Effect of Interlayer Cation on the Desiccation and Shrinkage Behavior of Bentonite
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 150, Issue 9
Abstract
Bentonite, used as a barrier material in landfill systems and the geological disposal of radioactive waste, undergoes various processes such as the cation exchange with landfill leachate and repository groundwater, desiccation shrinkage due to heat released from solid waste or nuclide decay. In the context of these engineering applications, it is crucial to consider the effect of interlayer cation composition on the desiccation-shrinkage behavior of bentonite for assessing the long-term performance of barrier systems. This study investigates this impact by conducting desiccation tests on four different cation-type bentonite samples (i.e., K-, Na-, Ca-, and Mg-bentonite) and elucidating the underlying mechanisms through mercury intrusion porosimetry test, X-ray diffraction analysis, and suction measurements. The results indicate that K-bentonite exhibits the highest water evaporation rate and the lowest shrinkage potential, with no shrinkage cracks detected, and that Na-bentonite evaporates water at a relatively fast rate but presents the most pronounced volumetric shrinkage. In contrast, Ca- and Mg-bentonite have the highest water-retention capacity, and their shrinkage potentials are less than Na-bentonite. An improved shrinkage model is proposed, which is shown to describe the measured shrinkage curves for four types of homoionic bentonite samples. Additionally, the mechanism behind the effect of different interlayer cations was interpreted in terms of the interlayer–cation–water interaction, pore structure evolution, and soil suction variation.
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Data Availability Statement
All data are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Acknowledgments
This research was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) under Grants 42377192 and 41972298. All this support is sincerely acknowledged.
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Published In
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 150 • Issue 9 • September 2024
Copyright
© 2024 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Nov 7, 2023
Accepted: Apr 9, 2024
Published online: Jul 4, 2024
Published in print: Sep 1, 2024
Discussion open until: Dec 4, 2024
ASCE Technical Topics:
- Bentonite
- Clays
- Engineering materials (by type)
- Engineering mechanics
- Environmental engineering
- Evaporation
- Geomechanics
- Geotechnical engineering
- Hydrologic engineering
- Landfills
- Material mechanics
- Material properties
- Materials engineering
- Materials processing
- Recycling
- Shrinkage (material)
- Soil mechanics
- Soils (by type)
- Waste management
- Waste sites
- Water and water resources
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