Emeritus Professor David Williams
Emeritus Professor

David Williams

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Background

Professor David John Williams was the Initiator and Director of the Geotechnical Engineering Centre within the School of Civil Engineering at The University of Queensland, an industry-funded centre that has attracted AUD10 million in funding over the period from 2007 to 2022. He also manages the industry-sponsored Large Open Pit Project, involving 10 global mining company sponsors, with current funding of USD1 million per year. He has over 40 years of teaching, research and consulting experience, and is internationally recognised for his expertise and experience in mine waste management and mine closure, pertaining to tailings dams in particular. He was a member of Expert Panel investigating technical causes of Brumadinho tailings dam failure and is on a number of Tailings Independent Technical Review Boards, including for Escondida Copper Mine in Chile. He authored in 2009 and 2016 Tailings Management Handbook, as part of the Commonwealth Leading Practice Sustainable Development Program for the Mining Industry. He is on Working Party for the Australian National Committee for Large Dams Guidelines on Tailings Dams – Planning, Design, Construction, Operation and Closure, published in 2012, with an Addendum in 2019 and currently being updated. He initiated in 2020 and largely delivers the AusIMM Tailings Management Professional Certificate Course that has been taken by almost 1,500 Tailings Practitioners worldwide.

David received his BE (Hons I) in Civil Engineering from Monash University in 1975 and his PhD in Soil Mechanics from the University of Cambridge in 1979. His research and consulting interests include:

  • Physical characterisation of mine tailings deposition, including beaching, hydraulic sorting, sedimentation, consolidation, desiccation and loading
  • Store and release cover systems for potentially acid forming mine wastes
  • Co-disposal of mine tailings and coarse-grained mine wastes
  • Dewatering and densification of mine tailings
  • Dewatering of mineral products
  • Moisture movement within mine wastes
  • Settlement of coarse-grained mine wastes
  • Strength of coarse-grained mine wastes
  • Engineered rehabilitation of mine sites
  • Risk assessment and cost-effectiveness analysis of mine site rehabilitation and closure
  • Long-term seepage and runoff from mine tailings storages
  • Characterisation of potentially acid forming waste rock dumps
  • Application of high-resolution digital stereo-photography to monitoring erosion from mine waste slopes
  • Mined landform evolution and design

Availability

Emeritus Professor David Williams is:
Available for supervision
Media expert

Fields of research

Civil engineering Resources engineering and extractive metallurgy

Qualifications

  • Bachelor (Honours) of Engineering, Monash University
  • Doctor of Philosophy, University of Cambridge

Research impacts

Professor Williams' research on mine tailings continues to be applied to improve the dewatering and densification of tailings deposited as a slurry. He developed the store and release cover system for potentially acid forming mine wastes for application in semi-arid and seasonally dry climates, which has been applied worldwide. He characterised the deposit formed on the pumped co-disposal of coal mine washery wastes; a method that has been widely adopted in the coalfields of eastern Australia and Indonesia. The co-disposal of coarse-grained mine wastes and tailings is also being applied. His research on the wetting-up of mine waste rock dumps has contributed to understanding of rainfall infiltration into and seepage from waste rock dumps.

The shear strength and settlement of coarse-grained mine wastes have become important as the scale of waste rock dumps and spoil piles increases. Professor Williams has been a pioneer in the application of risk assessment and cost-effectiveness analysis to mine site rehabilitation and closure. In addition, he applied high-resolution digital stereo-photography to monitoring erosion from mine waste slopes. He has pioneered mined landform evolution and design.

Shortlisted Media and Video Outputs

Search Professor David Williams’s works on UQ eSpace

416 works between 1981 and 2025
All (416) Journal Article (185) Book Chapter (9) Conference Publication (216) Book (4) Other Outputs (2)

361 - 380 of 416 works

1995

Journal Article

Lateral Thinking on Minesite Rehabilitation (Technical Paper 9508)

Williams, David J. (1995). Lateral Thinking on Minesite Rehabilitation (Technical Paper 9508). Australian Geomechanics (28), 71-80.

