Suffusion refers to the loss of fineparticles within the soil matrix without any associated volume change,induced by hydrodynamic forces.This study investigated the suffusion of sand-clay mixtures through one-dimensio...Suffusion refers to the loss of fineparticles within the soil matrix without any associated volume change,induced by hydrodynamic forces.This study investigated the suffusion of sand-clay mixtures through one-dimensional soil column experiments under a stepwise increase in hydraulic gradient(i),aiming to evaluate the critical hydraulic gradient(icrit)as a function of the size ratio between sand and clay,clay type,and ionic concentration.It was found that icrit was less than 0.1 for all sand-clay mixtures examined in this study.In addition,the lower peak concentrations of filtrated clay observed in sand-illite mixtures,compared to those of sand-kaolinite mixtures at the same level of i,suggest that illite particles are more susceptible to suffusion.Overall,the observed breakthrough curves,mass fraction of filtrated clay,volume of outflow,and total injection time presented in this study highlight the importance of considering clay type,sand-to-clay size ratio,and ionic concentration when assessing the suffusion behavior of clay-containing soils under a stepwise increase in hydraulic gradient.展开更多
Estimating the properties of foam-conditioned clay soils is important for both conditioning and recycling goals in earth pressure balance(EPB)shield tunneling.In this study,the vacuum dewatering behaviors of foam-cond...Estimating the properties of foam-conditioned clay soils is important for both conditioning and recycling goals in earth pressure balance(EPB)shield tunneling.In this study,the vacuum dewatering behaviors of foam-conditioned clay soils were investigated,with their potential use as an alternative means to assess foam optimization being examined.A series of laboratory and fieldtests was conducted,including vacuum dewatering tests that considered the effects of filtrationtime and pressure,vane shear tests,and improved cone pullout tests under different gravimetric water content(w)and foam injection ratio(FIR)conditions.It was found that the filtrate loss(FL),which characterizes dewaterability,was increased by extended vacuum filtrationtime and elevated pressure.While increases in w and FIR enhanced FL,reductions were observed in the undrained shear strength(cu),tangential adhesion stress(Fs),and normal adhesion stress(Fn).Furthermore,a linear decrease in FL with increasing mechanical indices(cu,Fs,and Fn)was demonstrated by both laboratory and fielddata fittingresults,regardless of w,FIR,and dewatering conditions.This study provides novel insights into the understanding of vacuum dewatering mechanisms in foam-conditioned clay soils,while a simple approach is proposed for evaluating foam conditioning effectiveness in EPB shield tunneling applications.展开更多
Soft clay treatment with all industrial by-product(IBP)binder has great economic and environmental benefits,yet its geomechanics and mechanisms still need to be well probed.With the activation by calcium carbide resid...Soft clay treatment with all industrial by-product(IBP)binder has great economic and environmental benefits,yet its geomechanics and mechanisms still need to be well probed.With the activation by calcium carbide residue(CCR)and phosphogypsum(PG),the strength,structure,and mechanisms of soft clay treated by aluminosilicate-rich IBP(AS-IBP,such as ground granulated blast furnace slag(GGBS),fly ash(FA),coal gangue(CG),Bayer red mud(BR),and sintered red mud(SR))are comparatively investigated.The strength characteristics of solidified clay exhibit significant differences as AS-IBP changes.When GGBS is adopted,the strength is sensitive to the change in PG content,while the impact of CCR is insignificant.After 90 d,the strength of the optimal sample(G23)reaches 1.40 MPa,35.9%higher than cement solidified clay(CSC),while that achieved by other AS-IBPs is less than 0.3 MPa.In the compression test,the structure's evolutionary trend of G23 has a sudden change as the strength increases from 1.81 MPa to 2.29 MPa,suggesting the transformation in material properties.Besides,the structure of G23 is stronger than CSC,which contributes more to the compressive performance.The total amount of main products(C-S-H and ettringite)of all-IBP solidified clay determines the strength,and ettringite is only significant when calcium-rich AS-IBP is adopted.The total amount of minor products(C-A-H and C-A-S-H)is similar for different samples,equivalent to 28.9%-46.3%of the main products.The relationship between the strength and the product amount can be presented using an exponential function.展开更多
Ti5553-xFe (x=0.4, 1.2, 2.0, wt.%) alloys have been designed and fabricated through BE (blended element) sintering to investigate the effect of Fe-addition on athermal ω-phase transformation, α-phase evolution and a...Ti5553-xFe (x=0.4, 1.2, 2.0, wt.%) alloys have been designed and fabricated through BE (blended element) sintering to investigate the effect of Fe-addition on athermal ω-phase transformation, α-phase evolution and age hardening behavior. The results show that the formation of athermal ω-phase is fully suppressed in water-quenched specimens when Fe-addition is up to 2 wt.%. The relevant timescales of α formation during initial stages of aging indicate that incubation time increases with Fe-addition. Further aging results in continuous nucleation and growth of α-phase but finer intragranular α lamellae exhibit in Ti5553-2Fe alloy. In addition, the width and extent of grain boundary α-film increase slightly with incremental Fe-addition, especially in furnace cooling condition. Result of Vickers hardness manifests that Fe-addition leads to a strong hardening effect in both solution and aging treatment. The solid solution strengthening is quantitatively estimated by ab initio calculation based on the Labusch?Nabarro model. The evolution of α-precipitate is rationalized by Gibbs free energy. The prominent hardening effect of Ti5553?2Fe alloy is attributed to both large lattice misfit of β-matrix and fine α-precipitate distribution.展开更多
Open caissons are widely used in foundation engineering because of their load-bearing efficiency and adaptability in diverse soil conditions.However,accurately predicting their undrained bearing capacity in layered so...Open caissons are widely used in foundation engineering because of their load-bearing efficiency and adaptability in diverse soil conditions.However,accurately predicting their undrained bearing capacity in layered soils remains a complex challenge.This study presents a novel application of five ensemble machine(ML)algorithms-random forest(RF),gradient boosting machine(GBM),extreme gradient boosting(XGBoost),adaptive boosting(AdaBoost),and categorical boosting(CatBoost)-to predict the undrained bearing capacity factor(Nc)of circular open caissons embedded in two-layered clay on the basis of results from finite element limit analysis(FELA).The input dataset consists of 1188 numerical simulations using the Tresca failure criterion,varying in geometrical and soil parameters.The FELA was performed via OptumG2 software with adaptive meshing techniques and verified against existing benchmark studies.The ML models were trained on 70% of the dataset and tested on the remaining 30%.Their performance was evaluated using six statistical metrics:coefficient of determination(R²),mean absolute error(MAE),root mean squared error(RMSE),index of scatter(IOS),RMSE-to-standard deviation ratio(RSR),and variance explained factor(VAF).The results indicate that all the models achieved high accuracy,with R²values exceeding 97.6%and RMSE values below 0.02.Among them,AdaBoost and CatBoost consistently outperformed the other methods across both the training and testing datasets,demonstrating superior generalizability and robustness.The proposed ML framework offers an efficient,accurate,and data-driven alternative to traditional methods for estimating caisson capacity in stratified soils.This approach can aid in reducing computational costs while improving reliability in the early stages of foundation design.展开更多
