An iron tailings-based soil-like aggregate material used to fix up soil compaction

Soil improvement plays a crucial role in global food security. The construction of an ideal pore structure in soil is a key factor in balancing the liquid-gas ratio. However, achieving a balanced liquid-gas ratio remains a formidable challenge due to the lack of a cost-effectively pore-controlled strategy in soil improvement techniques. Inspired by the pore structure of natural soil aggregates (SA), a soil-like aggregate material (SLAM) is proposed and prepared using solid waste of fine iron tailings as the main raw materials, which is realized by in-situ hydrophobic modification combined with the addition of pore structure templates. The pore structure of SLAM is thoroughly evaluated through six aspects (fractal dimension, pore factor, Euler number, pore throat area, and length). The results demonstrate that SLAM not only has a preferable pore structure similar to SA but also rapidly adjusts the liquid-gas ratio to a balanced value (N, a parameter used to describe liquid-gas, improved from 0.78 to 0.66). The water in the SLAM is dispersed in a point-like manner which facilitates its retention and infiltration. Moreover, the raw materials of SLAM also offer advantages of low cost (7.56 $/t) and high tailings content (96 wt %), indicating the potential for large-scale use.