Micro-macro evolution of mechanical behaviors of thermally damaged rock:A state-of-the-art review

The influence of thermal damage on macroscopic and microscopic characteristics of different rocks has received much attention in the field of rock engineering.When the rocks are subjected to thermal treatment,the change of macroscopic characteristics and evolution of micro-structure would be induced,ultimately resulting in different degrees of thermal damage in rocks.To better understand the thermal damage mechanism of different rocks and its effect on the rock performance,this study reviews a large number of test results of rock specimens experiencing heating and cooling treatment in the laboratory.Firstly,the variations of macroscopic behaviors,including physical parameters,mechanical parameters,thermal conductivity and permeability,are examined.The variations of mechanical parameters with thermal treatment variables(i.e.temperature or the number of thermal cycles)are divided into four types.Secondly,several measuring methods for microstructure,such as polarizing microscopy,fluorescent method,scanning electron microscopy(SEM),X-ray computerized tomography(CT),acoustic emission(AE)and ultrasonic technique,are introduced.Furthermore,the effect of thermal damage on the mechanical parameters of rocks in response to different thermal treatments,involving temperature magnitude,cooling method and thermal cycle,are discussed.Finally,the limitations and prospects for the research of rock thermal damage are proposed.

Effect of slope angle on fractured rock masses under combined influence of variable rainfall infiltration and excavation unloading

Intense precipitation infiltration and intricate excavation processes are crucial factors that impact the stability and security of towering and steep rock slopes within mining sites.The primary aim of this research was to investigate the progression of cumulative failure within a cracked rock formation,considering the combined effects of precipitation and excavation activities.The study was conducted in the Huangniuqian eastern mining area of the Dexing Copper Mine in Jiangxi Province,China.An engineering geological investigation was conducted,a physical model experiment was performed,numerical calculations and theoretical analysis were conducted using the matrix discrete element method(Mat-DEM),and the deformation characteristics and the effect of the slope angle of a fractured rock mass under different scenarios were examined.The failure and instability mechanisms of the fractured rock mass under three slope angle models were analyzed.The experimental results indicate that as the slope angle increases,the combined effect of rainfall infiltration and excavation unloading is reduced.A novel approach to simulating unsaturated seepage in a rock mass,based on the van Genuchten model(VGM),has been developed.Compared to the vertical displacement observed in a similar physical experiment,the average relative errors associated with the slope angles of 45,50,and 55were 2.094%,1.916%,and 2.328%,respectively.Accordingly,the combined effect of rainfall and excavation was determined using the proposed method.Moreover,the accuracy of the numerical simulation was validated.The findings contribute to the seepage field in a meaningful way,offering insight that can inform and enhance existing methods and theories for research on the underlying mechanism of ultra-high and steep rock slope instability,which can inform the development of more effective risk management strategies.

Mechanical behavior and damage constitutive model of sandstone under hydro-mechanical (H-M) coupling

Underground engineering often passes through water-rich fractured rock masses, which are prone to fracture and instability under the long-term coupling of in-situ stress field and pore water(P-W) pressure, ultimately threatening the stability of underground structures. In order to explore the mechanical properties of rocks under H-M coupling, the corresponding damage constitutive(D-C) model has become the focus of attention. Considering the inadequacy of the current research on rock strength parameters,energy evolution characteristics and D-C model under H-M coupling, the mechanical properties of typical sandstone samples are discussed based on laboratory tests. The results show that the variation of characteristic stresses of sandstone under H-M coupling conforms to the normalized attenuation equation and Mohr-Coulomb(M-C) criterion. The P-W pressure mechanism of sandstone exhibits a dynamic change from softening effect to H-M fracturing effect. The closure stress is mainly provided by cohesive strength, while the initiation stress, damage stress, and peak stress are jointly dominated by cohesive strength and friction strength. In addition, residual stress is attributed to the friction strength formed by the bite of the fracture surface. Subsequently, the energy evolution characteristics of sandstone under H-M coupling were studied, and it was found that P-W pressure weakened the energy storage capacity and energy dissipation capacity of sandstone, and H-M fracturing was an important factor in reducing its energy storage efficiency. Finally, combined with energy dissipation theory and statistical damage theory, two types of D-C models considering P-W pressure are proposed accordingly, and the model parameters can be determined by four methods. The application results indicate that the proposed and modified D-C models have high reliability, and can characterize the mechanical behavior of sandstone under H-M coupling, overcome the inconvenience of existing D-C models due to excessive mechanical parameters,and can be applied to the full-range stress–strain process. The results are conducive to revealing the deformation and damage mechanisms of rocks under H-M coupling, and can provide theoretical guidance for related engineering problems.