Natural gas hydrates widely accumulate in submarine sediments composed of clay minerals.However,due to the complex physiochemistry and micron-sized particles of clay minerals,their effects on methane hydrate(MH)format...Natural gas hydrates widely accumulate in submarine sediments composed of clay minerals.However,due to the complex physiochemistry and micron-sized particles of clay minerals,their effects on methane hydrate(MH)formation and dissociation are still in controversy.In this study,montmorillonite and illite were separately mixed with quartz sand to investigate their effects on MH formation and dissociation.The microstructure of synthesized samples was observed by cryo-SEM innovatively to understand the effects of montmorillonite and illite on MH phase transition in micron scale.Results show that montmorillonite and illite both show the inhibition on MH formation kinetics and water-to-hydrate conversion,and illite shows a stronger inhibition.The 10 wt%montmorillonite addition significantly retards MH formation rate,and the 20 wt%montmorillonite has a less inhibition on the rate.The increase of illite mass ratio(0-20 wt%)retards the rate of MH formation.As the content of clay minerals increase,the water-to-hydrate conversion decreases.Cryo-SEM images presented that montmorillonite aggregates separate as individual clusters while illite particles pack as face-to-face configuration under the interaction with water.The surface-overlapped illite aggregates would make sediments pack tightly,hinder the contact between gas and water,and result in the more significant inhibition on MH formation kinetics.Under the depressurization method,the addition of clay minerals facilitates MH dissociation rate.Physicochemical properties of clay minerals and MH distribution in the pore space lead to the faster dissociation rate in clay-containing sediments.The results of this study would provide beneficial guides on geological investigations and optimizing strategies of natural gas production in marine hydrate-bearing sediments.展开更多
As a widely used fertilizer,urea significantly promotes the leaching of dissolved organic nitrogen(DON)in soils and aggravates nitrogen contamination in groundwater.Clayminerals are considered the most important facto...As a widely used fertilizer,urea significantly promotes the leaching of dissolved organic nitrogen(DON)in soils and aggravates nitrogen contamination in groundwater.Clayminerals are considered the most important factor in retaining DON.However,the effect of urea on the retention of DON with different molecular weights by clay minerals is unknown.In this study,the retention of both low-molecular weight DON(LMWD)and high-molecular weight DON(HMWD)by clay minerals in the presence of urea was investigated.For this purpose,batch adsorption and soil column leaching experiments,characterization analysis(Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy X-ray diffraction,and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy),and molecular dynamics simulations were carried out.Urea had a positive effect on the adsorption of LMWD,whereas a competitive effect existed for the adsorption of HMWD.The dominant interactions among DON,urea,and clay minerals included H-bonding,ligand exchange,and cation exchange.The urea was preferentially adsorbed on clay minerals and formed a complex,which provided more adsorption sites to LMWD and only a few to HMWD.The presence of urea increased the retention of LMWD and decreased the retention of HMWD in clay minerals.The retention capacity of LMWD increased by 6.9%–12.8%,while that of HMWD decreased by 6.7%–53.1%.These findings suggest that LMWD tended to be trapped in soils,while HMWD was prone to be leached into groundwater,which can be used to evaluate the leaching of DON from soil to groundwater.展开更多
The presence of heavy metals in soil negatively impacts its mechanical properties.Reactive MgO carbonation presents a promising approach to enhance the solidification of Pb-contaminated sandy soils.However,the mechani...The presence of heavy metals in soil negatively impacts its mechanical properties.Reactive MgO carbonation presents a promising approach to enhance the solidification of Pb-contaminated sandy soils.However,the mechanical properties and structural behavior of contaminated soils during carbonation can vary significantly due to differences in soil composition.This study examines the potential application and underlying mechanisms of reactive MgO carbonation in improving the mechanical properties of Pb-contaminated red clay.The findings demonstrate that Pb-contaminated red clay transitions from a plastic to a brittle state following reactive MgO carbonation.After 1 h of treatment,the strength of the red clay exceeded 3 MPa,even at high Pb^(2+)concentrations.The deformation modulus to unconfined compressive strength(UCS)ratio was calculated to be 37.761,with the failure strain primarily ranging from 1.5%to 4.0%.A strength prediction model for the reactive MgO-stabilized Pb-contaminated red clay was proposed,which showed good predictive accuracy.Furthermore,reactive MgO carbonation significantly reduced the Pb leaching concentration in the high-level Pb-contaminated soil to below 0.1 mg/L.Microscopic analysis revealed that an optimal amount of hydrated magnesium carbonates(HMCs)formed a stable and compact structure with the soil particles.However,long-term carbonation causes red clay particles to become sandy,and excessive HMCs can harm the soil structure.Therefore,to maximize the strength improvement while avoiding structural damage,the carbonation time should be controlled to 1 h.展开更多
It has been well recognized that sand particles significantly affect the mechanical properties of reconstituted sandy clays,including the hosted clay and sand particles.However,interrelation between the permeability a...It has been well recognized that sand particles significantly affect the mechanical properties of reconstituted sandy clays,including the hosted clay and sand particles.However,interrelation between the permeability and compressibility of reconstituted sandy clays by considering the structural effects of sand particles is still rarely reported.For this,a series of consolidation-permeability coefficient tests were conducted on reconstituted sandy clays with different sand fractions(ψ_(ss)),initial void ratio of hosted clays(e_(c0))and void ratio at liquid limit of hosted clays(e_(cL)).The roles of ψ_(ss) in both the relationships of permeability coefficient of hosted clay(k_(v-hosted clay))versus effective vertical stress(σ'_(v))and void ratio of hosted clay(e_(c-hosted clay))versus σ'_(v) were analyzed.The results show that the permeability coefficient of reconstituted sandy clays(k_(v))is dominated by hosted clay(k_(v)=k_(v-hosted clay)).Both ψ_(ss) and σ'_(v) affect the k_(v) of sandy clays by changing the e_(c-hosted clay) at any given σ'_(v).Due to the partial contacts and densified clay bridges between the sand particles(i.e.structure effects),the e_(c-hosted clay) in sandy clays is higher than that in clays at the same σ'_(v)v.The k_(v)-e_(c-hosted clay) relationship of sandy clays is independent of σ'_(v) and ψ_(ss)but is a function of e_(cL).The types of hosted clays affect the k_(v) of sandy clays by changing the e_(cL).Based on the relationship between permeability coefficient and void ratio for the reconstituted clays,an empirical method for determining the k_(v) is proposed and validated for sandy clays.The predicted values are almost consistent with the measured values with k_(v-predicted)=k_(v-measured)=0.6-2.5.展开更多
Numerous former military sites worldwide require environmental cleanup from buried unexploded ordnance(UxO)that pose hazards such as leaching toxic chemicals and explosion risks.However,selecting the appropriate mitig...Numerous former military sites worldwide require environmental cleanup from buried unexploded ordnance(UxO)that pose hazards such as leaching toxic chemicals and explosion risks.However,selecting the appropriate mitigation technology relies on prior knowledge of UxO depth of burial(DoB)at specific sites.This study utilizes numerical simulations,employing large deformation explicit finite element(LDEFE)analysis and the Coupled Eulerian-Lagrangian(CEL)approach,to model the penetration of ordnances into clay targets.A modified Tresca constitutive model is implemented in ABAQUS software to capture key features of clay behavior under high strain rate(HSR)loading.The role of various parameters on DoB is investigated,including undrained shear strength,stiffness,and density of the soil.The findings highlight the paramount importance of undrained shear strength in clayey soil penetrability,in addition to the role of soil stiffness,and density.The simulations were employed to calibrate model parameters for Young's empirical penetration model,as well as the Poncelet phenomenological penetration model,demonstrating the efficacy of the numerical simulations in extrapolating its findings within the relevant parameter space.In particular,the calibrated parameters of Young's and Poncelet's models can be identified as a direct function of the various discussed soil properties,which was previously unavailable.展开更多
