Por: Luz Rivera, Cristian Erazo, Franklin Olaya y Jorge Chávez, WSP Perú.AbstracLTo evaluate the stability and safety of mining structures such as waste rock dumps, stockpiles, and dams constructed from mine waste rock, the proper characterization of the shear strength of this material represents a significant challenge since, currently, no laboratories in Peru are capable of evaluating the shear strength of the full particle-size distribution of this material. These types of structures, which are common in the central Peruvian Andes and located in highly seismic regions, may pose considerable geotechnical risks if they are not adequately characterized.This article addresses the geotechnical characterization, in terms of index properties and shear strength parameters, of material obtained from a waste rock dump comprising a high slope founded on steeply sloping ground consisting predominantly of bedrock. To this end, the study reviews frameworks based on nonlinear shear strength envelopes: (i) empirical methods, such as those proposed by Leps (1970), Barton (2008), and Cylwik et al. (2025), based on material properties; and (ii) mathematical models calibrated using CIU and CID triaxial tests performed on representative specimens prepared using the homothetic curve method (<1 in.), with best-fit mathematical trends.The objective of this research is to perform a sensitivity analysis by comparing the various methodologies used to characterize the nonlinear strength envelope of granular materials, highlighting their underlying principles, scope, and limitations. As part of the analysis, the results of physical stability analyses performed using the limit equilibrium method under static and pseudostatic conditions are presented to evaluate the influence of each nonlinear envelope on the resulting factors of safety. In this way, the study provides criteria that contribute to a better understanding of the characterization of this type of structure through an approach that combines sensitivity analysis and risk management.
