PAPER
100-
,")ill 4 Ihl Oh
co ierI~s )oi:
souse
c eoI:ec chica
consi( eraI:ions
by HD Skinner, KS Watts and JA Charles, Building
Research Establishment.
Summary
e redevelopment of old colliery sites will involve the reclamation
of large areas of derelict land associated with colliery spoil heaps.
Many reclamation schemes have involved removing old spoil
heaps and regrading to specified contours, but colliery spoil used for
landscaping may not have been placed to an engineering specification.
Colliery spoil has been used in engineered fills for road embankments
and has found some use on building sites but it is expected that current
regeneration initiatives will lead to far more building developments on
colliery spoil. This paper describes a case study in which colliery spoil
has been used in a reclamation scheme and highlights some of the
important features of the load carrying behaviour of colliery spoil
which have been studied by BRE over the last 20 years.
1.Iutroduotlou
It is proposed that more than 60% of the 4.4 million new homes which it
has been predicted will be needed over the next 20 years should be built
on "brown", ie previously used, as opposed to "green", ie undeveloped,
sites (Department of the Environment, 25.11.1996). A Rl billion
regeneration package for coalfield areas has been announced
(Department of the Environment, 6.11.1996)which will involve the
reclamation of about 1000ha of land for residential, commercial and
retail uses and a further 1100ha for agricultural and leisure purposes.
Many colliery sites contain very large quantities of colliery spoil and
redevelopment will necessarily involve building on these fills.
The waste product from the deep mining of coal is derived from the
rocks adjacent to the coal seams. These are mainly siltstones and
mudstones with seat-earths and occasionally other rock types. During
mining operations quantities of these rocks —which are unavoidably
extracted with the coal, or in driving the tunnels which give access to the
coal faces — are brought to the surface with the coal. In the coal
preparation plant most of this material is separated by a washery
process to yield coal of the required quality.
It has been estimated that there are more than 3000 million tonnes of
colliery spoil in the UK. At one time the coal mining industry was
producing over 60 million tonnes of waste annually, most of which was
placed in tips of coarse discard adjacent to the collieries. Although the
production of waste will now be at a much lower level, there are large
stocks of colliery spoil in the coalfields at closed collieries. In April 1988
A
'I'ori t% e Isn..a
~M
u Mll
.I-j+ !CIP.~-: d-~t, FI
Phofogrephfk Coglerr spog being pieced ln 2m Sihk lerers.
GROUND ENGINEERING JUNE 1997
80-
70-
60.
ee 50.
40.
30-
g
20-
10
—
— North hole
South and middle holes
0
0.0001 0.001 0.01 0.1 10 100
(mm)
so
Fine Medium Coarse Fine Medium Coarse Fine Medium~ Coarse ~$
Clay ~Cr
Flgnre 1:Sroglng
Silt
cnrsos for Coeleue rednmegon schemefgla
Sand Gravel CJ
there were 4700ha of derelict land associated with colliery spoil heaps in
England alone (Department of the Environment, 1991).
Many reclamation schemes have involved removing old spoil heaps
and regrading to specified contours, but colliery spoil used for
landscaping may not have been placed to an engineering specification.
Colliery spoil has been used in engineered fills for road embankments