Efficient desorption and reuse of collector from the flotation concentrate:A case study of scheelite

Flotation is the most common method to obtain concentrate through the selective adsorption of collectors on target minerals to make them hydrophobic and floatable.In the hydrometallurgy of concentrate,collectors adsorbed on concentrate can damage ion-exchange resin and increase the chemical oxygen demand(COD)value of wastewater.In this work,we proposed a new scheme,i.e.,desorbing the collectors from concentrate in ore dressing plant and reusing them in flotation flowsheet.Lead nitrate and benzohydroxamic acid(Pb-BHA)complex is a common collector in scheelite flotation.In this study,different physical(stirring or ultrasonic waves)and chemical(strong acid or alkali environment)methods for facilitating the desorption of Pb-BHA collector from scheelite concentrate were explored.Single-mineral desorption tests showed that under the condition of pulp pH 13 and ultrasonic treatment for 15 min,the highest desorption rates of Pb and BHA from the scheelite concentrate were 90.48%and 63.75%,respectively.Run-of-mine ore flotation tests revealed that the reuse of desorbed Pb and BHA reduced the collector dosage by 30%for BHA and 25%for Pb.The strong alkali environment broke the chemical bonds between Pb and BHA.The cavitation effect of ultrasonic waves effectively reduced the interaction intensity between Pb-BHA collector and scheelite surfaces.This method combining ultrasonic waves and strong alkali environment can effectively desorb the collectors from concentrate and provide“clean”scheelite concentrate for metallurgic plants;the reuse of desorbed collector in flotation flowsheet can reduce reagent cost for ore dressing plants.

Particle simulation of the failure process of brittle rock under triaxial compression

In order to investigate the failure process of brittle rock under triaxial compression through both experimental and numerical approaches, the particle simulation method was used in numerical simulations and the simulated results were compared with those of the experiment. The numerical simulation results, such as fracture propagation, microcrack distribution, stress-strain response, and damage patterns, were discussed in detail. The simulated results under various confining pressures （0-60 MPa） are in good agreement with the experimental results. The simulated results reveal that rock failure is caused by axial splitting under uniaxial compression. As the confining pressure increases, rock failure occurs in a few localized shear planes and the rock mechanical behavior is changed from brittle to ductile. Consequently, the peak failure strength, microcrack numbers, and the shear plane angle increase, but the ratio of tensile to shear microcracks decreases. The damage formation during the compression simulations indicates that the particle simulation method can produce similar behaviors as those observed through laboratory compression tests.

Temperature variation characteristics in flocculation settlement of tailings and its mechanism

Rapid flocculation and settlement(FS)of mine tailings is significant for the improvement and development of the filling process,whereas the settlement velocity(SV)of tailings in FS has been recognized as a key parameter to evaluate the settlement effect.However,the influence of temperature on the SV and its mechanism have not been studied.FS experiments on tailings with various ambient temperatures were carried out.The SVs of tailings with a solid waste content of 10wt%and an anionic polyacrylamide content of 20 g·t^−1 were measured at different temperatures.The SV presented an“N”-shaped variation curve as the temperature changed from 5 to 40℃.The mechanism of these results can be explained from the perspective of the electric double-layer repulsive force,molecular dynamics,and the polymer flocculation principle,as revealed from the scanning electron microscopy of floc particles.The findings will be beneficial in the design of tailings dewatering processes and save costs in the production of cemented paste backfill.

