Effect of specimen composition on the strength development in cemented paste backfill

This paper focuses on monitoring setting and strength development in cemented paste backfill (CPB). The composition of the paste is altered to study the effects of binder type and content, selected chemical admixtures (superplasticizers), mineral additives (e.g., fly ash), and pore fluid chemistry (e.g., ionic concentration and pH) on these properties. The three main techniques utilized are shear wave velocity measurements, penetration tests (e.g., Vicat needle tests), and unconfined compressive strength tests. All of these tests are sensitive to changes in the paste composition. The effect of the pore fluid chemistry and the chemical additives on the CPB properties depends on the ion type and concentration and the chemical composition of the superplasticizers. The shear wave velocity in both uncemented and cemented pastes increases with time as a result of self-weight consolidation, capillary forces, and cementation (the precipitation of ions in uncemented tailings pastes or cement hydration in cemented tailings pastes).