A database of breach and runout characteristics from historical tailings dam failures

This database includes observed characteristics from 12 tailings dam breach events, with a specific focus on observations that are needed for numerical modelling. The characteristics relevant to modelling include outflow volumes, breach processes, breach geometries, and runout observations local to the downstream area. The new database sheds light on the diversity of outflow materials, facility arrangements, breach processes, and downstream environments that affect the breach development and tailings runout. Familiarity with case studies is a crucial element of expert judgement for forward-analysis of tailings dam breaches, which this database supports. The database can also be used to define model inputs for back-analysis of additional tailings dam breach events, and simultaneously provides calibration or validation constraints with the runout observations.