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)

401 - 416 of 416 works

1989

Journal Article

A procedure for determining volumetric shrinkage of an unsaturated soil

Sibley, J. W. and Williams, David J. (1989). A procedure for determining volumetric shrinkage of an unsaturated soil. Geotechnical Testing Journal, 12 (3), 181-187. doi: 10.1520/GTJ10966J

A procedure for determining volumetric shrinkage of an unsaturated soil

1989

Conference Publication

Modelling numerically the life-cycle of coal mine tailings

Williams D.J. (1989). Modelling numerically the life-cycle of coal mine tailings. Proceedings of the 12th International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering, Rio de Janeiro, Br, August 13, 1989-August 18, 1989.

Modelling numerically the life-cycle of coal mine tailings

1988

Journal Article

Potential engineering risks in the earthquake hazard to the east coast of Queensland

Williams, David J. (1988). Potential engineering risks in the earthquake hazard to the east coast of Queensland. IEAust, Civil Engineering Transactions, CE30 (5), 307-317.

Potential engineering risks in the earthquake hazard to the east coast of Queensland

1988

Conference Publication

Properties of slurried coal tailings

Williams, David J. and Morris, Peter H. (1988). Properties of slurried coal tailings. ASCE Geotechnical Specialty Conference on Hydraulic Fill Structures, Denver, USA, August 1988. Publ by ASCE.

Properties of slurried coal tailings

1987

Journal Article

Engineering implications of the linear regression of geotechnical data

Morris, Peter H., RYNN, J.M.W. and Williams, David J. (1987). Engineering implications of the linear regression of geotechnical data. IEAust, Civil Engineering Transactions, CE29 (4), 239-247.

Engineering implications of the linear regression of geotechnical data

1986

Journal Article

Reply to Discussion: Laboratory and field strength of mine waste rock

Williams, David J. (1986). Reply to Discussion: Laboratory and field strength of mine waste rock. IEAust, Civil Engineering Transactions, CE28 (1), 126-127.

Reply to Discussion: Laboratory and field strength of mine waste rock

1986

Conference Publication

EVALUATION OF DIFFERENT SOIL TESTS FOR DETERMINING DESIGN PARAMETERS.

Williams D.J. (1986). EVALUATION OF DIFFERENT SOIL TESTS FOR DETERMINING DESIGN PARAMETERS.. Speciality Geomechanics Symposium: Interpretation of Field Testing for Design Parameters., Adolaide, Aust, Inst of Engineers.

EVALUATION OF DIFFERENT SOIL TESTS FOR DETERMINING DESIGN PARAMETERS.

1985

Journal Article

EXPERIMENTALLY DETERMINED DISTRIBUTION OF STRESS AROUND A HORIZONTALLY LOADED MODEL PILE IN DENSE SAND

Williams, D. J. and Parry, R. H G (1985). EXPERIMENTALLY DETERMINED DISTRIBUTION OF STRESS AROUND A HORIZONTALLY LOADED MODEL PILE IN DENSE SAND. Civil engineering transactions, 27 (3), 263-268.

EXPERIMENTALLY DETERMINED DISTRIBUTION OF STRESS AROUND A HORIZONTALLY LOADED MODEL PILE IN DENSE SAND

1985

Journal Article

LABORATORY AND FIELD STRENGTH OF MINE WASTE ROCK

Williams, D. J. and Walker, L. K. (1985). LABORATORY AND FIELD STRENGTH OF MINE WASTE ROCK. Civil engineering transactions, 27 (3), 299-304.

LABORATORY AND FIELD STRENGTH OF MINE WASTE ROCK

1985

Journal Article

Experimentally determined distribution of stress around a horizontally loaded model pile in dense sand

Williams, David J. and Parry, R. H. G. (1985). Experimentally determined distribution of stress around a horizontally loaded model pile in dense sand. IEAust, Civil Engineering Transactions, CE27 (3), 263-268.

Experimentally determined distribution of stress around a horizontally loaded model pile in dense sand

1985

Journal Article

Laboratory and field strength of mine waste rock

Williams, David J. and Walker, L. K. (1985). Laboratory and field strength of mine waste rock. IEAust, Civil Engineering Transactions, CE27 (3), 299-305.

Laboratory and field strength of mine waste rock

1984

Conference Publication

EXPERIMENTALLY DETERMINED DISTRIBUTION OF STRESS AROUND A HORIZONTALLY LOADED MODEL PILE IN DENSE SAND

Williams, D. J. and Parry, R. H.G. (1984). EXPERIMENTALLY DETERMINED DISTRIBUTION OF STRESS AROUND A HORIZONTALLY LOADED MODEL PILE IN DENSE SAND. Inst of Engineers.

EXPERIMENTALLY DETERMINED DISTRIBUTION OF STRESS AROUND A HORIZONTALLY LOADED MODEL PILE IN DENSE SAND

1984

Conference Publication

LABORATORY AND FIELD STRENGTH OF MINE WASTE ROCK

Williams, D. J. and Walker, L. K. (1984). LABORATORY AND FIELD STRENGTH OF MINE WASTE ROCK. Inst of Engineers.

LABORATORY AND FIELD STRENGTH OF MINE WASTE ROCK

1983

Other Outputs

Experimental determined distribution of stress around a horizontally loaded model pile in dense sand

Williams, D. J. (David J.) and Parry, R. H. G. (1983). Experimental determined distribution of stress around a horizontally loaded model pile in dense sand. Civil Engineering Research Reports St. Lucia, Qld, Australia: The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/278981

Experimental determined distribution of stress around a horizontally loaded model pile in dense sand

1983

Book

Laboratory and field strength of mine waste rock

Williams, D. J. (David J.) and Walker, L. K. (1983). Laboratory and field strength of mine waste rock. St. Lucia: Dept. of Civil Engineering, University of Queensland.

Laboratory and field strength of mine waste rock

1981

Journal Article

MODEL PILE TESTS IN DENSE NORMALLY CONSOLIDATED SAND

Williams, D. J. and Parry, R. H.G. (1981). MODEL PILE TESTS IN DENSE NORMALLY CONSOLIDATED SAND. Technical Report - CSIRO, Division of Mechanical Engineering, 281-287.

MODEL PILE TESTS IN DENSE NORMALLY CONSOLIDATED SAND

Availability

Emeritus Professor David Williams is:
Available for supervision

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Supervision history

Current supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy

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

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Chenming Zhang

  • 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

    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

  • 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

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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