Abstract
Previous research has not analysed the strength and deformation of unsaturated fine-grained tailings soil under variable moisture content. This paper discusses individual tests for the compressibility, direct shear strength and triaxial strength of fine-grained tailings soil, under those variable moisture content. The experimental results showed that: (1) With an increase in specimen moisture content, resistance to vertical deformation gradually declined and reached a minimum at saturation; (2) The cohesion of unsaturated fine-grained tailings soil tended to decrease with an increase of moisture content, and had an obvious peak. The angle of internal friction decreased as moisture content increased, exhibiting an approximately inverse linear relationship; (3) Moisture content exhibited a very obvious effect on the stress and strain characteristics of unsaturated fine-grained tailings soil. Under the same confining pressure, as moisture content increased, the axial stress which was applied on the specimen declined, and its ultimate strength was also reduced. As moisture content declined, the specimen damage type changed from strain hardening to strain softening. With an increase of moisture content, the volumetric strain of the specimens initially increased then decreased. Presumably, the volumetric strain should peak when the moisture content reaches an optimum level.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Fan, P.F., Hu, G.S.: Study on Test of the Dynamic Properties About the Fine-grained Tailings Soil. Dissertation Chang’an University, Xi-an, China (2011)
Yin, G.Z., Yang, Z.Y., Wei, Z.A., Tan, Q.W.: Physical and mechanical properties of YangLa-copper’s tailings. J. Chongqing Univ. 30(9), 117–121 (2007). (Natural Science Edition)
Wu, X.G., Wang, B., Xiang, H.H., Zhou, Y.X.: Research and application of the large strain consolidation of saturated fine-grained tailings in tailings reservoir. Metal Mine 392(2), 53–56 (2009)
Qiao, L., Qu, C.L., Cui, M.: Effect of fines content on engineering characteristics of tailings. Rock Soil Mech. 36(4), 923–927 (2015)
Wickland, B.E., Wilson, G.W., Wijewickreme, D.: Hydraulic conductivity and consolidation response of mixtures of mine waste rock and tailings. Can. Geotech. J. 47(4), 472–485 (2010)
Jeeravipoolvarn, S., Scott, J.D., Chalaturnyk, R.J.: 10 m standpipe tests on oil sands tailings: long-term experimental results and prediction. Can. Geotech. J. 46(8), 875–888 (2009)
Dimitrova, R.S., Yanfu, E.K.: Undrained strength of deposited mine tailings beds: effect of moisture content, effective stress and time of consolidation. Geotech. Geol. Eng. 29, 935–951 (2011)
Pi, Q.H., Yang, C.H.: Test Study and Application on Fines Content and Confining Pressure Influence the Mechanical Properties of Tail Silty Sand. College of Resources and Environment Science of Chongqing University, Chongqing, China (2012)
Qin, H.Y., Liu, H.L., Gao, Y.F., Dai, P.F.: Research on strength and deformation behavior of coarse aggregates based on large-scale triaxial tests. Rock Soil Mech. 25(10), 1575–1580 (2004)
Deng, T.H., Zhu, J.W., Cao, Y.J.: Experimental study on shear strength of tailing materials. West-China Explor. Eng. 23(2), 10–16 (2011)
Wijewickreme, D., Sanin, M.V., Greenaway, G.R.: Cyclic shear response of fine-grained minetailings. Can. Geotech. J. 42(5), 1408–1421 (2005)
Zhang, Y.X., He, J.G., Guo, Z.S.: Study on tailings accumulation characteristics of high tailings dam. China Molybdenum Ind. 34(5), 8–12 (2010)
Geremew, A.M., Yanful, E.K.: Laboratory investigation of the resistance of tailings and natural sediments to cyclic loading. Geotech. Geol. Eng. 30, 431–447 (2012)
Zhang, B.: Dynamic Properties of the Saturation Tailing and Dynamic Stability Analysis of the Tailing Dam. Dissertation Shijiazhuang Tiedao University, Shijiazhuang, China (2012)
Wang, J.P., Ling, H.I., Mohri, Y.: Stress-Strain behavior of a compacted Sand-Clay mixture. Soil Stress Strain Behav. Meas. Model. Anal. 11(2), 491–502 (2006)
Shao, L.T., Guo, X.X., Liu, G., Liu, X.: Application of digital image processing technique to measuring specimen deformation in triaxial test. Rock Soil Mech. 36(S1), 669–684 (2015)
Acknowledgments
The National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 51479023), the Natural Science Foundation of Liaoning Province, China (Grant No. 201602349), the Education Department of Liaoning Province, China (Grant No. L2014126) and the Liaoning Technical University, China (Grant No. 13-1061) supported this research.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2018 Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.
About this paper
Cite this paper
Dong, J., Zheng, G. (2018). Strength and Deformation Characteristics of Unsaturated Fine-Grained Tailings Soil Under Variable Moisture Content. In: Hu, L., Gu, X., Tao, J., Zhou, A. (eds) Proceedings of GeoShanghai 2018 International Conference: Multi-physics Processes in Soil Mechanics and Advances in Geotechnical Testing. GSIC 2018. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-0095-0_20
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-0095-0_20
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore
Print ISBN: 978-981-13-0094-3
Online ISBN: 978-981-13-0095-0
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceEarth and Environmental Science (R0)