and has found some use on building sites including housing
developments and industrial estates. It is expected that current
initiatives will lead to far more building developments on colliery spoil.
Where building is to take place on colliery spoils, various causes for
concern have been raised associated with geotechnical, combustion and
chemical properties of the spoil. Following the Aberfan disaster in 1966
when the failure of an unstable colliery spoil heap caused great loss of
life, colliery spoil has been the subject of major geotechnical
investigations (Taylor, 1984), but these were largely concerned with
slope stability rather than with the problems associated with building
on the spoil. Older spoil heaps often ignited and as a consequence the
materials may be a mixture of unburnt, partially burnt and well burnt
spoil. However, where the fill is well compacted and the air voids are
small the possibility of spontaneous combustion is remote. Pyritic
shales can cause problems through expansion induced by slow
oxidation; where these materials underlie foundations, damage has
often been caused by chemical attack of sulphate on concrete rather
than by swelling. Problems associated with chemical attack may be
overcome by precluding the use of such fills in a zone immediately
beneath the foundations.
Over the last 20 years, BRE has carried out investigations of the
geotechnical properties of colliery spoils as part of an ongoing research
programme on filled ground. Field trials and long term monitoring at a
number of sites have facilitated research into the settlement of deep fills
and the use of various ground improvement techniques (Charles, 1993).
The basic properties and load carrying characteristics of a range of fills
have been investigated in the laboratory, including testing in BRE's 1m
diameter oedometers which allow the testing of fills containing
particles up to 125mm in size. Larger scale tests have been carried out in
the 2m deep pilot scale test pit at BRE. Recently, some carefully
controlled tests have been carried out in a new 6m x 4m x 4m deep test pit
in which the deformations and stress changes in colliery spoil have been
monitored. These studies have led to advice for industry in the
specification of engineered fills (Trenter and Charles, 1996), and the
classification, site investigation and treatment of existing fills (Charles,
1993).Problems and failures on filled ground emphasise the importance
of developing an adequate understanding of the behaviour of fills, and
of identifying potential hazards so that appropriate types of building
development can be undertaken economically and safely on suitable fill
sites.
2. Case study- Coahrllle, Lelcestershlre
A major land reclamation scheme was started in Coalville in 1978 with
the backfilling of three claypits. The north hole was backfilled with old
colliery spoil from an adjacent heap. This was placed in thin layers by
scrapers but received no other systematic compaction. The middle and
south holes were backfilled by dumping newly mined waste material in
thick layers, with no compaction other than the lorries running over the
surface (Photograph A). The particle distribution in each fill was
similar, with around 40% of the particles finer than 0.075mm and 30%
coarser than 2.36mm (Figure 1). All three holes were dewatered before
 PAPER