Lateral Thinking on Minesite Rehabilitation (Technical Paper 9508)

1995

Journal Article

Search for critical slip surfaces based on finite element method

Zou, Jin-Zhang, Williams, David J. and Xiong, Wen-Lin (1995). Search for critical slip surfaces based on finite element method. Canadian Geotechnical Journal, 32 (2), 233-246. doi: 10.1139/t95-026

Search for critical slip surfaces based on finite element method

1995

Journal Article

Acid mine drainage and minesite salinity

Williams, David J. (1995). Acid mine drainage and minesite salinity. Australian Geomechanics (28), 81-86.

Acid mine drainage and minesite salinity

1995

Journal Article

Unsaturated strength behaviour of compacted lateritic soils

Mahalinga-Iyer, Umarany and Williams, David J. (1995). Unsaturated strength behaviour of compacted lateritic soils. Geotechnique, 45 (2), 317-320. doi: 10.1680/geot.1995.45.2.317

Unsaturated strength behaviour of compacted lateritic soils

1994

Conference Publication

Crack depths in drying clays using fracture mechanics

Morris, Peter H., Graham, James and Williams, David J. (1994). Crack depths in drying clays using fracture mechanics. Proceedings of the ASCE National Convention, , , October 9, 1994-October 13, 1994. ASCE.

Crack depths in drying clays using fracture mechanics

1994

Journal Article

Consolidation and shear strength properties of a lateritic soil

Mahalinga-Iyer, Umarany and Williams, David J. (1994). Consolidation and shear strength properties of a lateritic soil. Engineering Geology, 38 (1-2), 53-63. doi: 10.1016/0013-7952(94)90024-8

Consolidation and shear strength properties of a lateritic soil

1994

Journal Article

Road construction using lateritic soil

Mahalinga-Iyer, Umarany and Williams, David J. (1994). Road construction using lateritic soil. Engineering Geology, 37 (3-4), 199-210. doi: 10.1016/0013-7952(94)90056-6

Road construction using lateritic soil

1994

Journal Article

Effective stress vane shear strength correction factor correlations

Morris, Peter H. and Williams, David J. (1994). Effective stress vane shear strength correction factor correlations. Canadian Geotechnical Journal, 31 (3), 335-341.

Effective stress vane shear strength correction factor correlations

1994

Journal Article

Effective stress vane shear strength correction factor correlations

Morris, P. H. and Williams, David. J. (1994). Effective stress vane shear strength correction factor correlations. Canadian Geotechnical Journal, 31 (3), 335-342. doi: 10.1139/t94-041

Effective stress vane shear strength correction factor correlations

1994

Journal Article

Discussion: A new model of vane shear strength testing in soils.

Morris, P. H. and Williams, David J. (1994). Discussion: A new model of vane shear strength testing in soils.. Geotechnique, 44 (4), 771-773. doi: 10.1680/geot.1994.44.4.771

Discussion: A new model of vane shear strength testing in soils.

1993

Journal Article

Some experiments on restrained shrinkage of clays undergoing drying

Sibley, J. W. and williams, D. J. (1993). Some experiments on restrained shrinkage of clays undergoing drying. Geotechnical Testing Journal, 16 (3), 365-371.

Some experiments on restrained shrinkage of clays undergoing drying

1993

Journal Article

A new model of vane shear strength testing in soils

Morris, Peter H. and Williams, David J. (1993). A new model of vane shear strength testing in soils. Geotechnique, 43 (3), 489-500. doi: 10.1680/geot.1993.43.3.489

A new model of vane shear strength testing in soils

1993

Journal Article

Geotechnical properties relevant to co-disposal of coal washery wastes

Williams, D. J. and Kuganathan, V. (1993). Geotechnical properties relevant to co-disposal of coal washery wastes. Geotechnical management of waste and contamination, 485-493.

