Insight into Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity of Cemented Paste Backfill Containing Polycarboxylate Ether-Based Superplasticizer

Recycling of tailings in the form of cemented paste backfill (CPB) is a widely adopted practice in the mining industry. Environmental performance is an important design criterion of CPB structures. This environmental performance of CPB is strongly influenced by its saturated hydraulic conductivity (permeability). Superplasticizers are usually added to improve flowability, but there is a limited understanding of their influence on the hydraulic properties of the CPB. This paper presents new experimental results on the variations of the hydraulic conductivity of CPB containing polycarboxylate-based superplasticizer with different compositions and curing conditions. It is found that the hydraulic conductivity of the CPB decreases with the addition of superplasticizer, which is beneficial to its environmental performance. The reduction is largely attributable to the influence of the ether-based superplasticizer on particles mobility and cement hydration. Moreover, both curing temperature and time have correlations with the hydraulic conductivity of CPB containing superplasticizer. In addition, the presence of sulfate and partial replacement of PCI with blast furnace slag reduces the hydraulic conductivity. The variations are mainly due to the changes in the pore structure of the CPB. The new results discussed in this manuscript will contribute to the design of more environmental-friendly CPBs, which is essential for sustainable mining.

Mechanical Characteristics and Stress Evolution of Cemented Paste Backfill: Effect of Curing Time, Solid Content, and Binder Content

The clarification of the variation on the strength of the cemented paste backfill (CPB) under the coupling of multi-factor is the foundation of the CPB design of the mine. In this article, the physical and mechanical properties of the CPB under the coupling effect of curing time, solid content, and binder content were experimentally and theoretically investigated. The results show that 1) the increase in binder content can effectively increase the later strength of CPB. 2) A sensitivity parameter considering the span of multi-factor was constructed, indicating that the curing time has the greatest impact on the uniaxial compressive strength (UCS), and the variation in solid content has the least impact on it, which can be verified by the stress–strain curves. 3) Curing time and binder content can effectively change the stress evolution, which is reflected in reducing the strain corresponding to the peak stress, enhancing the characteristics of the peak stress and increasing stress drop. The results of this study aim to explain the essence of the influence of each factor on the mechanical behavior of CPB in the view of stress–strain evolution, which will help to better understand the mechanical characteristics of CPB and quantify the sensitivity of the mechanical properties to various factors.

Effect of Rice Straw on Tensile Properties of Tailings Cemented Paste Backfill

It is important and difficult to improve the tensile strength of backfill material to ensure the stability of goafs. In this study, rice straw (RS) in fiber form is used to improve the tensile properties of cemented paste backfill (CPB). An orthogonal experiment was designed, Brazilian indirect tensile strength tests were conducted to test the tensile performance of RS fiber-reinforced cemented paste backfill (RSCPB) under different fiber content (1, 2, 3 kg/m3) and fiber length (0.8~1, 1~3, 3~5 cm), and the microstructure of RSCPB was analyzed with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that, compared with the conventional cemented paste backfill (CCPB), the increase in tensile strength of RSCPB ranged from 115.38% to 300.00% at 3 days curing age, 40.91% to 346.15% at 7 days, and −38.10% to 28.00% at 28 days., and the strain was slightly reduced during the curing period. The tensile strength, strain, and percentage increase of the RSCPB compared to the CCBP did not show a monotonic pattern of variation with the RS fiber content and length during the curing period. The RSCPB samples fractured under peak stress, showing obvious brittle failure. In addition, sulfate generated from S2− in the tailings inhibits the hydration reaction, and generates swelling products that form weak structural surfaces, which, in turn, lead to a 28-day tensile strength and strain of RSCPB lower than those at 7 days.