Index test for the degradation potential of carbonate sands during hydraulic transportation

Carbonate sands undergo degradation when transported hydraulically from a dredging vessel to the reclamation site. Risks involved in the production of fines during hydraulic transport are a deterioration of the mechanical properties of the fill in certain areas of the reclamation area where these fines concentrate. In order to assess sand degradation in the concrete and road construction industry, the Micro-Deval test for fine aggregates was developed in France and Canada. During Micro-Deval testing, aggregates degrade when tumbled in a rotating steel drum with water and steel balls. In the Canadian standard, the steel charge is lower than in the French standard and balls have the diameter of the smallest balls used in the French test. During testing, the quantity of fines produced is measured. This makes the Micro-Deval test an option for assessing the degradation of sand during hydraulic transportation of slurries in the dredging industry. Three sands are tested: two shelly carbonate sands and one quartzic river sand for comparison. The carbonate sands were sampled on reclaimed land and had been subjected to hydraulic transportation in pipeline before artificial deposition. Due to differences in particle shape, the carbonate sands and the quartz sand have a different number of contacts with the steel charge in the drum of the Micro-Deval and are not exposed to the same degradation forces during testing. It was found that the quartzic sand suffers relatively much degradation as compared to the carbonate sands, despite its greater hardness and resistance to crushability. The French test appears to create turbulence that promotes floatation of the curved shells of the carbonate sands instead of shell grinding at the bottom of the drum by contact with the steel balls. Microscopic observations of sand samples before and after testing showed that the French Micro-Deval test is too destructive. The test leads to the fragmentation by impact of the quartz sands and the destruction of certain particle types that had survived hydraulic transportation. With respect to the Canadian test, microscopic examination of sand grains before and after testing shows there is still much fragmentation of quartz grains. A lower rotational speed combined with a limited steel charge made of uniform balls of a smaller diameter, reduces turbulence, shell floatability and last but not the least, impact forces. It produces the desired result: a high Micro-Deval loss for the carbonate sands in comparison to that for the quartz sands and a very limited fragmentation of the quartz grains. Once the slurry reaches its destination, the grain size distribution of the fines fraction will influence the mechanical behaviour of mixed sands. A procedure is proposed to measure the particle size distribution of the fines fraction produced during Micro-Deval testing.Field validation is needed to validate preliminary laboratory results.     

Experiments on the entrainment threshold of well-sorted and poorly sorted carbonate sands

Few studies have examined the hydrodynamic behaviour of carbonate sediments. The data presented here are the result of preliminary research on entrainment in well- and poorly sorted carbonate sands. Experiments were performed using naturally occurring sediments in a tilting, recirculating freshwater flume. Results indicate that when of similar size, shape and density, the transport threshold of carbonate sands is similar to that of quartz. However, owing to their lower density and often platy or irregular shape, skeletal sands require a lower shear stress to initiate transport. Because the density of carbonate particles may increasingly vary with grain size, the threshold of motion in coarse carbonate grains may differ more markedly from that of quartz. In poorly sorted samples, results show that the coarse-grained constituents move before the finer-grained components. Grain properties and boundary-layer dynamics are believed to explain this phenomenon. Rollability of the larger grains combined with physical trapping and immersion within a low velocity sublayer are believed to prevent finer particles from moving. Given the appropriate sediments and flow conditions, it may therefore be possible to deposit and preserve fine-grained sediments in a flow regime typically thought to transport such materials.     

Methane-derived carbonate cements in barrier and beach sands of a subtropical delta complex

Highly negative δC¹³ values, ?18 to ? 40%., for carbonate cements found in Recent barrier and beach sands of the Mississippi River Delta complex strongly suggest that considerable carbon is furnished to the CaCO₃ cements by either chemical or biological oxidation of CH₄. These cemented sands are commonly found on beaches of the Chandeleur barrier island chain and other sites along the Louisiana coast where Holocene sands are rapidly transgressing over highly organic marsh deposits. Generation of CH₄ from underlying anoxic marsh sediments, followed by vertical migration and oxidation to CO₂ in the porous overlying sand, appears to be the unique set of conditions regulating this process of carbonate cementation.     