Clays are a constituent of the earth. As a result, the discovery and traditional use of clays in construction and pottery worldwide dates back to antiquity. Guinea has several deposits of clay minerals whose chemical ...Clays are a constituent of the earth. As a result, the discovery and traditional use of clays in construction and pottery worldwide dates back to antiquity. Guinea has several deposits of clay minerals whose chemical and mineralogical compositions have been little studied. Despite lacking of scientific data on these clay minerals, they are used today in pottery and habitat construction. As a step towards promoting the use of clay materials in Guinea, we conducted a study of the physicochemical and mineralogical properties of three natural clays from Kakan in the Republic of Guinea (AKKB, AKKE, AKKO) used in habitat construction. The aims of this work were to better understand their properties, but above all to be able to act on them to improve and broaden their applications, which until now have been limited to construction. These clays were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF), moisture content (%W), laser granulometry, Atterberg limits, specific surface area, infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis and differential thermal analysis (TGA/DTA). These analyses revealed that the main clay minerals present in our samples are kaolinite, illite and, montmorillonite, with the addition of impurities, the most abundant of which is quartz.展开更多
This study aims to perform thermophysical characterization,thermogravimetric analysis,and specific surface area determination of a lime-stabilized mixture composed of previously studied Gaoui clay and Michemirédi...This study aims to perform thermophysical characterization,thermogravimetric analysis,and specific surface area determination of a lime-stabilized mixture composed of previously studied Gaoui clay and Michemirédiatomite.Lime stabilization of clay is a widespread technique;the addition of diatomite significantly reduced the mixture’s thermophysical properties due to its porous structure.The absolute density was determined using a helium pycnometer,and the specific surface area,air permeability test,was also determined using a Blaine permeabilimeter.Experimental results showed that the thermal conductivity and thermal effusivity of the clay decreased significantly with the addition of the other two materials.They decreased from 0.74 W/m·K to 0.338 W/m·K and from 985.5 W/s^(1/2)/m^(2)/K to 519.6 W/s^(1/2)/m^(2)/K respectively,for the 100%clay and 50%clay+35%diatomite+15%lime formulations,at a compaction pressure of 3 MPa.Thermogravimetric analysis showed that at low temperatures(0 to 150℃),free water from the materials began to evaporate.From medium temperatures(400 to 600℃)to high temperatures(1,000℃),the results showed a mass loss of 6%for Gaoui clay,2%for Michemirédiatomite,and 1.5%for lime.The results of the Blaine test and air permeability tests demonstrated that the specific surface area of 100%clay is high at 0.355 m^(2)/kg,followed by that of 100%diatomite at 0.305 m^(2)/kg and that of 100%lime at 0.273 m^(2)/kg.展开更多
Biochar,a solid carbonaceous material produced by heating biomass in oxygen-free or low-oxygen conditions(pyrolysis),has been used in various applications,including wastewater treatment,carbon sequestration,and improv...Biochar,a solid carbonaceous material produced by heating biomass in oxygen-free or low-oxygen conditions(pyrolysis),has been used in various applications,including wastewater treatment,carbon sequestration,and improving soil fertility.However,very limited research has been performed to explore its feasibility to improve the expansive clay(EC)subgrade.In this study,fine-grained wood biochar derived from wood waste was used to stabilise and enhance the mechanical performance of the EC as road subgrade.A comprehensive series of geotechnical tests,including unconfined compressive strength(UCS),California bearing ratio(CBR),repeated load triaxial(RLT),and swelling-shrinkage tests,were conducted to investigate the engineering properties of expansive clay mixed with different contents of the fine-grained biochar(FGB)(i.e.0,1%,2%,3%,and 4%by weight of dry soil).Furthermore,X-ray diffraction(XRD),X-ray fluorescence(XRF),X-ray micro-CT,and thermogravimetric analysis(TGA)analyses were performed to study the microchemical modification of the EC-FGB mixtures.The results showed that adding FGB reduced the swelling and shrinkage potential while enhancing the mechanical properties of the EC.The micro-level analysis also supported the enhancement of the geotechnical performance of the EC resulting from the incorporation of FGB.According to the test results,2%FGB was considered the optimum content,increasing UCS,CBR,and resilient modulus by 31.1%,24.1%,and 31.5%,respectively,and decreasing the swell-shrinkage index by 7%.展开更多
Clay swelling and fines migration pose significant challenges to thermally enhanced oil recovery(EOR)operations,particularly in clay-rich formations.This study systematically investigates clay swelling behavior and pe...Clay swelling and fines migration pose significant challenges to thermally enhanced oil recovery(EOR)operations,particularly in clay-rich formations.This study systematically investigates clay swelling behavior and permeability impairment under high-temperature,low-salinity(HTLS) conditions and evaluates various inhibition methods to mitigate formation damage.To ensure realistic analysis,data and materials from a field with similar issues in Kazakhstan were used.Static/dynamic swelling tests demonstrated that a quaternary ammonium-based inhibitor consistently provided superior clay stabilization through effective ion exchange and surface charge modification mechanisms.In distilled water at 100℃,inhibitor-treated samples maintained 48.89 % of their original permeability,while untreated samples exhibited severe damage,retaining only 17.05 %.Additionally,this chemical inhibitor significantly lowered the critical salt concentration(CSC),effectively stabilizing clay at 4920 ppm salinity compared to 7380 ppm required without treatment.Scanning electron microscopy(SEM) imaging corroborated these results,revealing that inhibitor-treated clay maintains a compact and coherent structure,in stark contrast to the pronounced swelling,delamination,and structural deterioration observed in untreated clay samples.Nevertheless,this quaternary ammonium-based clay stabilizer presents a robust and promising solution for reducing clay swelling-induced damage,sustaining reservoir permeability,and improving thermal EOR performance in swelling-prone formations.展开更多
This work aims to investigate the thermo-poromechanical behavior of saturated silt clay(SC)under varying temperatures through experiments and constitutive modeling.A series of undrained triaxial compression tests was ...This work aims to investigate the thermo-poromechanical behavior of saturated silt clay(SC)under varying temperatures through experiments and constitutive modeling.A series of undrained triaxial compression tests was conducted on saturated SC with temperature ranges from 25℃to 60℃.The effects of temperature on the main poromechanical properties of saturated SC,such as stress-strain relations,pore pressure evolution,and strength parameters,were thoroughly examined.Based on the experimental results,a subtly thermodynamically consistent thermo-poromechanical model was established using the concept of effective plastic stress within the poromechanical framework.Plastic deformation was described with a specific yield criterion and non-associated plastic potential that both depend on the effective plastic stress and a simple hardening variable.Finally,this model was implemented by a semi-implicit return mapping algorithm(SRMA)and validated through the comparison of model predictions and experimental data.The proposed model accurately reproduces the main thermo-poromechanical characteristics observed in saturated SC.展开更多