Effects of temperatures and pH values on rheological properties of cemented paste backfill

In this study,different influence mechanisms associated with temperatures and pH values were investigated through cemented paste backfill(CPB)systems.CPB samples were prepared with temperatures ranging from 10 to 50℃ in 10℃ increments and pH values of 3,7,and 13.Then,the CPB mixture were subjected to rheological tests,thermogravimetric analysis(TG),derivative thermogravimetry analysis(DTG),Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy(FT-IR),and scanning electron microscopy(SEM).Results demonstrated that the temperatures had significant effects on the rheological properties of CPB,whereas the effects of pH values were relatively unapparent.Higher temperatures(over 20℃)were prone to bring higher shear stress,yield stress,and apparent viscosity with the same pH value condition.However,an overly high temperature(50℃)cannot raise the apparent viscosity.Non-neutral conditions,for pH values of 3 and 13,could strengthen the shear stress and apparent viscosity at the same temperature.Two different yield stress curves could be discovered by uprising pH values,which also led to apparent viscosity of two various curves under the same temperatures(under 50℃).Microscopically,rheological properties of CPB were affected by temperatures and pH values which enhanced or reduced the cement hydration procedures,rates,products and space structures.

An Innovative Non-Pillar Coal-Mining Technology with Automatically Formed Entry: A Case Study

A non-pillar coal-mining technology with an automatically formed entry is proposed,which reduces the waste of coal resources and the underground entry drivage workload.Three key techniques in this technology cooperate to achieve automatic formation and retaining of the gob-side entry,and to realize nonpillar mining.Constant-resistance large deformation(CRLD)support ensures the stability of the entry roof;directional presplitting blasting(DPB)separates the entry roof and the gob roof;and a blockinggangue support system(BGSS)integrates the caved rock material as an effective entry rib.An industrial test was conducted to verify the engineering effects of these key techniques.The field application results showed that the retained entry was under the pressure-relief zone due to the broken-expansion nature of the caved rock mass within the DPB height.After going through a provisional dynamic pressure-bearing zone,the retained entry entered the stability zone.The final stable entry meets the requirements of safety and production.The research results demonstrate the good engineering applicability of this technology.By taking the framework of the technology design principles into consideration and adjusting the measures according to different site conditions,it is expected that the proposed non-pillar coal-mining technology can be popularized on a large scale.

Erosion wear at the bend of pipe during tailings slurry transportation:Numerical study considering inlet velocity,particle size and bend angle

Pipeline hydraulic transport is a highly efficient and low energy-consumption method for transporting solids and is commonly used for tailing slurry transport in the mining industry.Erosion wear(EW)remains the main cause of failure in tailings slurry pipeline systems,particularly at bends.EW is a complex phenomenon influenced by numerous factors,but research in this area has been limited.This study performs numerical simulations of slurry transport at the bend by combining computational fluid dynamics and fluid particle tracking using a wear model.Based on the validation of the feasibility of the model,this work focuses on the effects of coupled inlet velocity(IV)ranging from 1.5 to 3.0 m·s^(-1),particle size(PS)ranging from 50 to 650μm,and bend angle(BA)ranging from 45°to 90°on EW at the bend in terms of particle kinetic energy and incidence angle.The results show that the maximum EW rate of the slurry at the bend increases exponentially with IV and PS and first increases and then decreases with the increase in BA with the inflection point at 60°within these parameter ranges.Further comprehensive analysis reveals that the sensitivity level of the three factors to the maximum EW rate is PS>IV>BA,and when IV is 3.0 m/s,PS is 650μm,and BA is 60°,the bend EW is the most severe,and the maximum EW rate is 5.68×10^(-6)kg·m^(-2)·s^(-1).In addition,When PS is below or equal to 450μm,the maximum EW position is mainly at the outlet of the bend.When PS is greater than 450μm,the maximum EW position shifts toward the center of the bend with the increase in BA.Therefore,EW at the bend can be reduced in practice by reducing IV as much as possible and using small particles.

Surface property variations in flotation performance of calcite particles under different grinding patterns

Based on the working principles of particle bed comminution, particles produced by high-pressure grinding rolls （HPGR） have surface properties different from particles produced by other grinding patterns, which exert great influence on mineral flotation. Flotation performances of calcite particles under different grinding patterns involving the use of HPGR, a jaw crusher, a dry ball mill, a wet ball mill, and a wet rod mill were studied using single mineral flotation tests. The surface properties of the particles under different grinding patterns were characterized to determine the flotation performance variation in terms of specific surface area, particle size distribution, AFM, XPS, and zeta potential. The results show that particles ground by HPGR exhibited improved flotation performance within the lower range of grinding fineness in both NaOL and dodecyl amine flotation systems compared to the particles prepared using other grinding patterns. Specific surface area, particle size distribution, surface roughness, Fe（III） contamination, binding energy, and zeta potential are greatly influenced by grinding patterns, which is the main cause of the flotation performance variation.

