The uniaxial compressive strength of fiber-reinforced frozen backfill

Abstract

The possible application of using fiber-reinforced frozen (–15°C) mine backfill was investigated using a series of laboratory experiments. Sisal fiber, Basalt fiber, and Biofilament were added to the tailings and water that constituted primary backfill, which served as the reference material. Samples differed in terms of fiber type, fiber content, and curing temperature. The mechanical properties of samples were investigated using the uniaxial compression strength (UCS) test. The UCS of fiber-reinforced frozen backfill exceeded that of primary backfill and reached as high as 5.95 MPa. The UCS stress-strain behavior of mine backfill was markedly affected by freezing and fiber addition. Frozen backfill exhibited more ductile behavior and a higher elasticity modulus than unfrozen backfill, which showed brittle behavior. Fiber-reinforced backfill could absorb more energy before total failure.