This study evaluates the influence of sand content on the mechanical behavior and water resistance of compressed earth bricks(CEBs)manufactured from Lendi clay(Douala,Cameroon).Twenty-seven specimens(prismatic and cub...This study evaluates the influence of sand content on the mechanical behavior and water resistance of compressed earth bricks(CEBs)manufactured from Lendi clay(Douala,Cameroon).Twenty-seven specimens(prismatic and cubic)were produced with three formulations:0%,30%and 60%sand substitution by dry mass,compacted at 2.5 MPa and cured for 7,14 and 28 days.Raw material characterization included particle size distribution,sand equivalent,Atterberg limits,bulk density and Proctor compaction.The clay displayed a liquid limit of 44.07%,plastic limit of 35.23%and plasticity index of 8.84%;optimum moisture content was 15.9%and maximum dry density 1.24 g·cm^(-3).Mechanical testing showed that pure-clay bricks achieved the highest compressive and flexural strengths at all ages(up to≈1.98 MPa and 0.56 MPa respectively).Although the 30%sand mix exhibited marginally higher early compressive strength(7 days),strength decreased substantially by 28 days.Capillary absorption tests revealed an important distinction:while 0%sand bricks exhibited continuous water uptake,they retained cohesion during immersion;conversely,30%and 60%sand bricks disintegrated into a slurry within seconds of immersion,evidencing severe loss of internal bonding.These findings indicate that,for this highly plastic tropical clay,sand acts primarily as a microstructural diluent that undermines long-term cohesion and durability despite short-term packing benefits.The study underscores the need for locally tailored formulations or stabilizers when designing durable CEBs for humid tropical climates.展开更多
Interactions between cement clinkers and clay minerals are crucial to the much lower strength of cement-based stabilized clays than concrete or mortar.In this paper,the kaolinite-based and montmorillonite-based clays ...Interactions between cement clinkers and clay minerals are crucial to the much lower strength of cement-based stabilized clays than concrete or mortar.In this paper,the kaolinite-based and montmorillonite-based clays were respectively stabilized by tricalcium silicate(C3S)and tricalcium aluminate(C3A),and measured by the unconfined compressive strength(UCS),29Si/27Al solid state nuclear magnetic resonance(SS-NMR),Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR),and transmission electron microscope(TEM)to probe the clinker-clay mineral interaction from macro-mechanical,mineralogical,and microstructural perspectives.The results show that C3A-stabilized samples gain strength rapidly in the first 3 d but are only 20%e60%of the strength of C3S-stabilized ones after 60 d.Microstructures reveal that montmorillonite shows better pozzolanic reactivity due to its superior Sichain and lattice substitution compared to kaolinite.This interaction domains the engineering performance of stabilized clays,benefiting the design of stabilizer referring to as the industrial by-products and clay minerals.展开更多
In order to explore the mechanical properties and microstructure changes of frozen saline silty clay in the Hexi region of Gansu Province,triaxial compression tests and scanning electron microscopy(SEM)analysis experi...In order to explore the mechanical properties and microstructure changes of frozen saline silty clay in the Hexi region of Gansu Province,triaxial compression tests and scanning electron microscopy(SEM)analysis experiment were conducted to explore the effects of moisture content,confining pressure,and temperature on the stress-strain characteristics and failure modes of frozen soil,as well as the changes in the internal microstructure of the sample.The experimental results show that the strength of frozen sulfate saline soil first increases and then decreases with the increase of moisture content,and the maximum strength corresponds to a moisture content of 15%.The changes in confining pressure and strength have the same trend.The lower the temperature,the greater the strength of the sample.During the entire loading process,the specimens undergo a gradual transition from volume shrinkage to volume expansion.Due to the strain harden behavior of the stress-strain curve throughout the entire loading process,the failure mode of the specimens is plastic failure.The internal microstructure of the sample gradually transitions from point-point contact and edge-point contact before shearing to edge-surface contact and edge-edge contact after shearing,and the pore size inside the sample increases after shearing,with a loose arrangement of the particle skeleton.The above research conclusions can lay a certain theoretical foun-dation for the engineering design and construction of sulfate saline soil in cold and arid areas.展开更多
This study was part of the framework that contributed not only to the improvement of thermal comfort in housing but also to the decarbonization of the construction and building materials industry. For this purpose, te...This study was part of the framework that contributed not only to the improvement of thermal comfort in housing but also to the decarbonization of the construction and building materials industry. For this purpose, terracotta brick seems to meet these needs. Thus, the objective of this work was to evaluate the influence of the incorporation of coal fly ash from a thermal power plant on the physical and mechanical properties of fired bricks from grey clay in the Thicky area of Senegal. The coal fly ash was incorporated into the raw clay material in proportions of 0, 5, 10, and 15 % by weight. These two raw materials were first characterized by X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF). The XRF analyses showed that the most abundant oxides in clay were SiO2 (55.034%) and Fe2O3 (10.155%). In coal fly ash, SiO2 (38.574%) is predominant. The ash also contained Al2O3 (7.717%) and alicano-earthy melting oxides such as CaO (9.271%) and MgO (7.298%) etc. These melting oxides were necessary to facilitate the formation of the liquid phase when baking platelets. The latter, when burned at a temperature of 880°C, were characterized by determining the number of physico-mechanical parameters, such as linear shrinkage during cooking, water absorption, fire loss and compressive strength. A Hierarchical Ascending Classification of these different parameters was performed and three classes were obtained. Class 1 with better compressive strength (6.358 MPa), was in sample A (5%). Class 2 consisted of sample D (reference) and had a higher plasticity index (28.51%) and water absorption rate (11.19%). Finally, class 3, which included samples B (10%) and C (15%), had very high shrinkage and fire losses compared to other platelets. These results highlighted the possibility of using up to 5% of the coal fly ash in the production of new fired bricks with good performance.展开更多
Cement production,while essential for global infrastructure,contributes significantly to carbon dioxide emissions,accounting for approximately 7%of total emissions.To mitigate these environmental impacts,flash calcina...Cement production,while essential for global infrastructure,contributes significantly to carbon dioxide emissions,accounting for approximately 7%of total emissions.To mitigate these environmental impacts,flash calcination of kaolinitic clays has been investigated as a sustainable alternative.This technique involves the rapid heating of clays,enabling their use as supplementary cementitious materials.The primary objective of this study was to modify the color of calcined clay in various atmospheres(oxidizing,inert,and reducing)to achieve a grayish tone similar to commercial cement while preserving its reactive properties.The experimental procedure employed a tubular reactor with precise control of gas flows(atmospheric air,nitrogen,and a carbon monoxide–nitrogen mixture).Physicochemical characterization of the raw clay was conducted before calcination,with analyses repeated on the calcined clays following experimentation.Results indicated that clay calcined in an oxidizing atmosphere acquired a reddish hue,attributed to the oxidation of iron in hematite.The Clay exhibited a pinkish tone in an inert atmosphere,while calcination in a reducing atmosphere yielded the desired grayish color.Regarding pozzolanic activity,clays calcined in oxidizing and inert atmospheres displayed robust strength,ranging from 82%to 87%.Calcination in a reducing atmosphere resulted in slightly lower strength,around 74%,likely due to the clay’s chemical composition and the calcination process,which affects compound formation and material reactivity.展开更多
基金supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea(NRF)grants(Grant Nos.RS-2020-NR049594 and RS-2022-NR071877)the Korea Agency for Infrastructure Technology Advancement under the Ministry of Land,Infrastructure and Transport(Grant No.RS-2024-00410248).
