A Laboratory Facility For Testing Cemented Fills

This case study describes various aspects of establishing a laboratory facility for testing chemically-cemented fill materials. The applicability of data obtained from such a facility related to mine conditions depends on many factors: kind of data, type of testing facility, sample parameters (composition, geometry, size, etc.). The equipment employed must be adaptable, to accommodate variations in sample size and properties. The design, construction and operation of the testing facility is described, and its application to fill samples prepared from sulphides and oxides both chemically and naturally cemented. The present system was selected following an extensive study of equipment available for testing materials in the fields of rock mechanics and construction materials. The strength testing' facility incorporates Linear Variable Differential Transformers for monitoring both lateral and axial displacements during sample compression. The output from these and from other related instrumentation can be recorded or fed direct to a computer, enabling stress-strain data to be printed out while the test is in progress. Also described are controlled environment curing facilities which allow samples to be cured or weathered under different temperature or humidity conditions to simulate long-term ageing and in place conditions.