Abstract: On the background of Xiangfen tailings dam-break of Shanxi province in 2008，the numerical model is built by using stress-seepage coupling and continuum-discrete coupling numerical analysis method.According to the actual dam water level and the point of dam-break，the stress and seepage model sets hydraulic head.Continuum and discrete area are analyzed by finite difference grid FLAC and discrete element PFC，separately.Based on the seepage line calculated by the stress-seepage coupling，the instability and failure characteristics in hydrostatic action are analyzed by the continuum-discrete coupling.Simultaneously，the effectiveness of continuum-discrete coupling is verified by the calculated results of stress-seepage coupling model.Therefore，the slope stability analysis method gets new application.The results show that ①Displacement development of slope in the stress-seepage coupling and continuum-discrete coupling maintains superior consistency in the process of computation，and thus，the seepage line required by the continuum-discrete coupling can be obtained.②Using the buoyant weight parameters，dam materials are considered as soil mass containing water under hydrostatic pressure，which can be used in continuum-discrete coupling method.The calculation results of model are basically the same as the reason of dam-break.

Key words: Coupling, Tailings dam, Stability, Comparative, Analysis