Development of 3D analytical solution of earth pressures using cemented paste backfill for supporting underground stope

Stabilization of mine stopes with cemented paste backfill (CPB) has become a common practice across the mining industry due to its effectiveness, low cost and ease of use. Furthermore, backfill imposes stresses on the surrounding rock mass and barricades by complex interaction at their interface. Hence evaluation of such stresses is imperative for predicting the geomechanical behaviour of backfilled stope and designing barricades. The aim of this paper is to develop a CPB by conducting prefeasibility study on tailings rich in carbonates and to develop a 3D analytical solution of state of stresses in a filled stope. The experimental results demonstrated that the tailings have potential to be used as paste backfill material with suitable binder and superplasticizer. Analytical solutions of vertical and horizontal stresses with respect to height of the fill mass are also developed for an inclined and parallelepiped 3D stope considering the paste properties, stope dimensions, rock-paste interactions and pore water pressure.