文摘Suffusion refers to the loss of fineparticles within the soil matrix without any associated volume change,induced by hydrodynamic forces.This study investigated the suffusion of sand-clay mixtures through one-dimensional soil column experiments under a stepwise increase in hydraulic gradient(i),aiming to evaluate the critical hydraulic gradient(icrit)as a function of the size ratio between sand and clay,clay type,and ionic concentration.It was found that icrit was less than 0.1 for all sand-clay mixtures examined in this study.In addition,the lower peak concentrations of filtrated clay observed in sand-illite mixtures,compared to those of sand-kaolinite mixtures at the same level of i,suggest that illite particles are more susceptible to suffusion.Overall,the observed breakthrough curves,mass fraction of filtrated clay,volume of outflow,and total injection time presented in this study highlight the importance of considering clay type,sand-to-clay size ratio,and ionic concentration when assessing the suffusion behavior of clay-containing soils under a stepwise increase in hydraulic gradient.
基金supported by the National Youth Top-notch Talent Support Program of China(Grant No.00389335)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.52378392)the“Foal Eagle Program”Youth Top-notch Talent Project of Fujian Province(Grant No.00387088).
文摘Estimating the properties of foam-conditioned clay soils is important for both conditioning and recycling goals in earth pressure balance(EPB)shield tunneling.In this study,the vacuum dewatering behaviors of foam-conditioned clay soils were investigated,with their potential use as an alternative means to assess foam optimization being examined.A series of laboratory and fieldtests was conducted,including vacuum dewatering tests that considered the effects of filtrationtime and pressure,vane shear tests,and improved cone pullout tests under different gravimetric water content(w)and foam injection ratio(FIR)conditions.It was found that the filtrate loss(FL),which characterizes dewaterability,was increased by extended vacuum filtrationtime and elevated pressure.While increases in w and FIR enhanced FL,reductions were observed in the undrained shear strength(cu),tangential adhesion stress(Fs),and normal adhesion stress(Fn).Furthermore,a linear decrease in FL with increasing mechanical indices(cu,Fs,and Fn)was demonstrated by both laboratory and fielddata fittingresults,regardless of w,FIR,and dewatering conditions.This study provides novel insights into the understanding of vacuum dewatering mechanisms in foam-conditioned clay soils,while a simple approach is proposed for evaluating foam conditioning effectiveness in EPB shield tunneling applications.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.U24A20183)Natural Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars of Hubei Province,China(Grant No.2024AFA051)Youth Science Fund(A-class)of Hunan Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.2025JJ20049).
文摘Soft clay treatment with all industrial by-product(IBP)binder has great economic and environmental benefits,yet its geomechanics and mechanisms still need to be well probed.With the activation by calcium carbide residue(CCR)and phosphogypsum(PG),the strength,structure,and mechanisms of soft clay treated by aluminosilicate-rich IBP(AS-IBP,such as ground granulated blast furnace slag(GGBS),fly ash(FA),coal gangue(CG),Bayer red mud(BR),and sintered red mud(SR))are comparatively investigated.The strength characteristics of solidified clay exhibit significant differences as AS-IBP changes.When GGBS is adopted,the strength is sensitive to the change in PG content,while the impact of CCR is insignificant.After 90 d,the strength of the optimal sample(G23)reaches 1.40 MPa,35.9%higher than cement solidified clay(CSC),while that achieved by other AS-IBPs is less than 0.3 MPa.In the compression test,the structure's evolutionary trend of G23 has a sudden change as the strength increases from 1.81 MPa to 2.29 MPa,suggesting the transformation in material properties.Besides,the structure of G23 is stronger than CSC,which contributes more to the compressive performance.The total amount of main products(C-S-H and ettringite)of all-IBP solidified clay determines the strength,and ettringite is only significant when calcium-rich AS-IBP is adopted.The total amount of minor products(C-A-H and C-A-S-H)is similar for different samples,equivalent to 28.9%-46.3%of the main products.The relationship between the strength and the product amount can be presented using an exponential function.
基金Projects(51671158,51871176,51621063)supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of ChinaProject(2014CB644003)supported by the National Basic Research Program of China+1 种基金Project(PB2018008)supported by the 111 Project 2.0,ChinaProject(2018JM5098)supported by the Natural Science Basic Research Plan in Shaanxi Province of China
文摘Ti5553-xFe (x=0.4, 1.2, 2.0, wt.%) alloys have been designed and fabricated through BE (blended element) sintering to investigate the effect of Fe-addition on athermal ω-phase transformation, α-phase evolution and age hardening behavior. The results show that the formation of athermal ω-phase is fully suppressed in water-quenched specimens when Fe-addition is up to 2 wt.%. The relevant timescales of α formation during initial stages of aging indicate that incubation time increases with Fe-addition. Further aging results in continuous nucleation and growth of α-phase but finer intragranular α lamellae exhibit in Ti5553-2Fe alloy. In addition, the width and extent of grain boundary α-film increase slightly with incremental Fe-addition, especially in furnace cooling condition. Result of Vickers hardness manifests that Fe-addition leads to a strong hardening effect in both solution and aging treatment. The solid solution strengthening is quantitatively estimated by ab initio calculation based on the Labusch?Nabarro model. The evolution of α-precipitate is rationalized by Gibbs free energy. The prominent hardening effect of Ti5553?2Fe alloy is attributed to both large lattice misfit of β-matrix and fine α-precipitate distribution.