(a) After inundation (b) Before Inundation

0-
10-
E
E
L
III
6- DI 20-
E
0
4
ID
8I —
— u
Hole Pad
0.9m x 0.9m
— North
Dr
O irr
rx o Middle 0.9m x 0.9m
o o South 0.9m x 0.9m
2 0
40
0 1hour 0.1 1 10 100 1000
0 100 200 0 100 200 Time in days since load applied
a'v (kPa) o'v (kPa)
Flguro ru Load tests on coglory spog at Coolvlga
Figurc fh Conslrslnod modulus of coglory spog at Coahrlllo.

0-
co
E 0-
ID
E 1-
20— DI
N
c9 2-
E E
E O 0
E ID

EID E 1D ID
4-
ID

E 40- E C
ID
Cl
lg a 6-
V)
I
D-
ui 4OO- 0 Base of fill
0 200 400 600
60— Inundation
settlement (mm)

80 I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I

78 80 82 84 86 88 90 92 94 96
Year
I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I

Figurc 3:Long hmn sotgomontof spog at CoaMllo. 78 80 82 84 86 88 90 92 94 96

Year
and during the filling operation but water levels were not controlled
afterwards. A summary of the placement conditions is given in Table 1. Rguro 5:Sotgomont of spog In south hola at Coalvlgo.
Magnet extensometers were installed in August and September 1978
to monitor vertical strain within the backfill. The gauges measured the placed. Although the results (Figure 2) showed a considerable degree of
settlements at different depths within the backfill, relative to the base of scatter, in general there was some increase in stilTness with depth, and it
the fill. At this time the backfilling had recently been completed in the was noticeable that the fill which had been inundated was stiffer than
north hole, was advanced in the south hole and had just started in the the spoil which had not been inundated, particularly at higher stresses.
middle hole. As filling continued in the middle and south holes, the The constrained modulus was low, at around 5MPa at 100kPa
gauges were extended upwards through the fill. The behaviour of both overburden pressure in fill which had been inundated and only 2MPa in
the new colliery waste and the spoil from the older heap has been the fill which had not been inundated. Fill which has been inundated
monitored over a period of 17 years. may have suffered collapse compression and hence may be more dense
Fill in parts of the middle and south holes was treated by dynamic than fill at a similar depth which has not been inundated, leading to a
compaction in 1984 prior to the development of light industrial higher constrained modulus. The phenomenon of collapse compression
buildings and a road was built across the north hole on a 2m high is discussed later in the paper.
embankment. Measurements of fill settlements were continued until
1995. No problems have been reported with either the industrial Long term soNomonts duo to self weight
development on the treated ground or the road. In the first few years the rate of settlement of the fill in the north hole
was significantly less than that of the middle and south holes. Since 1982
Immodlalo soNomont duo to self wolght the average yearly rate of surface settlement in the south hole has been
Constrained moduli have been derived from compression measured around 3mm/year, compared with virtually zero in the north hole
within the fill in the south and middle holes as further layers were (Figure 3).

Load tests
Plate loading tests were carried out on the fill in each hole in 1980. A net
North Middle and South bearing presSure of 35kPa was applied through a 0.9m x 0.9m square
Old, partly burnt New loading pad. The results are shown in Figure 4. The settlements were
Scrapers, thin layers End tipped, slightly larger in the fill in the middle and south holes than the north
1.5-2m layers hole. However, the plate load tests did not fully reflect the large
Moon molshtro conhmt difference in the nature of the two fills.
os plocod (%) 15 16
Mean dty donslty os Collapse compression
plocod (Mg/nF) 1.68 1.56 Collapse compression is the reduction in volume due to an increase in
Mmdnmm doplh of Ml ul moisture content. At one location in the south hole, where the fill was
gangs posMons (m) 13 12 6.5m deep, 470mm of surface settlement occurred between November
1978 and January 1979 (Figure 5). This was apparently associated with

35 GkoIIND ENGINEERING JiJNK 1997

 PAPER

0. 2.5kg rammer 1 Bentinck A

4.5kg rammer }
2.5kg rammer I Bentinck B
20- 4.5kg rammer }
40- 2.2—
E
E 0% Va (B)
S 60.
B E
80.
2.0—
100-

V (A)
120 . O

80 81 82 83 84 1.8—
Year

Figure 9:Setgement of spog In middle hole at Coahr ale, relative to hase of fBl.

-20-
1.6 I

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
0- w (%)

Figure 8:Compacson resuNs for two Bensnch spogs.

