Effect of Early Curing Experiences on Mechanical Properties and Microstructure of ECO-UHPC Prepared by Gold Tailings Sand.

Fine gold tailings particles generated from gold mining and refining have the potential to replace high-cost quartz sand in the preparation of economical ultra-high-performance concrete (ECO-UHPC) due to their large stockpiles, low cost, and elimination of grinding. In this study, ECO-UHPC was prepared by substituting quartz sand with gold tailing sand (GTS) at substitution rates of 0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%. The mechanical properties of ECO-UHPC, including its cubic compressive strength, elastic modulus, and prismatic compressive strength, as well as its leaching toxicity, were experimentally analyzed under various early curing experiences such as ambient-water curing (WC), hot-water curing (HWC), hot-air curing (HAC), and combined curing (CC).