Liquefaction susceptibility assessment and study of "La Luciana" tailings dam fault (Spain, 1960) based on historical documents

Abstract

On 17 August, 1960 the biggest disaster by death toll in Spain, related with a tailings dam fault, took place in Reocín (Santander). The tailings dam "La Luciana" failed causing the death of eighteen people. After the fault, the mining company carried out several geotechnical tests in the remaining materials of the tailings dam. The results are available to be consulted in the Reocín Mines Documentary Collection, from which we have obtained mechanical Cone Penetration Test (CPT) data near the fault area as well as diverse maps of the dam pre-failure and post-failure. The processing of such data through current analysis techniques has revealed the relationship between the fault of the tailings dam and static liquefaction phenomena.