Long-Term Strength and Durability of Cement-Treated Coal Mine Overburden Materials in Subbase and Base Layers of Low-Volume Roads
Publication: Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 36, Issue 4
Abstract
Coal is the most abundant fossil fuel and the main source of energy for the production of electricity all over the globe. Excessive utilization of coal results in the production of huge quantities of coal mining wastes called overburden (OB). In addition to occupying precious land, the disposal of these wastes poses major environmental and health risks to local communities. To establish the efficacy of locally available coal mine OB materials in the subbase and base layers of low-volume roads, a laboratory study has been conducted in the present research assessing its effectiveness in terms of mechanical and durability characteristics after stabilizing with various percentages of cement. The mechanical strength of cement-treated OB (CTOB) mixes has been evaluated through destructive tests and validated through nondestructive tests and microstructural analysis. Additionally, the durability characteristics of CTOB mixes have been investigated through the wet-dry (W-D) weathering cycle test, capillary rise (CR) test, and drying shrinkage test. The W-D weathering cycles positively impacted the mechanical strength of CTOB mixes up to 12 cycles; after that, deterioration has been observed. The microstructural study also confirmed the long-term strength development in CTOB blends after exposure to adverse weathering conditions. The CR in CTOB mixes with a cement content of 6% or more was less than 25% of the height sample within 24 h of soaking, and even after 72 h of soaking, these samples did not exhibit 100% of CR. Because 80% of final shrinkage occurs within the first 3 days of drying, a minimum of 3 days of curing is recommended to control the development of shrinkage cracks in the CTOB layers.
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Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or code that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to acknowledge Pankri Barwadih Coal Mines Project, NTPC, Barkagaon, Hazaribag, and BCCL, Dhanbad, for generously giving their consent for collection of coal OB samples from their mines.
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Published In
Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 36 • Issue 4 • April 2024
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© 2024 American Society of Civil Engineers.
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Received: Mar 13, 2023
Accepted: Sep 29, 2023
Published online: Jan 26, 2024
Published in print: Apr 1, 2024
Discussion open until: Jun 26, 2024
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