Dynamic compaction properties of bentonite-based materials

Dynamic compaction tests of bentonite-based materials (BBMs) with 100, 70 and 50% bentonite contents have been performed using five powdery bentonites with different physicochemical properties to establish the simplified evaluation method for dynamic compaction properties of BBMs. For a given bentonite content and a total compaction energy condition, the maximum dry density, ρ_dmax, and the optimum water content, w_opt, which are well-known indexes of compaction properties, for BBMs were determined according to the type of bentonite used for BBMs. For evaluation of those values of BBMs derived in this study, the plastic limit of BBM, w_pbbm, was defined as the plastic limit that was measured using the sample pulverized to a maximum grain size of less than 425 μm in the case of BBM with sand having a maximum grain size of more than 425 μm and was measured using the powdery bentonite itself in the case of BBM without sand. This study proposed equations for evaluating ρ_dmax and w_opt of BBMs with more than 50% bentonite content under the total compaction energy conditions of 551–2755 kN-m/m³ using w_pbbm. Finally, we related the equations derived in this study to the equation for evaluating hydraulic properties of compacted BBMs proposed in previous work and proposed the preparation method of BBMs with more than 50% bentonite content for constructing BBM buffer by in-situ compaction method.     

泥页岩吸水扩散系数测量新方法

介绍了一种模拟井下温压条件下泥页岩吸水扩散系数测量的新方法及共实验装置和实验数据回归处理技术.利用该装置对泥页岩的扩散系数值进行了测定,并据此对泥浆滤液在泥页岩井壁中的渗透运移规律进行了数值计算.使用结果表明,该种测量方法新颖科学、数据可靠,且大大的简化了实验过程,缩短了实验时间,所得结果更符合现场实际,具有较大的实用价值.     

Influence of frozen conditions on the oxygen diffusion coefficient in unsaturated porous materials

The efficiency of soil covers used as oxygen barriers to control the generation of acid drainage from sulfidic mine wastes can be evaluated in terms of the diffusive oxygen flux reaching the underlying wastes. Oxygen diffusion has been extensively investigated over the last few decades for unsaturated porous materials that are not frozen. However, little attention has been paid to materials that are fully or partially frozen, and thus, the diffusion of oxygen through soil covers during the winter freezing period has been generally neglected. This paper presents a laboratory method developed to evaluate the effective diffusion coefficient of oxygen (D_e) in frozen, inert materials. The method is a modified version of the conventional double-chamber cell in which the temperature and unfrozen volumetric water content of the sample are measured in addition to the more commonly monitored change in oxygen concentration. Several tests were conducted on non-reactive materials: that is, a sand at multiple degrees of saturation (S_r?=?20, 30, 39, and 42%), a silt (S_r?=?47%), and a mixture of the two (S_r?=?90%). Experimental data were interpreted using the POLLUTE code. Values of D_e for frozen materials were slightly lower than those obtained at ambient laboratory temperatures. In addition to the development of an empirical method for determining D_e, a preliminary model based on the model proposed by Aachib et al. (Water Air Soil Pollut 156:163–193, 2004) was created for the prediction of D_e in frozen materials by defining the involved parameters as temperature-dependent. The results indicate that predicated values of D_e are slightly higher than experimental values, suggesting that there remains room for improvement in the model.

     

Active and passive measurements of radon diffusion coefficient from building construction materials

The gaseous state and chemical inert behavior of radon make it important tracer for the radon transport study through the building materials. The radon resistant property of building construction materials is important parameter to control the indoor radon levels in living and workplaces. The materials with higher radium content can be made less severe by the use of some building materials of low diffusion coefficient and diffusion length. This makes the study of radon diffusion through building material more important along with the study of exhalation and radioactivity content. Keeping this in mind the radon diffusion study was carried out through different building construction materials used for wall and floor by active and passive techniques. The diffusion coefficient from these building materials measured by passive methods varied from (0.9 ± 0.5) × 10^?7 to (22.95 ± 13.19) × 10^?6 m²s^?1 and radon diffusion length varied from 0.21 to 3.31 m for cement, soil, sand, wall putty and plaster of Paris (POP) etc. The radon diffusion coefficient measured by active technique varied from 1.93 × 10^?10 to 1.36 × 10^?7 m²s^?1 for samples with definite geometry like paper, polyethylene, marble, granite etc. The radon diffusion coefficient and diffusion length depend upon the porosity and density of materials for powder samples.     

