Particle Size Effects on the Volumetric Shrinkage of Bentonite–Sand Mixtures
Publication: International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 22, Issue 8
Abstract
Tests were conducted on bentonite–silica fume mixtures (BSFMs) to determine how particle size affects the volumetric shrinkage of bentonite–sand mixtures (BSMs) used as hydraulic barriers in waste disposal facilities. Free desiccation tests, liquid limit tests, plastic limit tests, and direct shear tests were conducted to compare the soil shrinkage characteristic curves, shrinkage limits, plasticity, and shear strength of BSFMs to that of the commonly used bentonite–standard sand mixtures (BSSMs) at 30% sand percentage. BSFMs exhibited higher air entry values (up to 55.9% higher), shrinkage limits (up to 14.6% higher), final void ratio (up to 43.6% higher), peak shear strength (up to 115% higher), and a smaller percentage of volumetric shrinkage (10.8%) than BSSMs due to the particle contact and constrained particle movement. The liquid and plastic limits of BSFMs, in contrast, were also higher (up to 99.2% and 27.1%) than that of BSSMs. Particle size plays a critical role in controlling the shrinkage limits of BSMs compared to clay fractions.
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Acknowledgments
The authors thank especially Dr. Tongwei Zhang, Ms. Fei Zhu, and Mr. Dongjin He (Lanzhou University) for their contribution to this paper. This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 41972265). The first author (Yu Tan) acknowledges the China Scholarship Council for supporting his study at the University of Virginia. The authors gratefully acknowledge the UVA Writing Center for its English language assistance and the anonymous reviewers for their suggestions.
Notation
The following symbols are used in this paper:
- ef
- final void ratio;
- e
- void ratio;
- e0
- initial void ratio;
- Gsa
- the average specific gravity of BSM;
- k0 and n
- parameters in the Gro model;
- m
- weight;
- m0
- initial weight;
- RS
- sand content;
- Sr
- degree of saturation;
- V
- volume;
- ɛv
- volumetric shrinkage ratio;
- θ
- volumetric moisture ratio;
- θA
- volumetric moisture ratio at air entry;
- θS
- volumetric moisture ratio at shrinkage limit;
- ρw
- density of water at 3.98°C;
- σv
- normal or vertical stress;
- τf
- shear strength;
- ω
- moisture content;
- ω0
- initial moisture;
- ωA
- air entry value; and
- ωS
- shrinkage limit.
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Received: May 17, 2021
Accepted: Feb 25, 2022
Published online: Jun 9, 2022
Published in print: Aug 1, 2022
Discussion open until: Nov 9, 2022
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