Particle breakage and energy dissipation of carbonate sands under quasi-static and dynamic compression

Acta Geotechnica - Quasi-static and dynamic compression tests are conducted on carbonate sand using a Material Testing System and a modified split Hopkinson pressure bar, respectively. The particle...     

Particle breakage and deformation of carbonate sands with wide range of densities during compression loading process

In this technical note, evolutions of the particle size distribution, particle breakage, volume deformation and input work of carbonate sands with varying relative densities were investigated through performing a series of one-dimensional compression tests. Loading stress levels ranged from 0.1 to 3.2 MPa. It was found that the initial relative density could greatly affect the magnitude of particle size distribution, particle breakage, volume deformation and input work. Particularly, it was observed that the specimen at a lower relative density underwent much more particle breakage than that at a higher relative density. This could be attributed to the change of the coordination number with the initial density. However, a unique linear relationship between the particle breakage and input work per volume could be obtained, which is independent of the initial relative density.     

Microbially induced cementation of carbonate sands: are micritic meniscus cements good indicators of vadose diagenesis?

Characteristic fabrics such as micrite envelopes, calcified filaments and micritic grain-to-grain bridges are observed in a modern subtidal firmground (Wood Cay, Bahamas) and in a variety of firm- and hardgrounds of Lower Cretaceous and Upper Jurassic platform carbonates (Swiss and French Jura Mountains). Their similarity to microbial fabrics described in grapestones and in intertidal to continental vadose environments suggests that microbial activity played an important role in the initial stabilization and cementation of carbonate sands. 'Meniscus-type cements' (to distinguish them from vadose meniscus cements), which clearly formed in subtidal environments, are related to filament calcification, trapping of percolating micrite and microbially induced carbonate formation. Such meniscus-type cements are commonly micritic, but meniscus-shaped precipitation of fibrous aragonite or sparitic calcite around organic filaments is also observed. Therefore, an interpretation of vadose early diagenesis should not be based on meniscus cements alone. Similarly, subtidally formed filamentous structures can strongly resemble alveolar septal structures and be interpreted incorrectly as related to subaerial exposure.     

Tepee structures and associated diagenetic features in intertidal carbonate sands (lower Jurassic,Morocco)

In southeastern Morocco, Early Jurassic inter- to supratidal carbonates can be followed for 200–300 km along the southern slopes of the High Atlas mountains. These beds form intervals of several tens to more than one hundred metres.Tepee structures, which are common in these beds, are confined to coarse-grained, early lithified beaches. Comparison with similar features in the Recent, and analysis of the diagenetic history of the sheetcrack-fills suggests that the formation of the tepees is an early, almost synsedimentary event.     

Particle breakage of uniformly graded carbonate sands in dry/wet condition subjected to compression/shear tests

The behaviour of a granular material is primarily affected by its particle size distribution (PSD), which is not necessarily a soil constant as assumed in traditional soil mechanics. The PSD may change over time due to mechanical as well as environmental actions. In this study, a series of ring shear tests and one-dimensional compression tests were completed on carbonate sand, in both dry and saturated conditions. Samples were prepared with different initial uniform gradings, to investigate: (1) the influence of the saturation state and initial grading on mechanical and deformational behaviour of carbonate sands and (2) the evolution of the PSD as a result of breakage. The ring shear tests show that the residual friction angle remains almost constant, but dilatancy reduces with increasing saturation degree. In the one-dimensional compression test, the yield stress decreases with increasing saturation degree, but the compressibility (as defined by C_c) remains almost constant, irrespective of the saturation state. Moreover, saturated samples suffer more breakage than dry samples during ring shear tests, while there is no obvious effect of saturation state on particle breakage in one-dimensional compression. A recently proposed PSD model with only two parameters (λ_p and κ_p) is employed to model the evolution of PSD, as it can more broadly capture the whole PSD throughout the breakage process than existing breakage indices. Test results demonstrate that parameter λ_p is linearly related to Einav’s breakage index \( B_{\text{r}}^{*} \) and is dependent on initial grading, but independent of test mode. Parameter κ_p is in power relationship with \( B_{\text{r}}^{*} \) and is independent of initial grading or test mode. The evolution of parameters λ_p and κ_p is related to the input work for both ring shear and compression tests, with λ_p being hyperbolically related to input work and κ_p in power relationship with input work. Using such an evolution law provides an alternative approach to capture the effects of particle breakage in constitutive models.