压实黄土非饱和渗透系数试验研究

压实黄土非饱和渗透特性具有重要的工程意义。对不同干密度的压实黄土试样,采用非饱和导水率测定系统进行非饱和渗透系数量测,得到不同干密度压实黄土的渗透系数与吸力的关系。试验结果表明：渗透系数随吸力的增大而成非线性减小,随干密度的减小而增大;在低吸力时,干密度对渗透系数的影响较大;在较高吸力时,干密度对渗透系数的影响较小。进一步给出了压实黄土的渗透系数模型并进行回归分析,得到各Wind幂函数模型参数与干密度的关系,建立了基于干密度的压实黄土渗透系数的确定方法。     

Macrostructural changes in compacted earthen construction materials under loading

There is increasing interest in the use of earthen materials for modern construction. The mechanical behaviour of these materials is strongly controlled by their internal macrostructures. Rammed earth (RE) is one example of these materials, created by in situ compaction of a wet soil mixture. Changes to the material structure occur on loading and during compaction; therefore, the nature of these changes needs to be understood if the effect on the material behaviour can be predicted. Here, the change in the macrostructure of RE on the application of compressive loading is investigated by using X-ray computed tomography and fractal analysis to monitor the changes in loaded RE specimens. The macrostructures of specimens comprising different layer thicknesses are also investigated in order to determine how layer thickness affects the compaction of the material. Results are used to recommend procedures for manufacturing specimens that are representative of the material found in full-scale RE structures.     

Activation energy for diffusion of helium in water-saturated, compacted Na-montmorillonite

It is important to clarify the migration behavior of hydrogen gas dissolved in water-saturated, compacted bentonite, which is a promising material for geologic disposal of high-level waste and TRU waste disposal. The diffusion coefficients of helium, which can be detected under extremely low background conditions, in water-saturated, compacted Na-montmorillonite were determined as a function of temperature by a transient diffusion method. The activation energies for diffusion of helium were then obtained. The activation energies were from 6.9 ± 4.8 to 19 ± 2.8 kJ mol^− 1 and were regarded to be independent of dry density. The activation energies of helium in water-saturated Na-montmorillonite were roughly equal to those in bulk water, 14.9 kJ mol^− 1, and in ice, from 11 to 13 kJ mol^− 1. It is possible that helium diffuses not only in pore water but also in interlayer water.     

渗透系数的变异性对压实黏土衬垫性能的影响

压实黏土衬垫是填埋场等环境岩土工程中常用的屏障材料,其厚度和渗透系数是主要的设计参数。考虑渗透系数的变异性,用衬垫底部污染物相对浓度和通量等指标分析了设计参数对衬垫有效性的影响。研究表明,渗透系数的变异性对衬垫性能有很大的影响：当衬垫厚度较小或渗透系数均值较大时,衬垫底部出现高浓度（接近于1）的概率很大,这个浓度区间可能比相对浓度的均值高很多,对周围环境污染有较大的威胁。从非反应性溶质的运移来看,我国规范中对衬垫厚度和渗透系数的规定是合理的。相对于污染物的通量,厚度和渗透系数对衬垫底部相对浓度的影响更为显著,相对浓度更适合作为评价衬垫性能的指标。     

压实填土地基承载力深度修正系数研究

软弱土层上的压实填土地基作为一种非均质地基广泛应用,但目前关于这种地基的破坏模式和承载力机制的研究还不够深入,工程中仍采用现行规范深度修正系数取值为2的方式进行设计。采用有限差分方法建立数值模型,研究了影响压实填土地基承载力深度修正系数的因素,并与现行规范推荐方法的取值进行对比。结果表明：填土越深、基础外超载越大,参与地基剪切破坏运动的土体体积越大,地基极限承载力越高;而随着填土宽度的增大,地基极限承载力先提高,后趋于稳定;砂土内摩擦角的增大也会提高地基极限承载力。总体来说,规范中的推荐值是偏于保守的,会造成承载力的浪费;而在下卧层强度很小、填土深度较大时该推荐值可能高估压实填土地基承载力,存在偏于不安全的可能,在工程设计时应予以考虑。     

Some remarks on the coefficient of earth pressure at rest in compacted sandy gravel

In compacted coarse-grained materials, the stress state is largely influenced by the compaction procedure and by the characteristics of the single grains (mineralogy, shape). In this work, two compacted sandy gravels with the same grading but different grain properties have been tested in a large soft oedometer to highlight this influence. In the first part of the paper, the effect of oedometric ring deformability on the stress state is quantified in the framework of elastoplasticity. It is then shown that, for the adopted apparatus and for the tests carried out, the error in the measurement of the coefficient of earth pressure at rest K ₀ caused by ring deformability is very small. The two tested materials, compacted by wet tamping, behave differently because of their different grain properties, showing, respectively, small and large grain breakage. In primary loading, the more crushable material has values of K ₀ that compare well with Jaky’s (J Soc Hungarian Archit Eng 355–358, 1944) equation at any stress level and for every tested soil density. For the material with stronger grains, only very loose specimens that have undergone little or no compaction have a similar behaviour, while the denser specimens show the typical behaviour of overconsolidated soils, with values of K ₀ initially larger than that suggested by Jaky (J Soc Hungarian Archit Eng 355–358, 1944) for normally consolidated soils, tending to it only at the largest applied stress values. By considering the complex combined effect of tamping and grain crushing on the stress state and on the overconsolidation ratio of the soil at the end of compaction, these experimental evidences have been qualitatively explained.     

