Experimental study on the road performance of molybdenum tailings sand stabilized with cement and fly ash

The large accumulation of molybdenum tailings (MoT) has resulted in a series of hazards, including environmental pollution, damage to water resources, and increased risk of geological disasters. This study employs ordinary Portland cement (OPC) and fly ash (FA) stabilization of MoT sand and seeks the optimal mix ratio through experimentation. The strength properties of MoT sand stabilized with different proportions of OPC and FA are studied and analyzed through unconfined compressive strength tests, splitting tensile strength tests, and splitting rebound modulus tests. Additionally, the microstructure of MoT sand stabilized with OPC and FA is analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results indicate that with an increase in OPC content, the compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, and splitting rebound modulus all increase. With an increase in FA content, the compressive strength gradually increases, while the splitting tensile strength and splitting rebound modulus show a trend of initially increasing and then decreasing. The results show that the optimal mix proportion for OPC and FA-stabilized MoT sand is 7 % OPC content and 15 % FA content. This mixture is suitable for a heavy traffic base of expressways and class I highways, as well as for an extra heavy traffic base of class II and below highways. The research results can provide reference for using OPC and FA stabilized MoT sand as roadbed material.