Oedometric Behavior of Diatomite–Kaolin Mixtures
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 145, Issue 9
Abstract
This paper discusses the results of an experimental program to study the compressibility of mixtures of kaolin and diatom microfossils, particularly the effects of diatomite content (DC) on consolidation, swelling, and long-term compression. Thirty long- and short-term oedometer tests were performed on laboratory-sedimented, preconsolidated specimens of diatomite–kaolin (D-K) mixtures. The compression and swelling of the mixtures were affected by the DC, especially when the DC was 60% (by dry mass) or greater. The effect of preconsolidation on the compression curve was much less evident as DC increased. For soils with diatoms, does not have the same meaning of secondary compression or creep as for fine-grained soils. Greater and values with increasing DC were explained by contributions from three mechanisms that may overlap during loading: faster pore pressure dissipation due to larger interparticle and intraparticle porosities, rearrangement and bending of kaolin particles around frustules, and elastic compression and eventually breakage of frustule particles.
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Acknowledgments
The second author thanks Prof. J. Abraham Diaz-Rodriguez for the enlightening discussions about the mechanical properties of soils with diatoms that eventually motivated this study.
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Published In
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 145 • Issue 9 • September 2019
Copyright
©2019 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jul 24, 2018
Accepted: Feb 5, 2019
Published online: Jun 25, 2019
Published in print: Sep 1, 2019
Discussion open until: Nov 25, 2019
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