Experimental Study of Macro- and Microbehavior of Natural Diatomite
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 132, Issue 5
Abstract
Diatomite is widely deposited in Oita prefecture of Japan. It has high natural water content but its consolidation yield stress is much higher than the overburden pressure. Oedometer and triaxial consolidated undrained shear tests were performed in this study to investigate its macrobehavior in terms of compressibility and strength. The test results indicate that the compressibility and undrained shear strength of diatomite in the preyield state (i.e., the consolidation stress lower than the yield stress) are independent of the consolidation stress level. When the consolidation stress is higher than the yield stress, however, like virtually all soils, the compressibility of the diatomite increases dramatically. Similarly, the undrained shear strength of the diatomite depends on the confining stress when the confining stress is higher than the transitional stress. Both mercury intrusion porosimetry analysis and scanning electron microscopy were performed to investigate the change of the microstructure of the natural diatomite with the consolidation stress. The test results indicate that the microstructure of the diatomite remains unchanged in the preyield state, but it changes significantly in the vicinity of the yield stress. This unchanged microstructure is attributed to the unchanged macrobehavior within the preyield state. The breakage of diatoms particles and the compression of interparticle pores between the diatom particles in the postyield state contribute to the high compressibility of the diatomite.
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Acknowledgments
This study is partially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. NNSFC50578036). The writers would like to thank Professor Jacques Locat at Laval University in Canada for his constructive comments on the original manuscript. They would also like to thank Mr. Shigeru Hirosawa at Wakachiku Construction Ltd. in Japan and Dr. Takehito Negami at Saga University in Japan for their help in microstructure tests. Dr. Yonfeng Deng at Southeast University in China is acknowledged for his help in manuscript preparation.
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Published In
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 132 • Issue 5 • May 2006
Pages: 603 - 610
Copyright
© 2006 ASCE.
History
Received: Jan 19, 2005
Accepted: Oct 10, 2005
Published online: May 1, 2006
Published in print: May 2006
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