Effect of Sample Size on the Unconfined Compressive Strength of Cemented Mill Tailings

Details

• Personal Author:
  Bourgeois JP ; Emery TM ; Feagan GD ; Murray SA ; Seymour, Joseph B. ; Sweet DJ
• Description:
  To determine if the size of a cemented mill tailings sample affects its unconfined compressive strength (UCS), researchers with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) conducted three series of UCS tests with cylindrical samples of cemented paste backfill (CPB), ranging in size from 0.5×1.0 inch (13×25 mm) to 6×12 inches (150×300 mm), after the samples had cured for 28, 90, and 180 days. The average strengths of the standard sized samples were comparable, indicating that 2×4-inch (50×100-mm) cylinder molds provide a reasonable alternative to larger sized cylinders. A comparison of UCS test results and sample aspect ratios (i.e., surface area divided by volume) demonstrated that the size of a CPB sample does not significantly affect its measured compressive strength until the dimensions of the test specimen are smaller than 1×2 inches (25×50 mm). The 0.5×1.0-inch (13×25-mm) samples exhibited a heightened response to strength gain or loss with curing age, which appeared to be related to the physical dimensions of the sample and its hydration rate. The development of more appropriate and consistent methods for collecting, preparing, and testing samples of cemented mill tailings will lead to more accurate quantification of mix design strengths and more effective quality control measures. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Mining Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Cements Compressive Strength Geotechnical Engineering Ground Stability Mining Industry Rock Mechanics
• Series:
  Mining Publications
• Publisher:
  American Rock Mechanics Association (ARMA)
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Proceedings
• Place as Subject:
  San Francisco Region [OSHA] ; Washington
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  SMRD - Spokane Mining Research Division
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20070515
• Citation:
  International Geomechanics Conference (IGS 2024), November 18-20, 2024, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Alexandria, VA: American Rock Mechanics Association (ARMA), 2024 Nov; :ARMA-IGS-2024-321
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2025
• NORA Priority Area:
  Mining
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Source Full Name:
  International Geomechanics Conference (IGS 2024), November 18-20, 2024, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:09a3f746d7b55fd930e733d40ea440a76ce0fb01241981d2143ffbc9c9037421aa65b768a52b36ce682ccc6fc2230aa8803246f5bb8423708ed7fd10fdd2d5fa
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/215733/cdc_215733_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 2.22 MB ]