E 20- 100-
E
ID
90-
I
E 80-
H
IP
(0
40— I
Fd 60-
os 50.
60- c 40-
B 30-
m

10-
—
— Bentinck A
Bentinck B
80 I I I I I I I I I I I I
I

78
I I

84
I I I

90 92
I

94 96 0
80 82 86 88 0.0001 0.001 0.01 01 1 10 100
Year (mm)
Cy
Fine Coarse Fine Coarse Fine Coarse
Figure 7:Setgement of spog In norlh hole at Coahdge. Medium~ Medium Medium
~Q
~rrr
Clay
Silt Sand Gravel CP
very heavy rainfall (180mm) in December 1978. The settlement was
equivalent to 7% strain over the whole 6.5m depth of fill. The magnet
readings indicated that most of this strain occurred at 0.5m - 4.5m depth Figure 9:Bradlng cunres for Bentlnch colliery spogs 4 and IL
so locally up to 10% of vertical strain occurred.
using the test pit facilities at BRE. Two mining spoils, obtained from
Beep seated movements Bentinck Colliery in North Nottinghamshire, have been studied in
Coal was extracted from relatively shallow seams beneath the south and detail. The spoils, denoted Bentinck A and Bentinck B, were mined from
middle holes and resulted in a surface settlement of 0.6m in the middle the same seam, processed in similar fashion and were geologically
hole in 1982. Significant settlements were triggered throughout the fill. similar.
Most of the mining subsidence occurred below the base of the hole but
the deep seated movements also triggered some additional compression Compactlou
of the backfill, which was measured by the gauges (Figure 6). Around Compaction results for both spoils are given in Figure 8. For Bentinck A
0.5% of strain was measured through the depth of the fill, there was a minimum dry density at 4% moisture content at which
corresponding to 70mm of the settlement at the surface. around 90% of the maximum dry density was obtained. For Bentinck B
there was a minimum dry density with 2.5kg compaction but not with
Setuement due to addtuonal loading 4.5kg compaction. Optimum moisture contents were typically between
In 1984 a 2m high embankment was constructed across the north hole. 6% and 8%. The samples contained fines of around 10-15%, with
Figure 7 shows the effect of the increased loading by comparing two of gradings shown in Figure 9.
the magnet gauges, one of which was positioned under the It can be seen that Bentinck A, which contained a greater proportion
embankment. Initial settlement under the embankment was 23mm in of coal, had a much lower maximum dry density (1.89Mg/ma compared
the first 18 months, followed by a rate of settlement of just over with 2.09Mg/ms for Bentinck B). The presence of relatively small
Imm/year, which is larger than the settlement rate before construction quantities of coal made a significant difference to both the particle
and of the non-loaded fill beside the embankment. density and compaction curves. It should be noted that if a sample with a
large coal fraction is used to determine the maximum dry density in a
3. Bohatflour of colllory spoil laboratory compaction test and this density is then used to control field
The geotechnical problems associated with building on uncompacted or compaction, significant under-compaction could result if some of the
poorly compacted fills have been investigated in the laboratory and spoil on site should contain a smaller percentage of coal. Further

(iao(INI) KNGINKKKIN('(INI( 1997 37

 PAPER

2.0-
g
c Air
ff voids

0
8
$ 10
Ii w = 8%, 7~ = 1.49Mg/m dry

5%
0 w = 8%, 7< = 1.70Mg/m

15
II w = 8%, 14 = 1.90Mg/m
I
Inundation + 10'/
0 20 40 60 80
different

Applied vertical stress (kPa)

Flgure10:0.1 8m oedometer tech on Bentlnck B at denslle. 5%

g 5
E
1.2-
I 10
n w = 8%, 7~ = 1.49Mg/m 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

15
CI w = 0%, 7~ = 1.50Mg/m
Inundation
different
+ I
Moisture content (%)
0 20 40 60 80
Flgure12: Collapse contours for Bengncka.
Applied vertical stress (kPa)