文摘Open caissons are widely used in foundation engineering because of their load-bearing efficiency and adaptability in diverse soil conditions.However,accurately predicting their undrained bearing capacity in layered soils remains a complex challenge.This study presents a novel application of five ensemble machine(ML)algorithms-random forest(RF),gradient boosting machine(GBM),extreme gradient boosting(XGBoost),adaptive boosting(AdaBoost),and categorical boosting(CatBoost)-to predict the undrained bearing capacity factor(Nc)of circular open caissons embedded in two-layered clay on the basis of results from finite element limit analysis(FELA).The input dataset consists of 1188 numerical simulations using the Tresca failure criterion,varying in geometrical and soil parameters.The FELA was performed via OptumG2 software with adaptive meshing techniques and verified against existing benchmark studies.The ML models were trained on 70% of the dataset and tested on the remaining 30%.Their performance was evaluated using six statistical metrics:coefficient of determination(R²),mean absolute error(MAE),root mean squared error(RMSE),index of scatter(IOS),RMSE-to-standard deviation ratio(RSR),and variance explained factor(VAF).The results indicate that all the models achieved high accuracy,with R²values exceeding 97.6%and RMSE values below 0.02.Among them,AdaBoost and CatBoost consistently outperformed the other methods across both the training and testing datasets,demonstrating superior generalizability and robustness.The proposed ML framework offers an efficient,accurate,and data-driven alternative to traditional methods for estimating caisson capacity in stratified soils.This approach can aid in reducing computational costs while improving reliability in the early stages of foundation design.
基金supported by the Key Research Program of the Institute of Geology&Geophysics,CAS(Grant No.IGGCAS-201903).
文摘Natural gas hydrates widely accumulate in submarine sediments composed of clay minerals.However,due to the complex physiochemistry and micron-sized particles of clay minerals,their effects on methane hydrate(MH)formation and dissociation are still in controversy.In this study,montmorillonite and illite were separately mixed with quartz sand to investigate their effects on MH formation and dissociation.The microstructure of synthesized samples was observed by cryo-SEM innovatively to understand the effects of montmorillonite and illite on MH phase transition in micron scale.Results show that montmorillonite and illite both show the inhibition on MH formation kinetics and water-to-hydrate conversion,and illite shows a stronger inhibition.The 10 wt%montmorillonite addition significantly retards MH formation rate,and the 20 wt%montmorillonite has a less inhibition on the rate.The increase of illite mass ratio(0-20 wt%)retards the rate of MH formation.As the content of clay minerals increase,the water-to-hydrate conversion decreases.Cryo-SEM images presented that montmorillonite aggregates separate as individual clusters while illite particles pack as face-to-face configuration under the interaction with water.The surface-overlapped illite aggregates would make sediments pack tightly,hinder the contact between gas and water,and result in the more significant inhibition on MH formation kinetics.Under the depressurization method,the addition of clay minerals facilitates MH dissociation rate.Physicochemical properties of clay minerals and MH distribution in the pore space lead to the faster dissociation rate in clay-containing sediments.The results of this study would provide beneficial guides on geological investigations and optimizing strategies of natural gas production in marine hydrate-bearing sediments.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.42107052)Beijing Natural Science Foundation(No.JQ21031).
文摘As a widely used fertilizer,urea significantly promotes the leaching of dissolved organic nitrogen(DON)in soils and aggravates nitrogen contamination in groundwater.Clayminerals are considered the most important factor in retaining DON.However,the effect of urea on the retention of DON with different molecular weights by clay minerals is unknown.In this study,the retention of both low-molecular weight DON(LMWD)and high-molecular weight DON(HMWD)by clay minerals in the presence of urea was investigated.For this purpose,batch adsorption and soil column leaching experiments,characterization analysis(Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy X-ray diffraction,and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy),and molecular dynamics simulations were carried out.Urea had a positive effect on the adsorption of LMWD,whereas a competitive effect existed for the adsorption of HMWD.The dominant interactions among DON,urea,and clay minerals included H-bonding,ligand exchange,and cation exchange.The urea was preferentially adsorbed on clay minerals and formed a complex,which provided more adsorption sites to LMWD and only a few to HMWD.The presence of urea increased the retention of LMWD and decreased the retention of HMWD in clay minerals.The retention capacity of LMWD increased by 6.9%–12.8%,while that of HMWD decreased by 6.7%–53.1%.These findings suggest that LMWD tended to be trapped in soils,while HMWD was prone to be leached into groundwater,which can be used to evaluate the leaching of DON from soil to groundwater.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(Grant No.2023YFC3707900)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.42030710 and 42472337).
文摘The presence of heavy metals in soil negatively impacts its mechanical properties.Reactive MgO carbonation presents a promising approach to enhance the solidification of Pb-contaminated sandy soils.However,the mechanical properties and structural behavior of contaminated soils during carbonation can vary significantly due to differences in soil composition.This study examines the potential application and underlying mechanisms of reactive MgO carbonation in improving the mechanical properties of Pb-contaminated red clay.The findings demonstrate that Pb-contaminated red clay transitions from a plastic to a brittle state following reactive MgO carbonation.After 1 h of treatment,the strength of the red clay exceeded 3 MPa,even at high Pb^(2+)concentrations.The deformation modulus to unconfined compressive strength(UCS)ratio was calculated to be 37.761,with the failure strain primarily ranging from 1.5%to 4.0%.A strength prediction model for the reactive MgO-stabilized Pb-contaminated red clay was proposed,which showed good predictive accuracy.Furthermore,reactive MgO carbonation significantly reduced the Pb leaching concentration in the high-level Pb-contaminated soil to below 0.1 mg/L.Microscopic analysis revealed that an optimal amount of hydrated magnesium carbonates(HMCs)formed a stable and compact structure with the soil particles.However,long-term carbonation causes red clay particles to become sandy,and excessive HMCs can harm the soil structure.Therefore,to maximize the strength improvement while avoiding structural damage,the carbonation time should be controlled to 1 h.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos.52278334 and 4197724)Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (Grant No.2242024k30066).
文摘It has been well recognized that sand particles significantly affect the mechanical properties of reconstituted sandy clays,including the hosted clay and sand particles.However,interrelation between the permeability and compressibility of reconstituted sandy clays by considering the structural effects of sand particles is still rarely reported.For this,a series of consolidation-permeability coefficient tests were conducted on reconstituted sandy clays with different sand fractions(ψ_(ss)),initial void ratio of hosted clays(e_(c0))and void ratio at liquid limit of hosted clays(e_(cL)).The roles of ψ_(ss) in both the relationships of permeability coefficient of hosted clay(k_(v-hosted clay))versus effective vertical stress(σ'_(v))and void ratio of hosted clay(e_(c-hosted clay))versus σ'_(v) were analyzed.The results show that the permeability coefficient of reconstituted sandy clays(k_(v))is dominated by hosted clay(k_(v)=k_(v-hosted clay)).Both ψ_(ss) and σ'_(v) affect the k_(v) of sandy clays by changing the e_(c-hosted clay) at any given σ'_(v).Due to the partial contacts and densified clay bridges between the sand particles(i.e.structure effects),the e_(c-hosted clay) in sandy clays is higher than that in clays at the same σ'_(v)v.The k_(v)-e_(c-hosted clay) relationship of sandy clays is independent of σ'_(v) and ψ_(ss)but is a function of e_(cL).The types of hosted clays affect the k_(v) of sandy clays by changing the e_(cL).Based on the relationship between permeability coefficient and void ratio for the reconstituted clays,an empirical method for determining the k_(v) is proposed and validated for sandy clays.The predicted values are almost consistent with the measured values with k_(v-predicted)=k_(v-measured)=0.6-2.5.
基金the support of the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program(SERDP)of the United States of America(Grant No.MR23-3855).