     

Permeability of stratified sands

Summary The permeability of graded sands was studied in the laboratory to determine the influence, if any, of stratification order on permeability (i.e. the position in which finer or coarser layers occur in the flow path). The evidence suggests that the order of stratification does not influence the order of magnitude of permeability of a sand. This order of magnitude is determined by the fine fraction of the sand. However, the order of stratification does have an influence on the finer details (i.e. variation within the same order of magnitude) of permeability. In this regard, an unsorted sand (all fractions mixed together) has the lowest permeability while a sorted one that has the fine fraction at the end of the sequence has the highest vertical permeability. It is also concluded that empirical formulae that use only the effective size, D ₁₀, to estimate permeability yield results that are comparable with those that incorporate sorting in their formulae. However, experimental results show that these formulae do not yield reliable results when used for more denser sands.     

Experimental investigation of cephapirin adsorption to quartz filter sands and dune sands

Batch experiments were performed to investigate cephapirin (a widely used veterinary antibiotic) adsorption on various size sands of low total organic carbon content (0.08–0.36 wt%). In the aqueous concentration range investigated (11–112 μmol/L cephapirin), adsorption to nearly pure quartz filter sands (0.50–3.35 mm diameter) is low. Isotherms are S-shaped and most display a region of minimum adsorption, where decreased adsorption occurs with increasing solution concentration, followed by increased adsorption at higher concentrations. Cephapirin adsorption to quartz-rich, feldspar-bearing dune sands (0.06–0.35 mm diameter), and the smallest quartz filter sand investigated (0.43–0.50 mm), can be described by linear sorption isotherms over the range of concentrations investigated. Distribution coefficients (K _d) range from 0.94 to 3.45 L/kg. No systematic relationship exists between grain size and amount of adsorption for any of the sands investigated. Cephapirin adsorption is positively correlated to the feldspar ratio (K-feldspar/(albite + Ca-plagioclase). Feldspar-ratio normalization of distribution coefficients was more effective than organic carbon normalization at reducing variability of K _d values in the dune sands investigated.     

Some problems associated with the analysis and interpretation of mixed carbonate and quartz beach sands,illustrated by examples from North-West Ireland

Mixes of carbonate and quartz sands, which are commonly encountered in Recent coastal sediments, require careful analysis if they are to be correctly interpreted. Grain-size data fall into multimodal or segmented zig-zag distributions which may require some kind of component separation if they are to be summarised by conventional statistics, and before they can be assigned to a particular hydrodynamic depositional process or environment. Unfortunately, separation techniques are only spasmodically applied, usually without due regard to the consequences. Such artificially filtered or truncated distributions are of little subsequent use. Using a range of samples from two beaches in NW Ireland, where carbonate proportions range from nearly zero to over sixty percent, the interrelationships of the two dominant components were examined. Where only a small carbonate proportion is incorporated into a large quartz one, predictable modifications of the size-curve are apparent. However, the components are more independent if mixtures are near equal. The occurrence of a number of distinctive combinations of simple straight lines and complex zig-zag curves probably reflects the relatively dynamic nature of the carbonate fraction.     

Accelerated weathering of hydrophobized sands

Acta Geotechnica - Hydrophobized sands have been suggested as materials for hydraulic barriers in infrastructure. When placed at the interface ground–atmosphere, environmental factors such as...     

Effect of wool fiber addition on the reinforcement of loose sands by microbially induced carbonate precipitation (MICP): mechanical property and underlying mechanism

Acta Geotechnica - Animal fibers with α-keratin had obvious advantages of mechanical strength and durability on reinforced microbially induced carbonate precipitation (MICP)-cemented loose...     

