Swell of Wyoming Montmorillonite and Sand Mixtures

Eight blends of silica sand and Wyoming montmorillonite clay (volclay) at varying proportions by weight were tested at three different temperatures (24°C, 38°C, and 66°C) to investigate their swell characteristics. The study showed that the mixtures with liquid limits below 35 percent are not susceptible to expansion. An analytical equation and a general procedure are shown for estimating the percent of swell these soil mixtures exhibit as a function of time and their liquid limits. A general procedure and an illustrative example are presented to acquaint the reader with the use of laboratory swell test data to evaluate the swell behavior of in-situ field soils.