确定固结系数的固结速率半对数法

基于太沙基一维固结理论,推导了固结速率与固结时间的解析关系,为固结系数的求解开辟了新方法。该方法避免了图解法的缺陷,消除了初始沉降和次固结的影响。求解中采用最小二乘法原理,便于计算机数据处理。通过与现有方法比较,发现该方法准确、可靠和简便,可以在实际工程中推广应用。     

Correlation coefficient patterns and their interpretation in three basaltic suites

Single stage magmatic fractionation processes result in igneous rock suites in which correlation coefficients between pairs of elements are generally high. The Tertiary lavas of E. Iceland are used as an illustration of this type of behaviour. When a second process such as fractionation at a different pressure, wall-rock assimilation, or mixing with a different magma, occurs, correlation coefficients are altered in a predictable way if the process and the chemical characteristics of the participating rocks, minerals and liquids are known. A computer program has been devised to simulate complete correlation coefficient matrices for any desired two- or multi-stage process e.g. fractional crystallisation coupled with contamination. Basaltic suites from Mahabaleshwar, India and the Rooi Rand, southern Africa show correlation coefficient patterns characteristic of multi-stage evolution, and these are interpreted with the aid of computer simulation. The Mahabaleshwar suite shows clear evidence of contamination by a granitic component. The Rooi Rand rocks however remain problematic.     

高塌落度防渗墙填料扩散系数快速测定的透析试验

扩散是低渗透系数情况下溶质迁移的主要方式,目前尚没有测定高塌落度防渗墙填料扩散系数的试验方法。根据沥出试验原理,将处于流动状态的填料用半透膜包裹进行透析试验,通过有限圆柱中溶质迁移解析解对溶质迁移过程进行拟合求其扩散系数,探讨了试验和数据处理的相关问题,研究了膨润土含量和盐浴浓度对扩散系数的影响规律。结果表明,随拟合天数增加,填料中NaCl有效扩散系数减小,而误差增大;高塌落度填料中溶质迁移明显比压实土样中快,按拟合误差小于0.5%作为试验数据取舍依据,这一误差要求实际上是对溶质迁移以扩散为主导这一条件的量化,保证了采用纯扩散解析解进行数据拟合的合理性;扩散系数随填料中膨润土含量增加而减小,随盐浴浓度增加而减小,但在试验范围内数值变化不大,透析试验是快速测定防渗墙填料中溶质有效扩散系数的可行方法。     

Anion exclusion effects in compacted bentonites: Towards a better understanding of anion diffusion

Diffusion of ³⁶Cl⁻ in compacted bentonite was studied using through-diffusion, out-diffusion and profile analysis techniques. Both the bulk dry density of the bentonite and the composition of the external solution were varied. Increasing the bulk dry density of the bentonite resulted in a decrease of both the effective diffusion coefficient and the Cl-accessible porosity. Increasing the ionic strength of the external solutions resulted in an increase of both the effective diffusion coefficient and the Cl-accessible porosity. This can be explained by anion exclusion effects (Donnan exclusion). At high ionic strength values (I ? 1 M NaCl) the Cl-accessible porosity approaches the interparticle porosity. This interparticle porosity is the difference between the total and interlayer porosity of the bentonite. The interlayer porosity was found to depend on the degree of compaction. Up to a bulk dry density of 1300 kg m⁻³ the interlayer is built up of 3 water layers. Between 1300 and 1800 kg m⁻³ the interlayer water is reduced from 3 to 2 layers of water. Above 1800 kg m⁻³ evidence for a further decrease to 1 layer of water was found. These findings are in agreement with X-ray data found in the literature showing a decrease of the basal spacing of montmorillonite (the main clay mineral in bentonite) with increasing degree of compaction. The relationship between the effective diffusion coefficient of Cl⁻ and the diffusion-accessible porosity can be described by an empirical relationship analogous to Archie’s law. To predict the effective diffusion coefficient of Cl⁻ in compacted bentonite, the diffusion coefficient of Cl⁻ in water, the bulk dry density and the ionic strength of the pore water have to be known.