Geotechnical considerations for solar panel installation on mine tailings

Abstract

Geotechnical stability considerations are important for the installation of solar panels on mine tailings areas. Active tailings deposition areas consist of coarse-grained, free-draining relatively stable particulate mass at the perimeter with fine-grained, low shear strength mass around the supernatant pond in the deposition area. An evaluation of the geotechnical stability of the supports for the solar panels constructed, which will have their foundations placed on mine tailings, is essential so that the orientation of the solar panels can be maintained within suitable limits. An assessment of the forces imposed on the solar panel supports, including the distributed weight of the solar panel arrays and effect of wind loading on the flat array surfaces, also need to be considered in the design of suitable foundations for these supports. This paper enumerates some of the geotechnical issues related to the installation of solar panel arrays on active and inactive mine tailings areas.