Hydration Mechanisms and Mechanical Property Evolution of Cemented Backfill Under Diverse Thermal Environments: A Review

The cemented backfill mining method has progressively become the preferred mining technique for underground metal extraction due to its advantages such as environmental friendliness, high efficiency, and economic viability. The mechanical properties of the backfill are fundamental to ensuring effective strata control and structural stability within backfilled stopes. Hydration reaction serves as the critical factor in the formation of backfill mechanical properties, while temperature influences these properties by governing the progression of the hydration process. This paper systematically reviews five fundamental hydration models (NG, CEMHYD 3D, Krstulovic-Dabic, Heat of Hydration and Thermodynamic Phase Equilibrium), critically analyzing their limitations in predicting performance under extreme geothermal and cryogenic conditions. Distinct from previous reviews, this study reveals the nonlinear mapping between dynamic temperature fields and microstructural evolution. Furthermore, it incorporates recent advancements in multi-field coupling mechanisms and AI-driven strength prediction. Ultimately, this study establishes that with the emergence of advanced modeling software and machine learning algorithms, the investigation of temperature effects on backfill is poised to move toward a more comprehensive, intelligent, and refined direction.