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THE CASE FOR USING FINES VOID RATIO
Session: Mining Geotechnique I / Géotechnique minière I
Amarebh Sorta, University of Alberta (Canada)
Nicholas Beier, University of Alberta (Canada)
Louis Kabwe, University of Alberta (Canada)
Don Scott, University of Alberta (Canada)
Ward Wilson, University of Alberta (Canada)
Generally in geotechnical engineering, the relationships of compressibility, hydraulic conductivity and shear strength are plotted as functions of total void ratio. However, for oil sands and other tailings containing both fines and sand, it has been found that the sand does not significantly influence the compressibility, hydraulic conductivity and shear strength of sandy, fluid fine tailings. The sand only functions as filler material that displaces the fines matrix. In plotting the relationships, the fines void ratio, therefore, should be used not the total void ratio. Test results proving the case for using fines void ratio not total void ratio is included using a Soil Structure Behaviour Diagram.
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