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)

81 - 100 of 416 works

2017

Journal Article

Assessment of flood risk to performance of highway pavements

Khan, Misbah U., Mesbah, Mahmoud, Ferreira, Luis and Williams, David J. (2017). Assessment of flood risk to performance of highway pavements. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers-Transport, 170 (6), 363-372. doi: 10.1680/jtran.15.00120

Assessment of flood risk to performance of highway pavements

2017

Journal Article

Quick assessment on susceptibility to suffusion of continuously graded soils by curvature of particle size distribution

To, P., Scheuermann, A. and Williams, D. J. (2017). Quick assessment on susceptibility to suffusion of continuously graded soils by curvature of particle size distribution. Acta Geotechnica, 13 (5), 1-8. doi: 10.1007/s11440-017-0611-8

Quick assessment on susceptibility to suffusion of continuously graded soils by curvature of particle size distribution

2017

Journal Article

SPH approach for simulating hydro-mechanical processes with large deformations and variable permeabilities

Gholami Korzani, M., Galindo-Torres, S. A., Scheuermann, A. and Williams, D. J. (2017). SPH approach for simulating hydro-mechanical processes with large deformations and variable permeabilities. Acta Geotechnica, 13 (2), 303-316. doi: 10.1007/s11440-017-0610-9

SPH approach for simulating hydro-mechanical processes with large deformations and variable permeabilities

2017

Journal Article

Numerical study of slurry consolidometer tests taking into account the influence of wall friction

He, Wei, Williams, David and Shokouhi, Ali (2017). Numerical study of slurry consolidometer tests taking into account the influence of wall friction. Computers and Geotechnics, 91, 39-47. doi: 10.1016/j.compgeo.2017.06.014

Numerical study of slurry consolidometer tests taking into account the influence of wall friction

2017

Journal Article

An assessment of statistically based relationships between critical state parameters

Llano-Serna, M. A., Farias, M. M., Pedroso, D. M., Williams, D. J. and Sheng, D. (2017). An assessment of statistically based relationships between critical state parameters. Geotechnique, 68 (6), 1-5. doi: 10.1680/jgeot.16.T.012

An assessment of statistically based relationships between critical state parameters

2017

Conference Publication

Instrumented large soil-column to investigate climate-induced ground deformation in expansive soil

Gallage, Chaminda, Tehrani, Katayoon and Williams, David (2017). Instrumented large soil-column to investigate climate-induced ground deformation in expansive soil. 19th International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, ICSMGE 2017, Seoul, Korea, 17-22 September 2017. London, United Kingdom: International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering.

Instrumented large soil-column to investigate climate-induced ground deformation in expansive soil

2017

Journal Article

Smoothed particle hydrodynamics for investigating hydraulic and mechanical behaviour of an embankment under action of flooding and overburden loads

Korzani, M. Gholami, Galindo-Torres, S. A. , Scheuermann, A. and Williams, D. J. (2017). Smoothed particle hydrodynamics for investigating hydraulic and mechanical behaviour of an embankment under action of flooding and overburden loads. Computers and Geotechnics, 94, 31-45. doi: 10.1016/j.compgeo.2017.08.014

Smoothed particle hydrodynamics for investigating hydraulic and mechanical behaviour of an embankment under action of flooding and overburden loads

2017

Journal Article

Estimating Pavement's Flood Resilience

Khan, Misbah U., Mesbah, Mahmoud, Ferreira, Luis and Williams, David J. (2017). Estimating Pavement's Flood Resilience. Journal of Transportation Engineering Part B-Pavements, 143 (3) 04017009, 1-8. doi: 10.1061/JPEODX.0000007

Estimating Pavement's Flood Resilience

2017

Journal Article

Effects of weathering on characteristics of rocks in a subtropical climate: weathering morphology, in situ, laboratory and mineralogical characterization

Marques, E. A. G., Williams, D. J., Assis, I. R. and Leao, M. F. (2017). Effects of weathering on characteristics of rocks in a subtropical climate: weathering morphology, in situ, laboratory and mineralogical characterization. Environmental Earth Sciences, 76 (17) 602. doi: 10.1007/s12665-017-6936-7

Effects of weathering on characteristics of rocks in a subtropical climate: weathering morphology, in situ, laboratory and mineralogical characterization

2017

Journal Article

Volume change behaviour of mixtures of coarse coal reject and tailings

Shokouhi, Ali and Williams, David J. (2017). Volume change behaviour of mixtures of coarse coal reject and tailings. Mining Technology: Transactions of the Institutions of Mining and Metallurgy: Section A, 126 (3), 163-176. doi: 10.1080/14749009.2016.1277649

Volume change behaviour of mixtures of coarse coal reject and tailings

2017

Journal Article

A reply to the discussion on a calibration methodology to obtain material parameters for the representation of fracture mechanics based on discrete element simulations