文摘Numerous former military sites worldwide require environmental cleanup from buried unexploded ordnance(UxO)that pose hazards such as leaching toxic chemicals and explosion risks.However,selecting the appropriate mitigation technology relies on prior knowledge of UxO depth of burial(DoB)at specific sites.This study utilizes numerical simulations,employing large deformation explicit finite element(LDEFE)analysis and the Coupled Eulerian-Lagrangian(CEL)approach,to model the penetration of ordnances into clay targets.A modified Tresca constitutive model is implemented in ABAQUS software to capture key features of clay behavior under high strain rate(HSR)loading.The role of various parameters on DoB is investigated,including undrained shear strength,stiffness,and density of the soil.The findings highlight the paramount importance of undrained shear strength in clayey soil penetrability,in addition to the role of soil stiffness,and density.The simulations were employed to calibrate model parameters for Young's empirical penetration model,as well as the Poncelet phenomenological penetration model,demonstrating the efficacy of the numerical simulations in extrapolating its findings within the relevant parameter space.In particular,the calibrated parameters of Young's and Poncelet's models can be identified as a direct function of the various discussed soil properties,which was previously unavailable.
文摘Clays are a constituent of the earth. As a result, the discovery and traditional use of clays in construction and pottery worldwide dates back to antiquity. Guinea has several deposits of clay minerals whose chemical and mineralogical compositions have been little studied. Despite lacking of scientific data on these clay minerals, they are used today in pottery and habitat construction. As a step towards promoting the use of clay materials in Guinea, we conducted a study of the physicochemical and mineralogical properties of three natural clays from Kakan in the Republic of Guinea (AKKB, AKKE, AKKO) used in habitat construction. The aims of this work were to better understand their properties, but above all to be able to act on them to improve and broaden their applications, which until now have been limited to construction. These clays were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF), moisture content (%W), laser granulometry, Atterberg limits, specific surface area, infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis and differential thermal analysis (TGA/DTA). These analyses revealed that the main clay minerals present in our samples are kaolinite, illite and, montmorillonite, with the addition of impurities, the most abundant of which is quartz.
文摘This study aims to perform thermophysical characterization,thermogravimetric analysis,and specific surface area determination of a lime-stabilized mixture composed of previously studied Gaoui clay and Michemirédiatomite.Lime stabilization of clay is a widespread technique;the addition of diatomite significantly reduced the mixture’s thermophysical properties due to its porous structure.The absolute density was determined using a helium pycnometer,and the specific surface area,air permeability test,was also determined using a Blaine permeabilimeter.Experimental results showed that the thermal conductivity and thermal effusivity of the clay decreased significantly with the addition of the other two materials.They decreased from 0.74 W/m·K to 0.338 W/m·K and from 985.5 W/s^(1/2)/m^(2)/K to 519.6 W/s^(1/2)/m^(2)/K respectively,for the 100%clay and 50%clay+35%diatomite+15%lime formulations,at a compaction pressure of 3 MPa.Thermogravimetric analysis showed that at low temperatures(0 to 150℃),free water from the materials began to evaporate.From medium temperatures(400 to 600℃)to high temperatures(1,000℃),the results showed a mass loss of 6%for Gaoui clay,2%for Michemirédiatomite,and 1.5%for lime.The results of the Blaine test and air permeability tests demonstrated that the specific surface area of 100%clay is high at 0.355 m^(2)/kg,followed by that of 100%diatomite at 0.305 m^(2)/kg and that of 100%lime at 0.273 m^(2)/kg.
基金supported by the Australian Research Council Training Centre for Whole Life Design of Carbon Neutral Infrastructure(Grant No.IC230100015).
文摘Biochar,a solid carbonaceous material produced by heating biomass in oxygen-free or low-oxygen conditions(pyrolysis),has been used in various applications,including wastewater treatment,carbon sequestration,and improving soil fertility.However,very limited research has been performed to explore its feasibility to improve the expansive clay(EC)subgrade.In this study,fine-grained wood biochar derived from wood waste was used to stabilise and enhance the mechanical performance of the EC as road subgrade.A comprehensive series of geotechnical tests,including unconfined compressive strength(UCS),California bearing ratio(CBR),repeated load triaxial(RLT),and swelling-shrinkage tests,were conducted to investigate the engineering properties of expansive clay mixed with different contents of the fine-grained biochar(FGB)(i.e.0,1%,2%,3%,and 4%by weight of dry soil).Furthermore,X-ray diffraction(XRD),X-ray fluorescence(XRF),X-ray micro-CT,and thermogravimetric analysis(TGA)analyses were performed to study the microchemical modification of the EC-FGB mixtures.The results showed that adding FGB reduced the swelling and shrinkage potential while enhancing the mechanical properties of the EC.The micro-level analysis also supported the enhancement of the geotechnical performance of the EC resulting from the incorporation of FGB.According to the test results,2%FGB was considered the optimum content,increasing UCS,CBR,and resilient modulus by 31.1%,24.1%,and 31.5%,respectively,and decreasing the swell-shrinkage index by 7%.
文摘Clay swelling and fines migration pose significant challenges to thermally enhanced oil recovery(EOR)operations,particularly in clay-rich formations.This study systematically investigates clay swelling behavior and permeability impairment under high-temperature,low-salinity(HTLS) conditions and evaluates various inhibition methods to mitigate formation damage.To ensure realistic analysis,data and materials from a field with similar issues in Kazakhstan were used.Static/dynamic swelling tests demonstrated that a quaternary ammonium-based inhibitor consistently provided superior clay stabilization through effective ion exchange and surface charge modification mechanisms.In distilled water at 100℃,inhibitor-treated samples maintained 48.89 % of their original permeability,while untreated samples exhibited severe damage,retaining only 17.05 %.Additionally,this chemical inhibitor significantly lowered the critical salt concentration(CSC),effectively stabilizing clay at 4920 ppm salinity compared to 7380 ppm required without treatment.Scanning electron microscopy(SEM) imaging corroborated these results,revealing that inhibitor-treated clay maintains a compact and coherent structure,in stark contrast to the pronounced swelling,delamination,and structural deterioration observed in untreated clay samples.Nevertheless,this quaternary ammonium-based clay stabilizer presents a robust and promising solution for reducing clay swelling-induced damage,sustaining reservoir permeability,and improving thermal EOR performance in swelling-prone formations.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foun-dation of China(Grant No.52478335)the 2023 Annual Science and Technology Project of Jiangsu Province Construction System(Grant No.90)the Science and Technology Research and Develop-ment Topic of CSCEC 7th Division(Grant No.CSCEC7b-2024-Z-4).
文摘This work aims to investigate the thermo-poromechanical behavior of saturated silt clay(SC)under varying temperatures through experiments and constitutive modeling.A series of undrained triaxial compression tests was conducted on saturated SC with temperature ranges from 25℃to 60℃.The effects of temperature on the main poromechanical properties of saturated SC,such as stress-strain relations,pore pressure evolution,and strength parameters,were thoroughly examined.Based on the experimental results,a subtly thermodynamically consistent thermo-poromechanical model was established using the concept of effective plastic stress within the poromechanical framework.Plastic deformation was described with a specific yield criterion and non-associated plastic potential that both depend on the effective plastic stress and a simple hardening variable.Finally,this model was implemented by a semi-implicit return mapping algorithm(SRMA)and validated through the comparison of model predictions and experimental data.The proposed model accurately reproduces the main thermo-poromechanical characteristics observed in saturated SC.