Rgure11: g.1gm oedomeler tash on Benlnck B at moistur
differences between the compaction behaviour of the two spoils were
attributed to the quantities of fines present in each sample.
Compresslhlly
When fills are not close to failure it can be convenient to describe their
behaviour using elastic parameters, even though the stress-strain
behaviour of fills is generally non-linear and irrecoverable. The
settlement of many fills is closely related to one dimensional
compression and the constrained modulus (D), as measured by
oedometer tests, may be a more appropriate parameter than Young's
modulus and Poisson's ratio.
The compressibility of the two colliery spoils has been investigated in
the 0.15m diameter oedometers at BRE. In Figure 10 the vertical stress-
strain behaviour is plotted for three samples of Bentinck B prepared at
the same moisture content but with different dry densities. In Figure 11
the vertical stress-strain behaviour for samples at different moisture
contents but the same dry density is shown. The constrained modulus
ranged from 1-12MPa; D increased with dry density and was also
dependent on the moisture content. There can be some increase in D
with applied stress, although as this material tends to break down at
higher applied stresses the decrease in compressibility is limited.
Collapse compression
Collapse potential is a function of the density, moisture content, applied
load and stress history of the fill. Oedometer tests, using 0.15m diameter
samples, have been carried out on a number of colliery discards in order
to quantify the collapse potential over a range of dry densities and
moisture contents and for correlation with the larger scale tests.
The contours of collapse compression plotted in Figure 12 have been
derived from tests on 0.15m diameter samples of Bentinck A spoil. The
contours are plotted in terms of the density and moisture content of the
spoil as compacted and do not take account of the compression of the
spoil induced by the vertical stress of 42kPa applied prior to flooding.
The dashed lines indicate the 4.5kg and 2.5kg compaction curves. In the
case of this spoil, a specification of 95% of the maximum dry density
obtained in the 4.5kg compaction test should eliminate collapse
potential while a similar specification using the 2.5kg compaction test
conhmh. the specification of engineered fills to avoid collapse settlements and the
analysis of existing filled sites. Guidelines on the specification of fills
for building purposes have been published recently by Trenter and
Charles, 1996.
Three tests on Bentinck A spoil were carried out in the pilot test
facility at BRE. This test pit is 3m x 1.5m x 2m deep. Water can be
introduced to the pit or drawn out from a sump in the base. In each test a
total depth of 2m of spoil was compacted at a specific moisture content
to a chosen dry density. A surface load of 32kPa was applied using
kentledge before inundating the spoil and measuring the collapse
settlements.
At a moisture content of 8%, collapse varied from 0.3% to 11.7%,
depending on dry density, and at a moisture content of 5% a collapse
compression of 13.7% was measured for spoil with a dry density of
1.54Mg/m'. The collapse was generally greater than that predicted by
0.15m oedometer tests. The 0.15m oedometer could not accommodate the
larger particles found in the samples and in order to test a sample with
the same grading as used in the test pit a larger oedometer, such as the
BRE 1m diameter oedometer, would be required.
llfferenthl surface setffemenh due to ground mmremonh at depth
The BRE large test pit facility, completed in December 1995, consists of a
reinforced watertight concrete pit with internal dimensions 6m x 4m x
4m deep. Three fixed standpipes run from the ground surface into a
Fi
45'
$
r
m ~ ..4 IP

would not entirely avoid collapse settlement. However, this finding may
not be true for other fills or, indeed, other colliery spoils. Figure 12
illustrates the potential hazard of major collapse settlement where a fill
composed of this spoil has been placed with no control at low dry
densities and moisture contents. Further research into the compaction
and collapse behaviour of a variety of fills is planned by BRE to aid both Photograph B:Collery spol heing phcedin cm deep teal pit

GROUND ENGINEERING JUNE 1997

 PAPER

120

0 P7 near base of zone

() Q P10 near top of zone
100

80 10
I E
E

.5 60- 15
e ( Q
nI
ro

40 20

20 25- 0 Surface, 1.25m from zone centreline

0 Surface, centrally over zone
0 Top of zone

0 30
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0
Water level (m above base of zone) Water level (m above base of zone)

Figurc 13:Effocgvo vortical stresses at lop and bottom of 1m'ry zone at1.5-2.5m Flguro14: Sofgomonfs of surface and 1m'ry zona at1.5-2.5m depth dutfng first
dopfb during first Inundation. Inundagon.

