Re-Use of Mine Waste Materials Amended with Fly Ash in Transportation Earthworks Projects

The objectives of this study were to assess geotechnical properties of mine waste amended with fly ash and evaluate reuse of fly ash amended mine waste as road construction material. Three types of fly ash and one type of cement were used as cementitious binder. Natural and synthetic (i.e., laboratory prepared) mine tailings were used as mine wastes to assess the effects of tailings properties and solids content on hydraulic and mechanical behavior of fly-ash amended materials. The influence of fly ash-amendment on hydraulic conductivity of mine tailings was attributed to (i) molding water content and (ii) plasticity of the mine tailings. Unconfined compressive strength increased with an increase in tailings particle size, solids content, and/or increase in CaO-to-SiO₂ ratio of fly ash for amended mine tailings. The compressibility of mine tailings decreased with an increase in fly ash content and an increase in CaO content and CaO-to-SiO₂ ratio of fly ash, which resulted in more effective bonding between particles. Fly ash-amended mine wastes were shown to have hydraulic and mechanical properties suitable for transportation earthwork applications.

  • Record URL:
  • Summary URL:
  • Supplemental Notes:
    • This document was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation, University Transportation Centers Program.
  • Corporate Authors:

    Colorado State University, Fort Collins

    Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
    Fort Collins, CO  United States  80525

    Mountain-Plains Consortium

    North Dakota State University
    Fargo, ND  United States  58108

    Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology

    University Transportation Centers Program
    Department of Transportation
    Washington, DC  United States  20590
  • Authors:
    • Gorakhki, Mohammad H
    • Alhomair, Sultan A
    • Bareither, Christopher A
  • Publication Date: 2017-10

Language

  • English

Media Info

  • Media Type: Digital/other
  • Features: Figures; References; Tables;
  • Pagination: 102p

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 01653309
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Report/Paper Numbers: MPC 17-332
  • Files: UTC, TRIS, ATRI, USDOT
  • Created Date: Dec 8 2017 9:46AM