Effects of temperature and age on physico-mechanical properties of cemented gravel sand backfills

Cemented backfill used in deep mines would inevitably be exposed to the ambient temperature of 20−60℃in the next few decades.In this paper,two types of cemented gravel sand backfills,cemented rod-mill sand backfill(CRB)and cemented gobi sand backfill(CGB),were prepared and cured at various temperatures(20,40,60℃)and ages(3,7,28 d),and the effects of temperature and age on the physico-mechanical properties of CRB and CGB were investigated based on laboratory tests.Results show that:1)the effects of temperature and age on the physico-mechanical properties of backfills mainly depend on the amount of hydration products and the refinement of cementation structures.The temperature has a more significant effect on thermal expansibility and ultrasonic performance at early ages.2)The facilitating effect of temperature and age on the compressive strength of CGB is higher than that on CRB.With the increase of temperature,the compressive failure modes changed from X-conjugate shear failure to tensile failure,and the integrity of specimens was significantly improved.3)Similarly,the shear performance of CGB is generally better than that of CRB.The temperature has a weaker effect on shear strength than age,but the shear deformation and shear plane morphology are closely related to temperature.

Experimental study on instability mechanism and critical intensity of rainfall of high-steep rock slopes under unsaturated conditions

Two critical factors,namely intense precipitation and intricate excavation,can trigger rock mass disasters in mining operations.In this study,an indoor rainfall system was developed to precisely regulate the flow and intensity of precipitation.A large-scale model experiment was conducted on a self-designed physical simulation experiment platform to investigate the failure and instability of high-steep rock slopes under unsaturated conditions.The real-time reproduction of the progressive failure process in high-steep rock slopes enabled the determination of the critical rainfall intensity and revealed the mechanism underlying slope instability.Experiment results indicated that rainfall may be the primary factor contributing to rock mass instability,while continuous pillar mining exacerbates the extent of rock mass failure.The critical failure stage of high-steep rock slopes occurs at a rainfall intensity of 40 mm/h,whereas a rainfall exceeding 50 mm can induce critical instability and precipitation reaching up to 60 mm will result in slope failure.The improved region growing segmentation method(IRGSM)was subsequently employed for image recognition of rock mass deformation in underground mines.Herein an error comparison with the simple linear iterative cluster(SLIC)superpixel method and the original region growing segmentation method(ORGSM)showed that the average identification error in the X and Y directions by the method was reduced significantly(1.82%and 1.80%in IRGSM;4.70%and 6.26%in SLIC;9.45%and 12.40%in ORGSM).Ultimately,the relationship between rainfall intensity and failure probability was analyzed using the Monte Carlo method.Moreover,the stability assessment criteria of rock slope under unsaturated condition were quantitatively and accurately evaluated.

Physiological responses of people in working faces of deep underground mines

The research studied the influences of high temperature, high pressure, high humidity, noise and other harmful factors in mining conditions on the people health and safety, and investigated the impacts of confined environmental on human physiology factors, including temperature, humidity, noise, pressure,toxic and harmful gases in terms of environmental characteristics in underground mines and an artificial intelligence system for simulation of the environment in a confined space of deep mines. Our results show that the systolic pressure, diastolic pressure, mean pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, typing test speed and memory level percentage are negatively correlated with temperature value, and positively correlated with humidity value; the human temperature and weight are positively correlated with temperature value, and negatively correlated with humidity value. This research lays the foundation for the study of interaction between the deep confined space environment and safety behavior.