sump in the base of the pit and allow water to be introduced to the pit 0-
from the base or drawn out using a pump permanently installed in the
sump. ~~
A test on Bentinck B in the large test pit facility was performed
uu ~
during summer 1996. Differential surface settlements due to the
settlement at depth of discrete zones of collapsible material were
measured.
The 4m deep test sample was constructed in 250mm layers of spoil at
~ 4 ak
a moisture content of 10%, with very light compaction (Photograph B).
This fill was highly compressible but had virtually no collapse
potential. Six 1m'ones of dry fill at a dry density of 1.5Mg/m" were
constructed at different depths within the wet fill; these zones were less Qlg oaa aaa
compressible than the surrounding material and had high collapse
potentials. The test fill was inundated from the base, simulating a rise ao
in ground water level, and the stresses and settlements within three CI
zones and in the wet fill were measured. ~ ~ am ~ a ~
Stresses (Figure 13) and settlements (Figure 14), measured during
inundation of the 1m'one located at 1.5m-2.5m depth, indicated
8-
~o ~
significant differences from the one dimensional problems previously
studied. Stress transfer resulted from the interaction between the
collapsing fill and the rest of the material and served to suppress the
expected collapse of the dry zones. However, settlements were North hole a
measured at the surface of the test due to collapse at depth. The results Middle hole ~
will be used to calibrate numerical models of the behaviour of the fill 4~ ~
~ South hole ~
during collapse and to investigate the effect of the size and depth of a ~
collapsible zone on the surface settlements. Further tests are planned to 12
investigate the effectiveness of stiffened surface layers in reducing 0 20 40 60
differential settlements due to ground movements at depth. SPT 'N'

4. Site Investigation Flguro15 (ABDV5): SPT tests at

The importance of an adequate site investigation prior to design and Coalvllla 0-
construction on a colliery spoil cannot be over emphasised. A number of Figurc 16 (516IIT):Dynamic probing (DP)
features of such investigations have received attention in the BRE In pilot pllbefore and anor Inundation.
research.
The more robust soil profiling tools, including standard penetration inundation. o
1-
tests (SPT) and dynamic probing (DP), are often used on site, in Laboratory oedometer tests
on samples taken during a site E
0+
conjunction with borehole samples and trial pits, to investigate the
relative density and variability of fills. SPTs were conducted through
the full depth of fill in each of the three holes at Coalville. The results
investigation can provide a
direct measurement of collapse
CL
OI
CI
K o

(Figure 15) show a considerable scatter, indicating the variability within potential. Such tests can only be 2-
the fills. In the north hole SPT N values ranged from 12 to 56 with a mean
value of 30, whereas in the other holes N values ranged from 2 to 26 with a
mean value of 10.
However, these basic site investigation techniques do not correlate
a reliable guide if the samples
taken are representative of the
fill as a whole, and sampling
disturbance may significantly
~—
o
Before inundation
o After inundation
well with collapse potential. The results from DP tests on fill in the pilot affect the results: oedometer 3
test pit, before and after inundation, are shown in Figure 16. There was tests on samples of spoil taken at 0 1 2 3
Coalville from boreholes in the Dynamic penetration
little difference in the results between fill with a high collapse potential
resistance, qo (MN/m )
(of 7%) before inundation compared with no collapse potential after south hole showed collapse

