Ceramics composites from iron ore tailings and blast furnace slag

The search for materials and methods capable of reducing human impacts on the environment is of utmost importance nowadays. This study's primary purpose was to analyze the technical feasibility of ceramic composites production utilizing Fundão Dam's Iron Ore Tailings (IOT), Blast Furnace Slag (BFS) from charcoal, and Foundry Sand (FS) as partial substitutes for the traditional raw materials – sand and clay – for application in building industry materials. The composites were molded in rectangular specimens and fired at temperatures of 900, 950, 1000, 1050, and 1200 °C. The developed materials were analyzed and characterized by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS), Thermogravimetry (TGA), and Differential Thermal Analysis (DTA). The obtained materials had flexural strength modulus of up to 12.19 MPa, water absorption ranging from 2 to 22%, linear shrinkage ranging from 0.02 to 6.50%, and apparent density ranging from 2.03 to 1.63 g/cm³. The study of the internal structure formation process revealed the formation of amorphous structures in the composites. The results demonstrated that these waste materials may be jointly used in construction materials, contributing to the reduction of natural resource extraction, besides enabling their correct disposal, minimizing environmental impacts, and improving the life quality of the surrounding communities.     

Strength and deformation properties of frozen sand under a true triaxial stress condition

In recent years, the mechanical properties of frozen soils under complex stress states have attracted significant attention; however, limited by the test apparatus, true triaxial tests on frozen soils have rarely been conducted. To study the strength and deformation properties of frozen sand under a true triaxial stress state, a novel frozen soil testing system, i.e., a true triaxial apparatus, was developed. The apparatus is mainly composed of a temperature control system, a servo host system, a hydraulic servo loading system, and a digital control system. Several true triaxial tests were conducted at a constant minor principal stress (σ₃) and constant intermediate principal stress ratio (b) to study the effect of intermediate principal stress (σ₂) on the mechanical properties of frozen sand. The test results showed that the stress–strain curve can be mainly divided into three stages, with evidence of strain hardening characteristics. The strength, elastic modulus, and friction angle increased with the increase in b from 0 to 0.6, but decreased when increasing b from 0.6 to 1, whereas the cohesion varied little with the variation in b. The deformation in the direction of σ₂ changed from dilative to compressive and that in the direction of σ₃ remained dilative throughout.     

Influence of density on the post-suffusion behavior of gap-graded sand with fines

Suffusion erosion, characterized as the selective detachment and transportation of finer particles by seepage flow, is hazardous to the stability and serviceability of geotechnical structures. The removal of finer particles deteriorates the structure and fabric of the soil, leading to the degradation of its mechanical properties. Studies into the effects of suffusion on mechanical behavior have so far produced disparate results depending on the pre-erosion relative density of the specimens tested. To investigate this issue, small cyclic and monotonic loading tests were performed on intact and eroded gap-graded silty sand specimens in three dispersed density states, using a triaxial cell modified for the purpose of erosion. The variation of Young's modulus showed an inverse relationship with the pre-erosion density of the specimen, as the small strain stiffness decreased in the dense cases and increased in the loose cases. Conversely, Poisson's ratio increased in value as suffusion progressed regardless of the initial density of the specimens. In the contractive phase of monotonic loading, the densification of the coarse soil skeleton by the downward seepage flow resulted in a decrease in contractiveness and an increase in secant stiffness. In the dilative phase, the increase in porosity by the erosion of finer particles reduced the dilatancy and peak strength of the specimens. The results suggest that the pre-suffusion density determines the primary locus of affected mechanical behavior in triaxial compression, which shifts from the contractive phase to the dilative phase with the increase in pre-suffusion density. The critical state strength, inferred using stress–dilatancy theory, was largely unaffected by the erosion of finer particles. As the results indicate, pre-erosion density may be of practical significance in assessing the vulnerability to deterioration and collapse of geotechnical formations and structures subjected to suffusion erosion.     

Effect of coral sand powders and seawater salinity on the impact mechanical properties of cemented coral sand

Coral sand is one kind of the important building materials in coral reef engineering practice. The use of cement as a stabilizing agent can significantly improve the mechanical properties of coral sands and is widely applied in the subbase engineering construction in coral reef islands. Cement-stabilized coral sand structures may contain high contents of fine coral particles and salinity because of the high crushability of coral sands and the existence of seawater surrounding them. In this study, the effects of coral sand powders and seawater salinity on the dynamic mechanical properties of cemented coral sand (CCS) were investigated through the split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) tests and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) analysis. It was found that the strength (i.e., the peak stress) of CCS specimens increased firstly and then decreased with the increase of powder content. The specimens reached the maximum peak stress when 3% powder content was included. The initial improvement of CCS strength was attributed to the pore-filling effect of coral powders, namely, the micro pores of the CCS specimens could be more effectively filled with higher percentages of coral powders being used in the experiments. However, excessive coral powders resulted in the reduction of specimen strength because these powders could easily be cemented into agglomerates by absorbing water from the specimens. These agglomerates could reduce the cementation strength between the coarse coral particles and the cement. Meanwhile, the peak stress of CCS specimens was found to be negatively correlated with the average strain rate and the ultimate strain. The degree of specimen fracture was found to be correlated with the amount of specific energy absorption during the tests. Furthermore, the “sulfate attack” caused by the inclusion of salinity of water had different influences on the CCS specimens with different coral powder contents. The ettringite and gypsum produced in “sulfate attack” could fill the pores and lead to cracking of the specimens, significantly affecting the specimen strength.     

