ABSTRACT
This study applied the indoor standpipe method to test the capillary rise in coal-fired cinders (fly ash, bottom ash and their mixture at ratio of 4:1) and found that the correlation between the height of the capillary rise and time in coal-fired cinders follows a power function. Based on the relationship, the capillary rise process is divided in to three stages, including the rapid rise stage, the slow rise stage and the roughly stable stage. The effect of coarse particles in fly ash on capillary water movement has a dual nature: the negative capillary pressure was greater in the early stage, and macro pores formed by coarse particles facilitate rapid capillary rise; whereas at the late stage, coarse particles prolongs the length of capillary water movement path, making capillary water movement more difficult.