Evaluation of working fluids for organic Rankine cycles using group-contribution methods and second-law-based models

The group-contribution (GC) methods suffer from a limitation concerning to the prediction of process-related indexes, e.g., thermal efficiency. Recently developed analytical models for thermal efficiency of organic Rankine cycles (ORCs) provide a possibility of overcoming the limitation of the GC methods because these models formulate thermal efficiency as functions of key thermal properties. Using these analytical relations together with GC methods, more than 60 organic fluids are screened for medium-low temperature ORCs. The results indicate that the GC methods can estimate thermal properties with acceptable accuracy (mean relative errors are 4.45%-11.50%);the precision, however, is low because the relative errors can vary from less than 0.1% to 45.0%. By contrast, the GC-based estimation of thermal efficiency has better accuracy and precision. The relative errors in thermal efficiency have an arithmetic mean of about 2.9% and fall within the range of 0-24.0%. These findings suggest that the analytical equations provide not only a direct way of estimating thermal efficiency but an accurate and precise approach to evaluating working fluids and guiding computer-aided molecular design of new fluids for ORCs using GC methods.

Characteristics of mineral element content of alpine vegetation in permafrost region on Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

The content characteristics of 16 elements （Al, Ca, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, P, Pb, Sr, and Zn） in 23 plant species collected from the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau permafrost region were investigated using ICP-OES. Results show that the average contents of Ca, K, Mg, Fe and P were higher than 1,000 mg/kg, those of Al, Na, Zn and Cr ranged between 10-1,000 mg/kg and those of Cu, Li, Pb and Mo were less than 10 mg/kg. The levels of Al, Ca, K, Mg and Na were within the scope of the reported terrestrial plant element content, those of Sr, Fe and Cr were higher than the average of the terrestrial plants and the maximum content of Max was higher than the upper limit of the reported Mn content. The main character of the element content was of the Ca〉K type, however, in terms of Cyperaeeae species the element content character was K〉Ca type. The contents of Ca, Li, Mg and Sr in Gramineae and Cyperaeeae species were higher than those in other species and the contents of Ca, K, Mg, Fe, E A1 and Na in all collected plants were higher than those of other elements. Zn had weak variability with the lowest coefficient （i.e., 7.81%）, while other elements had strong variability. The ratio of maximum content to minimum content indicated Ca and K had less change than other elements in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau permafrost region. Element content of alpine vegetation in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau permafrost region mainly shows a positive correlation, among which the correlation coefficient between Al and Pb, Al and Fe, Mo and Cr, Pb and Fe, Sr and Li were higher than 0.9, and negative correlation had no statistical signifi- cance. The correlation between Al and Fe, Mg, Mn in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau permafrost region were consistent with that reported in Kunlun Mountains.

Temperature effect on shear behavior of ore-backfill coupling specimens at various shear directions

Understanding the temperature effect on shear behavior of the ore-backfill coupling structure is critical for the safety and stability of backfill stope under the condition of high horizontal stress in deep mining.Direct shear tests were carried out on the cemented rod-mill sand backfill(CRB)and ore-CRB(OCRB)coupling specimens at various temperatures(20,40 and 60°C).The shear behavior and AE characteristic parameters of OCRB at different shear directions were compared and analyzed.The results show that the temperature effect on the shear performance of CRB mainly depends on the characteristics of microstructures and main mineral phases;the performance of CRB at 40°C is relatively good;the shear deformation of OCRB has one more“peak fluctuation stage”than CRB and has a good correlation with AE characteristic parameters.The temperature can positively or negatively impact the shear strength of OCRB,depending on the temperature and shear direction;the shear performance of OCRB along the axis direction(D1)is significantly better than that perpendicular to the axis direction(D2).The co-bearing capacity of the ore-backfill coupling structure(i.e.,stopes)is closely related to the ambient temperature and principal stress orientation.