Wave-induced displacements in seafloor sands

The stability and deformation of the seafloor in response to storm wave loading is an important consideration in the design of pipelines, anchors, and offshore structures such as gravity-and pile-supported platforms. Two quite different approaches have been proposed for investigating the effects of storm waves on seafloor sands. These approaches derive from quite different considerations of soil-water interaction. In one of these approaches (exemplified by Yamamoto and Madsen) the seafloor is visualized to be a porous elastic or Coulomb-damped porous nonlinear medium. In this approach, the response of the seafloor, i.e. the displacements, stresses and porewater pressures, are computed for a given wave. The response is transient and is, therefore, related to the largest wave in the storm wave group. On the other hand, in the approach proposed by Seed and Rahman, only the development of residual porewater pressures (for estimating liquefaction potential) due to the storm wave group are considered. The effects of transient porewater pressures and stresses on the seafloor sands are ignored. The residual porewater pressures are computed using properties based on initial effective stresses through a porewater generation-dissipation model. The application of these techniques to problems of offshore structures such as pile-supported platforms has led to considerable uncertainty and confusion. In this paper, both of these approaches are combined to investigate seafloor response to a storm wave group. For typical storm wave conditions that exist in the North Sea, it appears that the inclusion of damping, inertia and anisotropic permeabilities in the study is not important relative to ocean sands. Parametric studies show that, for a given wave, the thickness and the stiffness properties of the soil deposit dictate the response of the deposit. The displacements in the deposit are, therefore, affected by the generation of residual porewater pressures.     

Experimental study of the grading characteristic effect on the liquefaction resistance of various graded sands and gravelly sands

The liquefaction vulnerability of fine- to coarse-graded saturated sand and gravelly sand is evaluated by stress control cyclic triaxial laboratory tests. Cyclic triaxial test on reconstituted specimens is carried out with relative density of 45 %. Cyclic triaxial tests performed by sinusoidal wave form with 1-Hz frequency and with the effective consolidation pressure equal to 100 kPa. Cyclic stress ratio which caused initial liquefaction in 15 cycles recognized as the liquefaction resistance in cyclic triaxial test of present study. The result had been used to find a relationship between liquefaction resistance and the grading characteristics (e.g., coefficient of curvature and coefficient of uniformity) of various graded sands and gravelly sands. Then, it is realized that a relationship between liquefaction resistance and any of the sizes (i.e., D ₁₀, D ₃₀, D ₅₀, D ₆₀) appears to be more practical.     

上海砂土蠕变变形特征的试验研究

采用室内单向压缩试验研究了上海砂土的蠕变变形规律和蠕变机制以及蠕变变形与应力历史的关系。试验结果表明,上海砂土具有明显的非线性蠕变特征,应变与应力、时间的关系可以用幂函数拟合;应力历史对砂土的蠕变性有显著影响,当荷载小于预压荷载时砂土的蠕变性显著减小。上海砂土的蠕变原因主要是砂土颗粒间的相互错动滑移所致。     

Stability of saturated sands under earthquake loading

An analytical method used to evaluate the stability of saturated sands under earthquake loading is presented in this paper. The dynamic porewater pressure ratios in saturated sands and the critical porewater pressure ratios beyond which the sands will tend to an unstable state are computed. The above mentioned ratios are used to establish criteria for evaluating stability and liquefaction.     

Experimental authigenesis of phyllosilicates from feldspathic sands

Hydrothermal experiments with primary detrital components of feldspathic sands (orthoclase, albite, quartz, and calcite) were conducted to simulate possible diagenetic changes in geosynclinal sedimentary accumulations and the geothermal reservoir of the Imperial Valley area, California. Phyllosilicate and zeolite mineralization was produced at 200°C and 1 Kb Ph₂o and at 300°C and 1 and 3 Kb Ph₂o. Scanning electron microscope examination of the detrital grains shows the development of authigenic minerals and solution features. Phyllosilicate development occurred as dense surface coatings on orthoclase crystals in concentrated brines and as scattered grain clusters in dilute brines. Cation concentration is considered to be a controlling factor in phyllosilicate formation and growth. During formation the phyllosilicate crystals appear to utilize the surficial feldspar lattice structure as a preferred growth site. Electron diffraction studies indicate the crystals are a 1 Md mica similar to illite. Initial phyllosilicate formation occurs principally on orthoclase in systems containing this mineral, but is disseminated on other mineral surfaces in systems without orthoclase. This experimental development of authigenetic illite via the destruction of potassium feldspar may offer a potential mechanism to help explain the resulting mineralogy of diagenetic processes occurring in natural sediments such as in feldspathic sands and argillaceous sediments.     

A modified state parameter for sands

Acta Geotechnica - This paper presents arguments for using a modified state parameter, Ic, to describe the fundamental state of sand. The other reference state being the minimum void ratio is...