Phosphogypsum (PG) and Carbide Slag (CS) are two industrial byproducts that can be used as cementitious materials, and their synergistic effect provides excellent activation of ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS), which is traditionally activated by lime (LM). However, the behavior of PG-GGBS-CS ternary blended cement remains largely unexplored. In this study, the mechanical performance, hydration mechanisms, and environmental profile of PG–GGBS–CS binders in comparison with PG–GGBS–LM were evaluated by unconfined compressive strength (UCS), XRD, SEM, and TGA analyses. The optimum formulation containing 30% PG achieved 24.88 ± 1.24 MPa at 28 d, statistically comparable to 25.6 ± 1.28 MPa for PG–GGBS–LM. The synergistic activation of PG and CS/LM on GGBS has been identified as a crucial factor in the strengthening of UCS in ternary blended cement. Hydration products consisted mainly of calcium silicate hydrate (C–S–H) gels and Ettringite (AFt). Importantly, the CO₂ footprint of PG–GGBS–CS was reduced by 3.2% compared to that of PG–GGBS–LM. These findings establish CS as an effective substitute for lime in eco-binders, combining technical efficiency with carbon mitigation and offering a viable pathway for large-scale valorization of hazardous industrial residues.

In a reservoir area, impulsive landslide surges induced by slope failure may pose huge damage to the dam and the lives in the shoreline areas, which are greatly affected by river channel characteristics. In this study, water depth, the width of the water surface, and the bending angle of river channel were chosen as the main influencing factors. The numerical method was used to investigate the influence of river channel characteristics on wave propagation and the distribution of dynamic water pressure on the dam surface. The effect mechanism was analyzed, and a prediction model considering river channel characteristics for the propagation wave height was established. Results show that water depth and the bending angle of the river channel play a positive role in the attenuation of the energy carried by landslide surges. The width of the water level mainly influences the propagation of impulse waves in the far-field area. The river channel characteristics affect the value of the dynamic pressure on the dam surface but have a minor effect on dynamic pressure distribution. The distribution of dynamic pressure on the dam is greatly influenced by the distance between the dam site and the place where the landslide occurs.

It is necessary to open and close the sluice gate repeatedly for the maintenance of hydropower station equipment, leading to the aging of the sealing rubber, and the leakage of sluice gate. Based on the traditional sealing material, coal slag, this study proposes bentonite‐coal slag aggregates to improve the sealing efficiency. The results show that the optimal mass mixing ratio of bentonite and coal slag is (45–57):100, and the shear strength of bentonite‐coal slag aggregate is high (tan φ = 4.42, c = 176.4 kPa) and the permeability coefficient is low (5.5 × 10 ⁻⁸ m/s). In the bentonite‐coal slag aggregates, the surface of the coal slag is rough, which is conducive to the formation of skeleton among the particles. Bentonite absorbs water and expands, which can fill the pores between coal slag particles. Moreover, bentonite has strong adhesion after absorbing water and can bond coal slag particles into a solid, which is not affected by the fluctuation of water flow and has better sealing effect.

Incorporating flake graphite into bentonite enhances its thermal conductivity but compromises its impermeability. To address this trade-off，spheroidal graphite was selected as a substitute for flake graphite. Thermal conductivity and saturated permeability tests were conducted on spheroidal graphite-bentonite mixtures to investigate the effects of graphite content and shape on both thermal conductivity and permeability properties of bentonite. The results show that a spheroidal graphite content of approximately 20% significantly enhances the thermal conductivity of bentonite(1.7 W/(m·K))，while ensuring the permeability coefficient(9.44×10^－13 m/s) remains below the buffer layer's threshold of ≤1×10^－12 m/s. Concurrently，the maximum swelling pressure attained is 5.76 MPa，which falls within the recommended range of the buffer layer(1–10 MPa). Furthermore，the concept of critical graphite content is introduced，with the critical contents for spheroidal and flake graphite determined to be 27.3% and 16.4%，respectively. At a spheroidal graphite content of 20%，the graphite has not yet formed a skeleton within the mixture，indicating that it remains suspended in the bentonite. Conversely，at a flake graphite content of 20%，a skeleton forms with bentonite filling the spaces within the graphite structure. By analyzing the microscopic morphology and pore distribution characteristics of graphite-bentonite，this study elucidates why flake graphite enhances thermal conductivity while reducing impermeability. Additionally，it explains the physical mechanism by which spheroidal graphite outperforms flake graphite，providing scientific guidance for improving the operational safety of the repository.