Abstract
This paper presents a series of numerical simulations using discrete element method (DEM) to study the behavior of biopolymer-stabilized mine tailings (MT). Validation is conducted by comparing the DEM results with the experimental data. The macro-behavior comparison shows that the DEM simulations are in good agreement with experimental results. Analysis of the micro-parameters indicates more biopolymer induces larger tensile and shear strengths, confirming the experimental results which show that the strength of MT increases with higher biopolymer concentration. Analysis of the bond breakage pattern suggests that at the same strain level MT stabilized with higher biopolymer concentration show less bond breakage percentage. MT specimen under greater confining pressure develops larger shear band than that under lower confining pressure. Higher biopolymer concentration induces the increase in larger inter-particle bonding strength and thus larger cracking resistance and greater macro-strength.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bea SA, Ayora C, Carrera J, Saaltink MW, Dold B (2010) Geochemical and environmental controls on the genesis of soluble efflorescent salts in coastal mine tailings deposits: a discussion based on reactive transport modeling. J Contam Hydrol 111(1–4):65–82. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jconhyd.2009.12.005
Blight GE (2008) Wind erosion of waste impoundments in arid climates and mitigation of dust pollution. Waste Manag Res 26(6):523–533. https://doi.org/10.1177/0734242x07082027
Chang I, Cho G-C (2012) Strengthening of Korean residual soil with β-1,3/1,6-glucan biopolymer. Constr Build Mater 30:30–35. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2011.11.030
Chen R, Dan R, Weiland E, Lee I, Zhang L (2016) Experimental investigation on biopolymer strengthening of mine tailings. J Geotech Geoenviron Eng. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0001568,06016017
Cheung G, O’Sullivan C (2008) Effective simulation of flexible lateral boundaries in two- and three-dimensional DEM simulations. Particuology 6(6):483–500. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.partic.2008.07.018
Cheung LYG, O’Sullivan C, Coop MR (2013) Discrete element method simulations of analogue reservoir sandstones. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 63:93–103. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrmms.2013.07.002
Cundall PA, Strack OD (1979) A discrete numerical model for granular assemblies. Geotechnique 29(1):47–65
De Bono JP, McDowell GR, Wanatowski D (2014) DEM of triaxial tests on crushable cemented sand. Granul Matter 16(4):563–572. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10035-014-0502-8
Ding X, Zhang L, Zhu H, Zhang Q (2013) Effect of model scale and particle size distribution on PFC3D simulation results. Rock Mech Rock Eng. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-013-0533-1
Etemadi O, Petrisor IG, Kim D, Wan M-W, Yen TF (2003) Stabilization of metals in subsurface by biopolymers: laboratory drainage flow studies. Soil Sediment Contam Int J 12(5):647–661. https://doi.org/10.1080/714037712
Feng K, Montoya BM, Evans TM (2017) Discrete element method simulations of bio-cemented sands. Comput Geotech 85:139–150. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compgeo.2016.12.028
Garcı́a-Ochoa F, Santos VE, Casas JA, Gómez E (2000) Xanthan gum: production, recovery, and properties. Biotechnol Adv 18(7):549–579
Itasca (2008) PFC3D particle flow code in 3 dimensions—theory and background Manual Version, 4.0 edn. Itasca, ICG, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Jiang M, Yan H, Zhu H, Utili S (2011) Modeling shear behavior and strain localization in cemented sands by two-dimensional distinct element method analyses. Comput Geotech 38(1):14–29
Karimi S (1998) A study of geotechnical applications of biopolymer treated soils with an emphasis on silt. University of Southern California, Los Angeles
Obermayr M, Dressler K, Vrettos C, Eberhard P (2013) A bonded-particle model for cemented sand. Comput Geotech 49:299–313. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compgeo.2012.09.001
Piechota TC, van Ee J, Batista JR, Stave KA, James D (2004) Potential environmental impacts of dust suppressants: ‘Avoiding another Times Beach’–An expert panel summary. In: Summary AEP (Ed) Las Vegas, Nevada
Potyondy DO, Cundall PA (2004) A bonded-particle model for rock. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 41(8):1329–1364. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrmms.2004.09.011
Rahmati H (2013) Micromechanical study of borehole breakout mechanism. Ph.D. dissertation Ph.D., University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta
Shen Z, Jiang M, Thornton C (2016) DEM simulation of bonded granular material. Part I: contact model and application to cemented sand. Comput Geotech 75:192–209. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compgeo.2016.02.007
Sun M-J, Tang H-M, Hu X-L, Ge Y-F, Lu S (2013) Microparameter prediction for a triaxial compression PFC3D model of rock using full factorial designs and artificial neural networks. Geotech Geol Eng 31(4):1249–1259. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-013-9647-1
Wang YH, Leung SC (2008a) Characterization of cemented sand by experimental and numerical investigations. J Geotech Geoenviron Eng 134(7):992–1004
Wang YH, Leung SC (2008b) A particulate-scale investigation of cemented sand behavior. Can Geotech J 45(1):29–44. https://doi.org/10.1139/t07-070
Wang Y, Tonon F (2009) Modeling triaxial test on intact rock using discrete element method with membrane boundary. J Eng Mech 135(9):1029–1037. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)EM.1943-7889.0000017
Zhao X, Evans T (2009) Discrete simulations of laboratory loading conditions. Int J Geomech 9(4):169–178. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)1532-3641(2009)9:4(169)
Acknowledgements
This study was supported by the General Financial Grant from the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (Grant No. 2016M602739), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 41702295), and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (Grant No. 310821161002).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Chen, R., Ding, X., Zhang, L. et al. Discrete element simulation of mine tailings stabilized with biopolymer. Environ Earth Sci 76, 772 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-017-7118-3
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-017-7118-3