coal mine dumps is directly linked to production safety and the ecological environment. To investigate the initiation and evolution mechanisms of dump landslides, a discrete element model was established using the MatDEM software, with parameters calibrated according to actual site conditions. The deformation and failure processes of the dump under loading were dynamically tracked through numerical simulation. The evolution of particle contact force chains, shear zone formation, and overall displacement fields of the sliding body before and after landslide initiation were systematically analyzed. Results indicate that landslides are primarily triggered by stress concentration and rupture of the basal weak layer. Shear zone penetration induces overall sliding and localized collapses of the sliding mass, revealing the progressive failure mechanism from local damage to overall instability.

Open-pit coal mine; Waste dump; MatDEM; Landslide mechanism; Disaster evolution