Post-erosion mechanical responses of internally unstable gap-graded soil under drained torsional simple shear and triaxial compression

Internal erosion is a major threat to hydraulic earth structures, such as river levees and dams. This paper focuses on suffusion and suffosion phenomena which are caused by the movement of fine particles in the granular skeleton due to seepage flow. The present study investigates the impact of internal erosion on the dynamic response under cyclic torsional shear and monotonic responses under triaxial compression and torsional simple shear. A series of experiments, using a gap-graded silica mixture with a fines content of 20%, is performed under loose, medium, and dense conditions using a novel erosion hollow cylindrical torsional shear apparatus. The erosion test results indicate that the critical hydraulic gradient and the rate of erosion are density-dependent, where a transition from suffosion to suffusion is observed as the seepage continues. Regardless of the sample density, variations in the radial strain and particle size distribution, along the specimen height after erosion, are no longer uniform. Furthermore, the dynamic shearing results show that the small-strain shear modulus increases, but the initial damping ratio decreases after internal erosion, probably due to the removal of free fines. In addition, the elastic threshold strain and reference shear strain values are found to be higher for the eroded and non-eroded specimens, respectively. Finally, based on drained monotonic loading, the post-erosion peak stress ratio increases remarkably under triaxial compression, while that under torsional simple shear depends on the relative density where the direction of loading is normal to the direction of seepage. These observations indicate that the horizontal bedding plane becomes weaker, while the vertical one becomes stronger after downward erosion.     

Role of particle shape on the shear strength of sand-GCL interfaces under dry and wet conditions

Interface shear strength of geosynthetic clay liners (GCL) with the sand particles is predominantly influenced by the surface characteristics of the GCL, size and shape of the sand particles and their interaction mechanisms. This study brings out the quantitative effects of particle shape on the interaction mechanisms and shear strength of GCL-sand interfaces. Interface direct shear tests are conducted on GCL in contact with a natural sand and a manufactured sand of identical gradation, eliminating the particle size effects. Results showed that manufactured sand provides effective particle-fiber interlocking compared to river sand, due to the favorable shape of its grains. Further, the role of particle shape on the hydration of GCL is investigated through interface shear tests on GCL-sand interfaces at different water contents. Bentonite hydration is found to be less in tests with manufactured sand, leading to better interface shear strength. Grain shape parameters of sands, surface changes related to hydration and particle entrapment in GCL are quantified through image analysis on sands and tested GCL surfaces. It is observed that the manufactured sand provides higher interface shear strength and causes lesser hydration related damages to GCL, owing to its angular particles and low permeability.     

Effect of the particle size ratio on macro- and mesoscopic shear characteristics of the geogrid-reinforced rubber and sand mixture interface

As a new type of material for civil engineering projects, the rubber and sand mixture is widely used in roadbed fillers, offering environmental benefits over traditional tyre disposal methods. This study uses a large-scale direct shear apparatus to examine the interface shear properties of the geogrid-reinforced rubber and sand mixture, considering different particle size ratios (r), rubber contents, and normal stresses. Based on indoor tests, direct shear models of the mixture with different values of r are established in PFC^3D, revealing the meso-mechanical mechanism of the mixture in the direct shear process. The results show that when r is greater than 1, incorporating a certain amount of rubber particles can increase the shear strength of the mixture. The r values of 15.78, 7.63, and 3.98 correspond to an optimal rubber content of 30%, 10%, and 20%, respectively. When r is less than 1, mixing rubber particles can only reduce the shear strength of the mixture. When the rubber content is low, the smaller the value of r, the greater is the thickness of the shear band. Furthermore, the normal and tangential contact forces are greater. The fabric anisotropy evolution law of the mixture is consistent with the change in the contact force distribution.     

分析铁路改良粉细砂填料应用性能试验

在设计铁路路基的填料时,最常出现的是在进行铁路建设的地方就地取材。在以粉细砂为主的地区通常会选择用粉细砂作为铁路的填料,在所有的填料中,粉细砂填料属于C组类型填料,但是因为两个方面的原因需要对其进行一定的改良,一方面是因为粉细砂的粒径比较单一、级配不好,K30不能够满足规范标准的要求;另一方面则是因为大型机械不能够进行施工。本文通过掺入不同体积A、B组砾砂填料到粉细砂填料中进行试验,结果显示这种操作可以在不同程度上提高K30的值,从而在达到相关设计要求的同时解决施工方面的难题。     

Leading edge erosion of wind turbines: Effect of solid airborne particles and rain on operational wind farms

Leading edge erosion (LEE) affects almost all wind turbines, reducing their annual energy production and lifetime profitability. This study presents results of an investigation into 18 operational wind farms to assess the validity of the current literature consensus surrounding LEE. Much of the historical research focuses on rain erosion, implying that this is the predominant causal factor. However, this study showed that the impact of excessive airborne particles from seawater aerosols or from adverse local environments such as nearby quarries greatly increases the levels of LEE. Current testing of leading edge protection coatings or tapes is based on a rain erosion resistivity test, which does little to prove its ability to withstand solid particle erosion and may drive coating design in the wrong direction. Furthermore, it was shown that there is little correlation between test results and actual field performance. A method of monitoring the expected level of erosion on an operational wind turbine due to rain erosion is also presented. Finally, the energy losses associated with LEE on an operational wind farm are examined, with the average annual energy production dropping by 1.8% due to medium levels of erosion, with the worst affected turbine experiencing losses of 4.9%.