Microstructure and adhesion force of dust on soil pavement in open-pit mine

Abstract

The microstructure and adhesion force between dust particles determine the dust starting and migration to a certain extent. By use of scanning electron microscopy, the BET method, and the abruption technique, the microstructure and adhesion force of dust on the soil pavement of an open-pit mine were examined. The results indicate that the dust shape of soil pavement is mainly irregular quadrilateral, pentagonal and circular. The adhesion of dust particles in soil pavement reduces as particle size and temperature increase. When the particle size grows from 22 to 30 μm and the ambient temperature rises from 25 to 30 ℃, the adhesion force of dust particles in soil pavement drops dramatically. The adhesion force of dust particles in the soil pavement of open-pit mine increases as environmental humidity and pressure rise. When the environmental humidity exceeds 70% and pressure exceeds 24.79 kPa, the adhesion of dust particles increases dramatically. On the basis of the multiple regression method, a prediction model for the dust adhesion force of open-pit mines’ soil pavement has been developed. However, its accuracy needs to be further enhanced.