Geotechnical properties relevant to co-disposal of coal washery wastes

1993

Journal Article

Methods of interpreting structural incompatibility in bored pier uplift test

Wong, K. Y. and Williams, david J. (1993). Methods of interpreting structural incompatibility in bored pier uplift test. Journal Geotechnical Engineering Division, GT119 (12), 1892-1909. doi: 10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9410(1993)119:12(1892)

Methods of interpreting structural incompatibility in bored pier uplift test

1992

Journal Article

Behaviour at the shrinkage limit of clay undergoing drying

Williams, David J. and Sibley, J. W. (1992). Behaviour at the shrinkage limit of clay undergoing drying. Geotechnical Testing Journal, 15 (3), 217-222. doi: 10.1520/GTJ10016J

Behaviour at the shrinkage limit of clay undergoing drying

1992

Conference Publication

Co-disposal of coal mine tailings and coarse reject

Williams D.J. and Kuganathan V. (1992). Co-disposal of coal mine tailings and coarse reject. Third Large Open Pit Mining Conference, Mackay, Aust, August 30, 1992-September 3, 1992.

Co-disposal of coal mine tailings and coarse reject

1992

Journal Article

Co-disposal of fine and coarse grained coal mine washery wastes by combined pumping

Williams, david J. and Kuganathan, V. (1992). Co-disposal of fine and coarse grained coal mine washery wastes by combined pumping. International Journal of Environmental Issues in Minerals and Energy Industry, 53-58.

Co-disposal of fine and coarse grained coal mine washery wastes by combined pumping

1992

Journal Article

Cracking in drying soils

Morris, P. H., Graham, J. and Williams, D. J. (1992). Cracking in drying soils. Canadian Geotechnical Journal, 29 (2), 263-277. doi: 10.1139/t92-030

Cracking in drying soils

1992

Journal Article

Cracking in clays undergoing drying

Morris, Peter H., Graham, J. and Williams, david J. (1992). Cracking in clays undergoing drying. Canadian Geotechnical Journal, 29 (2), 263-277. doi: 10.1139/cgj-29-2-263

Cracking in clays undergoing drying

1991

Journal Article

Engineering properties of a lateritic soil profile

Mahalinga- Iyer, Umarany and Williams, David J. (1991). Engineering properties of a lateritic soil profile. Engineering Geology, 31 (1), 45-58. doi: 10.1016/0013-7952(91)90056-Q

Engineering properties of a lateritic soil profile

Availability

Emeritus Professor David Williams is:
Available for supervision

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Supervision history

Current supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy

    The tailings dam design process: Design parameters and assessment methodologies

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Chenming Zhang

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Utilisation of Mining Wastes as Backfill Material for Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) Walls

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Partha Narayan Mishra

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Behaviour of railway expansive soil subgrade under wetting and drying cycles

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Chenming Zhang

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Settling, consolidation and desiccation of mine tailings slurry

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Chenming Zhang

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Analytical model for the setup of driven piles

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Chenming Zhang

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Measuring the deformation of mine waste facilities

    Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Engineering Behaviour of Clay-sized Tailings Relevant to Their Disposal and Utilisation

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Chenming Zhang

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Assessment of hydrological and geotechnical behaviour of bauxite residue after filter pressing and repulping

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Thierry Bore, Dr Chenming Zhang

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Continuous analysis of the timeseries data to predict early TARP for a closed Tailings storage facility using data driven methods.

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Chenming Zhang

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Tunnelling related topic - Water mitigation

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Jurij Karlovsek

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Damage Behaviour of Rock Salt Under Coupled Thermomechanical Polyaxial Stresses

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Mehdi Serati

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Catastrophic rock and concrete brittle failures

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Mehdi Serati

  • Doctor Philosophy

    The Value of Geotechnical Information as a Public or Private Asset

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Jurij Karlovsek

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Farming method and assessment of its application in bauxite residue using scaled laboratory model

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Chenming Zhang

  • Master Philosophy

    Preventing fatalities tailings facilities failures: Pathways to action

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Jill Harris, Professor Deanna Kemp

Completed supervision

Enquiries

Contact Emeritus Professor David Williams directly for media enquiries about:

  • Dumps - mine waste
  • Earthquakes - engineering
  • Engineering - earthquake
  • Engineering - geotechnical
  • Foundations - engineering
  • Geomechanics - mines
  • Geotechnical engineering
  • Landform design - mining
  • Mine rehabilitation
  • Mine waste disposal
  • Rehabilitation - mine sites
  • Slope stability - mining

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