Using cemented paste backfill to tackle the phosphogypsum stockpile in China:A down-to-earth technology with new vitalities in pollutant retention and CO_(2) abatement

Phosphogypsum(PG),a hard-to-dissipate by-product of the phosphorus fertilizer production industry,places strain on the biogeochemical cycles and ecosystem functions of storage sites.This pervasive problem is already widespread worldwide and requires careful stewardship.In this study,we review the presence of potentially toxic elements(PTEs)in PG and describe their associations with soil properties,anthropogenic activities,and surrounding organisms.Then,we review different ex-/in-situ solutions for promoting the sustainable management of PG,with an emphasis on in-situ cemented paste backfill,which offers a cost-effective and highly scalable opportunity to advance the value-added recovery of PG.However,concerns related to the PTEs'retention capacity and long-term effectiveness limit the implementation of this strategy.Furthermore,given that the large-scale demand for ordinary Portland cement from this conventional option has resulted in significant CO_(2) emissions,the technology has recently undergone additional scrutiny to meet the climate mitigation ambition of the Paris Agreement and China's Carbon Neutrality Economy.Therefore,we discuss the ways by which we can integrate innovative strategies,including supplementary cementitious materials,alternative binder solutions,CO_(2) mineralization,CO_(2) curing,and optimization of the supply chain for the profitability and sustainability of PG remediation.However,to maximize the co-benefits in environmental,social,and economic,future research must bridge the gap between the feasibility of expanding these advanced pathways and the multidisciplinary needs.

基于微震多参数的大规模岩体垮塌前兆特征研究

微震监测技术能进行工程岩体失稳垮塌前兆特征的辨识和分析,对于地质灾害预警防控具有重要意义。本文基于已有室内岩石受压损伤破坏声发射实验规律,通过开展现场微震多参数定量分析,探究了柿竹园矿山6·21大爆破诱发山体滑移垮塌的前兆特征。大爆破诱发微震事件的b值和空间分形维数表现出下降趋势,b值急剧下降和分形维数降到最低可作为工程岩体失稳垮塌的前兆特征。此外,能量指数和累计视体积的变化可以分别表征应力和应变的变化。能量指数快速下降和累计视体积持续增加的组合特征反映了岩体的失稳状态。经过多个失稳破坏阶段后岩体发生最终的失稳垮塌。该案例表明微震监测能为工程岩体失稳垮塌的预警和防控提供重要信息,也为涉及爆破作业的诸多地质工程活动的安全监测提供了参考。

Trace Metal Concentration in Two Matrices in an Urban Subtropical River

This study investigates the concentration of metals namely aluminium, manganese and cobalt in two matrices: sediment and fish organs (whole muscle stomach tissue, gills, liver and kidney) in an urban river, Mukuvisi River, Zimbabwe. River bed sediments and fish samples were collected simultaneously at five sites over seven months (September 2008-April 2009). Concentrations of aluminium, manganese and cobalt in the selected fish organs and sediment were estimated using the Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (FAAS). Water limnochemical aspects, dissolved oxygen, pH, temperature and conductivity were measured concomitantly at each site. Aluminium had significantly higher mean concentrations and bioconcentration factors in both sediments and fish tissues relative to cobalt and manganese. Cobalt and aluminium were detected in all fish tissues, whilst manganese was not detected in muscle and liver. Significant differences in bioconcentration factors for the metals in organs of the same fish species analysed in this study show differences in metal assimilation. Metal specific river rehabilitation methods need to be applied for the future restoration of the ecological integrity of Mukuvisi River.

Effect of magnetic field on elements segregation in electroslag ingot

In order to improve the production efficiency of electroslag remelting process and the solidification quality of electroslag ingot,a novel electroslag furnace with electromagnetic stirring was designed and the effects of external magnetic field and different electrical parameters on electroslag remelting process were studied.The distribution of carbon,chromium,phosphorus and compactness in electroslag ingot was analyzed through original position analysis apparatus.Results show that the external magnetic field accelerates the remelting of consumable electrode.Under the condition of remelting voltage of 34 V and current of 1500 A,the remelting rate of metal consumable electrode increases from 20 to 27 mm min−1 when the magnetic induction intensity of 62×10^(−4) and 108×10^(−4) T is applied.However,the remelting current decreases from 1500 to 1100 A under the condition of constant remelting rate and remelting voltage,thereby reducing the energy consumption.The effect of external magnetic field on the segregation of different elements in electroslag ingot is different.Under the experimental conditions,the carbon segregation is unremarkable,but the phosphorus segregation is improved when the electromagnetic force generated by the interaction between the external magnetic field and the remelting current is small.However,the excessive electromagnetic force aggravates the segregation of carbon and phosphorus.With the increase in electromagnetic force,the chromium segregation gradually increases.