Paste Backfill Corrosion Mechanisms in Chloride and Sulfate Environments

Abstract

To study paste backfill corrosion mechanisms in chloride and sulfate environments, we studied the effect of chloride and sulfate on the strength of paste backfill after 7, 14, 28, and 40 days. The chloride solutions and sulfate solutions in concentrations are 0 g/L, 0.5 g/L, 1.5 g/L, 4.5 g/L, or 15 g/L. The obtained specimens were analyzed by performing uniaxial compressive strength tests, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results show that chloride and sulfate significantly increased the uniaxial compressive strength of the specimen at a very fast speed in the early stage of the test, and the original structure of the specimen was destroyed and its uniaxial compressive strength decreased with the gradual corrosion. The reason for this characteristic is because the chloride reacts with the paste backfill to form calcium chloroamine hydrate (Ca4Al2O6Cl2·10H2O), and the sulfate reacts with the paste backfill to form dihydrate gypsum (CaSO4·2H2O), mirabilite, and ettringite. In the early stage, these substances can fill the pores to improve the compressive strength, and then expand to damage the structure of the backfill and reduce its compressive strength. In addition, sulfate can enhance the decomposition of C-S-H, which results in a faster destruction of specimens than in chloride environments.