GROUND ENGINEERING JUNE 1997 36

 PAPER
Photograph C (ABOVE): Rapid Impact compacgon.
Photograph O (RIBIIT):Backsglng a dock ndth coglorr agog.
potentials of less thall 1%, compared with up to 10% of collapse
settlement found on site after heavy rain.
It may be helpful to perform tests on recompacted samples, provided
the field density and moisture content can be characterised with a
degree of confidence. Where fills contain a significant number of
particles over 20mm in diameter it will be necessary to test samples from
which the large particles have been removed or to use a large oedometer.
However this approach takes no account of past stress or moisture
content history.
A site investigation test aimed specifically at detecting collapse
potential of a fill at depth is under development at BRE and was carried
out in each of the pit tests.
The test measures the deformation of a pre-loaded gravel cell in a
borehole after wetting the surrounding fill with a controlled quantity of
water. The test has been correlated with laboratory testing and in the test
pit (Charles and Watts, 1996). There was considerable scatter in the
correlation and the test was insensitive to collapse potentials smaller
than 2%. The test is particularly sensitive to the method of drilling the
cased borehole. Despite these drawbacks, the lack of alternatives makes
the test worthy of further investigation.
5. Ground treatntent
There are two different situations in which building development may
be planned on a colliery spoil. In the first case, where the fill is not yet in
position, an engineered fill can be placed to an appropriate specification
under controlled conditions as described by Trenter and Charles, 1996.
In the second case, where a non-engineered fill is already in place,
ground treatment is likely to be required before building on the fill. One
form of ground treatment is to excavate the non-engineered fill and
recompact in thin layers as an engineered fill.
Research into the improvement of the load carrying characteristics of
fills by using various ground improvement techniques has been carried
out over a number of years at BRE. The ground treatment techniques
briefly described here involve increasing the density of the fill. Further
information on each technique, including case studies on a variety of
fills, is available in Charles, 1993.
Ground treatment of colliery spoil should be designed to reduce, and
preferably eliminate, the susceptibility of the fill to collapse
compression as well as improving the stiffness and long term settlement
behaviour.
Dynamic compaction involves the repeated dropping of a weight onto
the ground surface and is one of the simplest and most basic methods of
densification carried out by specialist contractors. Dynamic
compaction has been used to treat colliery spoil (West and Slocombe,
1973). A new rapid impact compactor has been developed which drops a
7t weight through 1.2m onto a 1.5m diameter plate in contact with the
ground (Photograph C). While the energy per blow is lower than that of
dynamic compaction, the equipment permits a large number of blows to
be applied rapidly. The effectiveness of this technique has been
investigated on a limited range of fills (Watts and Charles, 1993). The
application, control and quality assurance of this ground treatment
method is the subject of a current collaborative research project with
the constructors and operators of the equipment, BSP/AMEC Joint
Venture.
Temporary preloading overconsolidates the fill before construction.
Preloading with a surcharge of fill involves a large earthmoving
operation but does not require specialist techniques. At Methil, in
Scotland, a 2m high surcharge of colliery spoil was placed over a 50m
ssti -e ~-, ~
wide finger of a dock backfilled by end tipping colliery spoil (Charles,
1984)(Photograph D). Most of the settlement occurred as the surcharge
was being placed.
Vibrated stone columns have been used in urban redevelopments for
around 30 years. The technique involves the backfilling of a cylindrical
hole formed by a vibrating poker, with crushed stone or gravel. Effective
radial densification of the fill should occur provided that the proportion
of silt size particles is less than 15 to 20%. The main concern in the use of
this technique in mining wastes is that the columns may form paths for
the water to enter fill which has not been adequately densified and is
susceptible to collapse.
6. Conclusions
Research performed by BRE over the last 20 years on colliery spoil as a
foundation material, both in the laboratory and on site, has confirmed
that:
~ When placed as an engineered fill, with adequate compaction and at
an appropriate moisture content, colliery spoil can be used with little
likelihood of problems
~ When spoil has been placed without engineering control and with
little compaction the settlement of the fill during loading and creep due
to self weight are likely to be large
~ Uncompacted spoils are highly susceptible to collapse compression
on first inundation, causing very large settlements
~ Basic site investigation techniques do not give a good indication of
collapse potential
~ Deep seated movements may trigger large differential surface
settlements in deep uncompacted fills
~ Some form of ground treatment is likely to be necessary to improve
the performance of spoils placed as non-engineered fills; the ground
treatment should aim to improve the performance of the fill both during
loading and inundation
7. References
Charles JA. Some geotechnical problems associated with the use of coal mining wastes as
fill materials. Proceedings of the symposium on reclamation, treatment and utilisation of
coal mining wastes, Durham. London, National Coal Board, pp50.1-50.16, 1984.
Charles JA. Building on filL geotechnical aspects. Building Research Establishment
Report, BR 230, 1993.
Charles JA and Watts KS. The assessment of the collapse potential of fills and its
significance for building on filL Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers,
Geotechnical Engineering, Vol. 119,pp 15-28, Jan 1996.
Department of the Environment. Major coalfields regeneration plans unveiled. News
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