Enhancing dynamic mechanical properties of cemented lithium mica tailings backfill with alkaline rice straw fibers: Experimental investigation and microscopic analysis

Cemented lithium mica tailings backfill (CLMTB) faces dynamic loads from mining operations, affecting its stability. This study investigates the use of alkaline rice straw fibers (ARSF) to enhance CLMTB's dynamic properties. Dynamic impact tests were conducted on CLMTB specimens with varying ARSF contents, revealing that dynamic compressive strength (DCS) increased with ARSF up to 0.45% before decreasing. DCS improved with rising strain rates. The research includes analyses of stress-strain behavior, failure patterns, and energy dissipation during impacts, with scanning electron microscopy revealing the microstructural effects of ARSF on CLMTB. The findings suggest that ARSF effectively mitigates the damaging impacts of loads, significantly reducing crack development in CLMTB. • The effect of strain rate on dynamic compressive strength was studied. • Failure mode and energy dissipation of CLMTB under dynamic impact were analyzed. • The microscopic mechanism of alkaline rice straw fiber on CLMTB was analyzed.