Behraftar, Somayeh, Torres, Sergio Galindo, Scheuermann, Alexander, Williams, David J., Marques, Eduardoantonio G. and Janjani, Hossein (2017). A reply to the discussion on a calibration methodology to obtain material parameters for the representation of fracture mechanics based on discrete element simulations. Computers and Geotechnics, 86, 249-251. doi: 10.1016/j.compgeo.2017.03.011

A reply to the discussion on a calibration methodology to obtain material parameters for the representation of fracture mechanics based on discrete element simulations

2017

Journal Article

Micelle-like microaggregate morphology in framework of gelled montmorillonite

Zbik, Marek, Williams, David J. and Trzciński, J. T. (2017). Micelle-like microaggregate morphology in framework of gelled montmorillonite. Membrane Science and Technology, 7 (1). doi: 10.4172/2155-9589.100068

Micelle-like microaggregate morphology in framework of gelled montmorillonite

2017

Journal Article

Parametric study on smoothed particle hydrodynamics for accurate determination of drag coefficient for a circular cylinder

Korzani, Maziar Gholami, Galindo-Torres, Sergio A., Scheuermann, Alexander and Williams, David J. (2017). Parametric study on smoothed particle hydrodynamics for accurate determination of drag coefficient for a circular cylinder. Water Science and Engineering, 10 (2), 143-153. doi: 10.1016/j.wse.2017.06.001

Parametric study on smoothed particle hydrodynamics for accurate determination of drag coefficient for a circular cylinder

2017

Journal Article

A calibration methodology to obtain material parameters for the representation of fracture mechanics based on discrete element simulations

Behraftar, S., Galindo Torres, S. A., Scheuermann, A., Williams, D. J., Marques, E. A. G. and Janjani Avarzaman, H. (2017). A calibration methodology to obtain material parameters for the representation of fracture mechanics based on discrete element simulations. Computers and Geotechnics, 81, 274-283. doi: 10.1016/j.compgeo.2016.08.029

A calibration methodology to obtain material parameters for the representation of fracture mechanics based on discrete element simulations

2017

Conference Publication

Effect of Waste Additives on Mechanical Strength of Fired Clay Bricks

Serati, Mehdi, Williams, David J., del Pilar Durante Ingunza, Maria and Quintero Olaya, Sebastian (2017). Effect of Waste Additives on Mechanical Strength of Fired Clay Bricks. The 32nd International Conference on Solid Waste Technology and Management, Philadelphia, PA, USA, 19-22 March 2017. Chester, PA United States: The Journal of Solid Waste Technology and Management.

Effect of Waste Additives on Mechanical Strength of Fired Clay Bricks

2017

Conference Publication

Three-dimensional kinematic analysis of Bingham canyon mine pit wall slides

Septian, Alfred, Llano-Serna, Marcelo A., Ruest, Marc R. and Williams, David J. (2017). Three-dimensional kinematic analysis of Bingham canyon mine pit wall slides. 1st International Conference on the Material Point Method, MPM 2017, Delft, Netherlands, 10-13 January 2017. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier BV. doi: 10.1016/j.proeng.2017.01.030

Three-dimensional kinematic analysis of Bingham canyon mine pit wall slides

2017

Journal Article

Development and application of sustainability models for unsealed road pavements

Van Wijk, Ian, Williams, David J. and Serati, Mehdi (2017). Development and application of sustainability models for unsealed road pavements. Transportation Research Record, 2657 (2657), 89-98. doi: 10.3141/2657-10

Development and application of sustainability models for unsealed road pavements

2017

Conference Publication

Investigation of shear strength and breakdown of mine waste rock

Xu, Youwei, Williams, David and Serati, Mehdi (2017). Investigation of shear strength and breakdown of mine waste rock. 51st US Rock Mechanics/Geomechanics Symposium, San Francisco, CA United States, 25-28 June 2017. San Francisco, California, USA: ARMA.

Investigation of shear strength and breakdown of mine waste rock

2017

Conference Publication

Determination of thermal conductivity of soil using standard cone penetration test

Lines, Scott, Williams, David J. and Galindo-Torres, Sergio A. (2017). Determination of thermal conductivity of soil using standard cone penetration test. 2nd International Conference on Advances on Clean Energy Research, ICACER 2017, Berlin, Germany, 7 - 9 April 2017. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier BV. doi: 10.1016/j.egypro.2017.07.036

Determination of thermal conductivity of soil using standard cone penetration test

2017

Conference Publication

Geotechnical characterisation of neutralised red mud for use in civil engineering construction and manufacturing

Quintero Olaya, Sebastian, Williams, David J., del Pilar Durante Ingunza, Maria and Serati, Mehdi (2017). Geotechnical characterisation of neutralised red mud for use in civil engineering construction and manufacturing. The 32nd International Conference on Solid Waste Technology and Management, Philadelphia, PA, USA, 19-22 March 2017. Chester, PA United States: The Journal of Solid Waste Technology and Management.

Geotechnical characterisation of neutralised red mud for use in civil engineering construction and manufacturing

Availability

Emeritus Professor David Williams is:
Available for supervision

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Supervision history

Current supervision

  • 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

    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

    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

  • 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

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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