Undrained shear strength of clays as modified by pH variations

The undrained shear strength of clays is an important geotechnical parameter used during construction processes. Several laboratory tests were performed on kaolinite and smectite mixed with pore fluids with different pH values. Vane shear tests were carried out and it was found that the undrained sh...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Bulletin of engineering geology and the environment 2012-02, Vol.71 (1), p.135-148
Main Authors: Spagnoli, Giovanni, Rubinos, David, Stanjek, Helge, Fernández-Steeger, Tomás, Feinendegen, Martin, Azzam, Rafig
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Earth and Environmental Science
Earth Sciences
Foundations
Geoecology/Natural Processes
Geoengineering
Geotechnical Engineering & Applied Earth Sciences
Hydraulics
Nature Conservation
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Summary:The undrained shear strength of clays is an important geotechnical parameter used during construction processes. Several laboratory tests were performed on kaolinite and smectite mixed with pore fluids with different pH values. Vane shear tests were carried out and it was found that the undrained shear resistance for clays increased considerably if the pore fluid had a high or a low pH. A possible explanation could be the dissolution of Al 3+ which acts as a coagulant, increasing the internal shear resistance. Geochemical computations, Al measurements and ζ-potential experiments were performed to confirm this theory. The research suggests varying the pH may make a useful contribution to soil improvement techniques.
ISSN:1435-9529
1435-9537
DOI:10.1007/s10064-011-0372-9