A process to use the tailings as construction material giving it waterproofing characteristics and reduce its cracking is presented. For example, to use the mining tailing as a construction material conceding to it impermeabilizing features, reducing its cracking and increasing its resistance. The main stages of said process are to apply a calcium-containing solution to the soil to be treated; apply a solution that that contains calcite-producing bacteria, to the soil to be treated; optionally, add maltodextrin; and stabilize, compact and dry off the mix.

A process to use the tailings as construction material giving it waterproofing characteristics and reduce its cracking is presented. For example, to use the mining tailing as a construction material conceding to it impermeabilizing features, reducing its cracking and increasing its resistance. The main stages of said process are to apply a calcium-containing solution to the soil to be treated; apply a solution that that contains calcite-producing bacteria, to the soil to be treated; optionally, add maltodextrin; and stabilize, compact and dry off the mix.

Methods may comprise providing a cement dry blend comprising a plurality of cement particles and a plurality of inert microparticles, wherein the inert microparticles have an average diameter at least about 3 times smaller than that of the average diameter of the cement particles; mixing water, a set retarding additive, and the cement dry blend to yield a cement slurry; storing the cement slurry; mixing a cement set accelerator into the cement slurry; introducing the cement slurry into a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation; and allowing the cement slurry to set at a location within the wellbore, the subterranean formation, or both.

Methods may comprise providing a cement dry blend comprising a plurality of cement particles and a plurality of inert microparticles, wherein the inert microparticles have an average diameter at least about 3 times smaller than that of the average diameter of the cement particles; mixing water, a set retarding additive, and the cement dry blend to yield a cement slurry; storing the cement slurry; mixing a cement set accelerator into the cement slurry; introducing the cement slurry into a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation; and allowing the cement slurry to set at a location within the wellbore, the subterranean formation, or both.

A grout used in horizontal directional drilling including a silica material present in an amount of from about 50% to about 70%, bentonite present in an amount of from about 20% to about 30%, a carbon source present in an amount of from about 5% to about 15%, an inorganic alkaline material present in an amount of from about 0% to about 3%, a fluid loss additive present in an amount of from about 0% to about 1%, a polymeric dispersant present in an amount of from about 0% to about 1%, and a polymeric flow enhancer present in an amount of from about 0% to about 0.5%, all by weight of the grout composition. Methods utilizing the grout include placing conduit in a hole, forming the grout slurry, and placing the grout slurry adjacent to the conduct.

The invention relates to a sleeper for the track superstructure, which is manufactured in one piece from a plastic material, with the sleeper having an elongated base shape with two end sections, which are connected by a middle section of the sleeper and held at a distance and on their upper side in each case one contact surface is provided for in each case one rail to be supported on the respective end section with a reinforcement extending in the longitudinal direction of the sleeper being embedded into the middle section. In order to design such a plastic sleeper such that it has optimised strength and can be reliably manufactured even using cost-effective plastic/sand mixtures having a high proportion of sand, the invention proposes that the reinforcement extends over the length of the middle section, that the reinforcement is in each case anchored in the respective end section in an edge region of the end sections assigned to the middle section and in that the reinforcement is wholly or partially arranged in the upper quarter of the height of the sleeper.

The invention relates to a sleeper for the track superstructure, which is manufactured in one piece from a plastic material, with the sleeper having an elongated base shape with two end sections, which are connected by a middle section of the sleeper and held at a distance and on their upper side in each case one contact surface is provided for in each case one rail to be supported on the respective end section with a reinforcement extending in the longitudinal direction of the sleeper being embedded into the middle section. In order to design such a plastic sleeper such that it has optimised strength and can be reliably manufactured even using cost-effective plastic/sand mixtures having a high proportion of sand, the invention proposes that the reinforcement extends over the length of the middle section, that the reinforcement is in each case anchored in the respective end section in an edge region of the end sections assigned to the middle section and in that the reinforcement is wholly or partially arranged in the upper quarter of the height of the sleeper.

A strain tolerant recycled bitumen pavement composition comprising aggregate, recycled bitumen, and a specialized polymer modified bitumen. The specialized polymer modified bitumen may comprise bitumen and polymer, where the polymer comprises a preponderance of butadiene. The amount of recycled bitumen in the composition may be greater than 5% of the composition. Such high levels of recycled bitumen in a pavement composition, while desirable both economically and environmentally, typically produces layers with poor strain tolerance. The strain tolerance of the layer produced with the composition of the present invention, however, may be significantly higher due to the inclusion of the specialized polymer modified bitumen.

A strain tolerant recycled bitumen pavement composition comprising aggregate, recycled bitumen, and a specialized polymer modified bitumen. The specialized polymer modified bitumen may comprise bitumen and polymer, where the polymer comprises a preponderance of butadiene. The amount of recycled bitumen in the composition may be greater than 5% of the composition. Such high levels of recycled bitumen in a pavement composition, while desirable both economically and environmentally, typically produces layers with poor strain tolerance. The strain tolerance of the layer produced with the composition of the present invention, however, may be significantly higher due to the inclusion of the specialized polymer modified bitumen.

This invention relates to a solidifying agent for solidifying radioactive waste, and more particularly to a solidifying-agent composition for solidifying radioactive waste, including alumina cement and a gypsum powder. The solidifying-agent composition including alumina cement and a gypsum powder is capable of effectively minimizing an increase in the volume of a solidified radioactive waste product to a level satisfying physical and chemical safety regulations upon the solidification of radioactive waste.