文摘This study evaluates the influence of sand content on the mechanical behavior and water resistance of compressed earth bricks(CEBs)manufactured from Lendi clay(Douala,Cameroon).Twenty-seven specimens(prismatic and cubic)were produced with three formulations:0%,30%and 60%sand substitution by dry mass,compacted at 2.5 MPa and cured for 7,14 and 28 days.Raw material characterization included particle size distribution,sand equivalent,Atterberg limits,bulk density and Proctor compaction.The clay displayed a liquid limit of 44.07%,plastic limit of 35.23%and plasticity index of 8.84%;optimum moisture content was 15.9%and maximum dry density 1.24 g·cm^(-3).Mechanical testing showed that pure-clay bricks achieved the highest compressive and flexural strengths at all ages(up to≈1.98 MPa and 0.56 MPa respectively).Although the 30%sand mix exhibited marginally higher early compressive strength(7 days),strength decreased substantially by 28 days.Capillary absorption tests revealed an important distinction:while 0%sand bricks exhibited continuous water uptake,they retained cohesion during immersion;conversely,30%and 60%sand bricks disintegrated into a slurry within seconds of immersion,evidencing severe loss of internal bonding.These findings indicate that,for this highly plastic tropical clay,sand acts primarily as a microstructural diluent that undermines long-term cohesion and durability despite short-term packing benefits.The study underscores the need for locally tailored formulations or stabilizers when designing durable CEBs for humid tropical climates.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.52278334,42272322,and 52209136).
文摘Interactions between cement clinkers and clay minerals are crucial to the much lower strength of cement-based stabilized clays than concrete or mortar.In this paper,the kaolinite-based and montmorillonite-based clays were respectively stabilized by tricalcium silicate(C3S)and tricalcium aluminate(C3A),and measured by the unconfined compressive strength(UCS),29Si/27Al solid state nuclear magnetic resonance(SS-NMR),Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR),and transmission electron microscope(TEM)to probe the clinker-clay mineral interaction from macro-mechanical,mineralogical,and microstructural perspectives.The results show that C3A-stabilized samples gain strength rapidly in the first 3 d but are only 20%e60%of the strength of C3S-stabilized ones after 60 d.Microstructures reveal that montmorillonite shows better pozzolanic reactivity due to its superior Sichain and lattice substitution compared to kaolinite.This interaction domains the engineering performance of stabilized clays,benefiting the design of stabilizer referring to as the industrial by-products and clay minerals.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foun-dation of China(12362032)the Key Research and Development Pro-gram of Gansu Province-Social Development(23YFFA0063).
文摘In order to explore the mechanical properties and microstructure changes of frozen saline silty clay in the Hexi region of Gansu Province,triaxial compression tests and scanning electron microscopy(SEM)analysis experiment were conducted to explore the effects of moisture content,confining pressure,and temperature on the stress-strain characteristics and failure modes of frozen soil,as well as the changes in the internal microstructure of the sample.The experimental results show that the strength of frozen sulfate saline soil first increases and then decreases with the increase of moisture content,and the maximum strength corresponds to a moisture content of 15%.The changes in confining pressure and strength have the same trend.The lower the temperature,the greater the strength of the sample.During the entire loading process,the specimens undergo a gradual transition from volume shrinkage to volume expansion.Due to the strain harden behavior of the stress-strain curve throughout the entire loading process,the failure mode of the specimens is plastic failure.The internal microstructure of the sample gradually transitions from point-point contact and edge-point contact before shearing to edge-surface contact and edge-edge contact after shearing,and the pore size inside the sample increases after shearing,with a loose arrangement of the particle skeleton.The above research conclusions can lay a certain theoretical foun-dation for the engineering design and construction of sulfate saline soil in cold and arid areas.
文摘This study was part of the framework that contributed not only to the improvement of thermal comfort in housing but also to the decarbonization of the construction and building materials industry. For this purpose, terracotta brick seems to meet these needs. Thus, the objective of this work was to evaluate the influence of the incorporation of coal fly ash from a thermal power plant on the physical and mechanical properties of fired bricks from grey clay in the Thicky area of Senegal. The coal fly ash was incorporated into the raw clay material in proportions of 0, 5, 10, and 15 % by weight. These two raw materials were first characterized by X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF). The XRF analyses showed that the most abundant oxides in clay were SiO2 (55.034%) and Fe2O3 (10.155%). In coal fly ash, SiO2 (38.574%) is predominant. The ash also contained Al2O3 (7.717%) and alicano-earthy melting oxides such as CaO (9.271%) and MgO (7.298%) etc. These melting oxides were necessary to facilitate the formation of the liquid phase when baking platelets. The latter, when burned at a temperature of 880°C, were characterized by determining the number of physico-mechanical parameters, such as linear shrinkage during cooking, water absorption, fire loss and compressive strength. A Hierarchical Ascending Classification of these different parameters was performed and three classes were obtained. Class 1 with better compressive strength (6.358 MPa), was in sample A (5%). Class 2 consisted of sample D (reference) and had a higher plasticity index (28.51%) and water absorption rate (11.19%). Finally, class 3, which included samples B (10%) and C (15%), had very high shrinkage and fire losses compared to other platelets. These results highlighted the possibility of using up to 5% of the coal fly ash in the production of new fired bricks with good performance.
基金financial support for the research and for the publication costs of the articlesupported by Santa Catarina State Research Support Foundation(FAPESC)National Council for Scientific and Technological Development(CNPq no 302903/2023-2).
文摘Cement production,while essential for global infrastructure,contributes significantly to carbon dioxide emissions,accounting for approximately 7%of total emissions.To mitigate these environmental impacts,flash calcination of kaolinitic clays has been investigated as a sustainable alternative.This technique involves the rapid heating of clays,enabling their use as supplementary cementitious materials.The primary objective of this study was to modify the color of calcined clay in various atmospheres(oxidizing,inert,and reducing)to achieve a grayish tone similar to commercial cement while preserving its reactive properties.The experimental procedure employed a tubular reactor with precise control of gas flows(atmospheric air,nitrogen,and a carbon monoxide–nitrogen mixture).Physicochemical characterization of the raw clay was conducted before calcination,with analyses repeated on the calcined clays following experimentation.Results indicated that clay calcined in an oxidizing atmosphere acquired a reddish hue,attributed to the oxidation of iron in hematite.The Clay exhibited a pinkish tone in an inert atmosphere,while calcination in a reducing atmosphere yielded the desired grayish color.Regarding pozzolanic activity,clays calcined in oxidizing and inert atmospheres displayed robust strength,ranging from 82%to 87%.Calcination in a reducing atmosphere resulted in slightly lower strength,around 74%,likely due to the clay’s chemical composition and the calcination process,which affects compound formation and material reactivity.
