| Three ten meter high standpipe tests were initiated in 1982 to investigate the compression behaviour of oil sands tailings. The objectives of this research are to document and analyze the compression behaviour of these tailings in the ten meter standpipe tests and to use a finite strain consolidation theory to model the compression behaviour of these materials. The mature fine tailings (MFT) standpipe has been monitored for over 22 years and although it has compressed 3 meters by self-weight, very little or no effective stresses have developed. The MFT-sand standpipe with 82% sand content reached 100% consolidation in 8 years consolidating 1.5 m. Modeling with the finite strain consolidation theory does not predict the compression behaviour of the MFT. The theory, however, can forecast the consolidation progress of MFT-sand mixes which have a high percentage of sand. A nonsegregating MFT-sand mix should result in a tailings stream that consolidates rapidly to a sufficient density in a reasonable length of time. |
