Abstract
This paper describes a test procedure for determining the total surface area of fine-grained soils using the Ethylene Glycol Monoethyl Ether (EGME). The test involves saturating a soil sample with EGME and then removing the excess EGME in a vacuum desiccator, until the EGME forms a monomolecular layer on the soil surface. The results of the test are expressed as Specific Surface Area (SSA), which describes the surface area/unit mass of dry soil with units of m2/g. Test results are presented demonstrating the effect of various test parameters on the results. Results for a number of different fine-grained soils are presented. A detailed recommended test procedure is given. The proposed method uses simple and inexpensive laboratory equipment, is relatively simple to perform, and allows for rapid determination of SSA.
Issue Section:
Research Papers
References
1.
Anderson
, D. M.
and Tice
, A. R.
, 1972
, “Predicting Unfrozen Water Contents in Frozen Soils from Surface Area Measurements
,” Highway Research Record
0073-2206, No. 393
, pp. 12
-18
.2.
Brunauer
, S.
, Emmett
, P. H.
, and Teller
, E.
, 1938
, “Adsorption of Gases in Multi-Molecular Layers
,” Journal of the American Chemical Society
0002-7863 https://doi.org/10.1021/ja01269a023, Vol. 60
, pp. 309
-319
.3.
Carter
, D. L.
, Heilman
, M. D.
, and Gonzalez
, C. L.
, 1965
, “Ethylene Glycol Monoethyl Ether for Determining Surface Area of Silicate Minerals
,” Soil Science
0038-075X, Vol. 100
, No. 5
, pp. 356
-360
.4.
Carter
, D. L.
, Mortland
, M. M.
, and Kemper
, W. D.
, 1986
, “Specific Surface. Methods of Soil Analysis
,” Chapter 16, Agronomy
, No. 9, Part 1, 2nd Ed., American Society of Agronomy
.5.
Churchman
, G. J.
and Burke
, C. M.
, 1991
, “Properties of Subsoils in Relation to Various Measures of Surface Area and Water Content
,” Journal of Soil Science
, Vol. 42
, pp. 463
-478
.6.
Dasog
, G. S.
, Acton
, D. F.
, Mermut
, A. R.
, and Delong
, E.
, 1988
, “Shrink-Swell Potential and Cracking in Clay Soils of Saskatchewan
,” Canadian Journal of Soil Science
, Vol. 68
, pp. 251
-260
.7.
Dos Santos
, M. P. P.
and DeCastro
, E.
, 1965
, “Soil Erosion in Roads
,” Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering
, Vol. 1
, pp. 116
-118
.8.
Dyal
, R. S.
and Hendricks
, S. B.
, 1950
, “Total Surface of Clays in Polar Liquids as a Characteristic Index
,” Soil Science
0038-075X, Vol. 69
, pp. 421
-432
.9.
Farrar
, D. M.
and Coleman
, J. D.
, 1967
, “The Correlation of Surface Area with other Properties of Nineteen British Clay Soils
,” Journal of Soil Science
, Vol. 18
, No. 1
, pp. 118
-124
.10.
Greenland
, D. J.
and Quirk
, J. P.
, 1964
, “Determination of the Total Specific Surface Area of Soils by Adsorption of Cetyl Pyridinium Bromide
,” Journal of Soil Science
, Vol. 15
, pp. 178
-191
.11.
Hang
, P. T.
and Brindley
, 1970
, “Methylene Blue Adsorption by Clay Minerals
,” Determination of Surface Areas and Cation Exchange Capacities (Clay-Organic Studies XVIII). Clays and Clay Minerals
, Vol. 18
, pp. 203
-212
.12.
Kuzukami
, H.
, Ozaki
, E.
, and Nakaya
, M.
, 1971
, “Relationships Between Specific Surface and Liquid Limit
,” Transactions of the Japanese Society of Irrigation, Drainage and Reclamation Engineering
, Vol. 37
, pp. 61
-67
.13.
Locat
, J.
, Lefebvre
, G.
, and Ballivy
, G.
, 1984
, “Mineralogy, Chemistry, and Physical Property Interrelationships of Some Sensitive Clays from Eastern Canada
,” Canadian Geotechnical Journal
0008-3674, Vol. 21
, pp. 530
-540
.14.
Low
, P. F.
, 1980
, “The Swelling of Clay: II. Montmorillonite
,” Soil Science Society of America Journal
0361-5995, Vol. 44
, No. 4
, pp. 667
-676
.15.
Morgenstern
, N. R.
and Balasubramanian
, B. I.
, 1980
, “Effects of Pore Fluid on the Swelling of Clay-Shale
,” Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Expansive Soils
, Vol. 1
, pp. 190
-205
.16.
Morin
, P.
and Dawe
, C. R.
, 1986
, “Geotechnical Properties of Two Deep Sea Marine Soils From Labrador Sea Area
,” Proceedings of the 3rd Canadian Conference on Marine Geotechnical Engineering
, Vol. 1
, pp. 117
-134
.17.
Mortland
, M. M.
and Kemper
, W. D.
, 1965
, “Specific Surface
,” Methods of Soil Analysis
. Chapter 42, Agronomy No. 9, Part 1, American Society of Agronomy
.18.
Mulla
, D. J.
, Low
, P. F.
, and Roth
, C. B.
, 1985
, “Measurement of the Specific Surface Area of Clays by Internal Reflectance Spectroscopy
,” Clays and Clay Minerals
0009-8604, Vol. 33
, No. 5
, pp. 391
-396
.19.
Newman
, A. C. D.
, 1983
, “The Specific Surface of Soils Determined by Water Sorption
,” Journal of Soil Science
, Vol. 34
, pp. 23
-32
.20.
Nixon
, J. F.
, 1991
, “Discrete Ice Lens Theory for Frost Heave in Soils
,” Canadian Geotechnical Journal
0008-3674, Vol. 28
, pp. 843
-859
.21.
Ohtsubo
, M.
, Takayama
, M.
, and Egashira
, K.
, 1983
, “Relationships of Consistency Limits and Activity to Some Physical and Chemical Properties of Ariake Marine Clays
,” Soils and Foundations
, Vol. 23
, No. 1
, pp. 38
-46
.22.
Rai
Puri, Balwant
, and Murari
, K.
, 1963
, “Studies in Surface Area Measurements of Soils: 1. Comparison of Different Methods
,” Soil Science
0038-075X, Vol. 96
, pp. 331
-335
.23.
Rieke
, R. D.
, Vinson
, T. S.
, and Mageau
, D. W.
, 1983
, “The Role of Specific Surface Area and Related Index Properties in the Frost Heave Susceptibility of Soils
,” Proceedings of the 4th International Permafrost Conference
, pp. 1066
-1071
.24.
Ristori
, G. G.
, Sparvoli
, E.
, Landi
, L.
, and Martelloni
, C.
, 1989
, “Measurement of Specific Surface Areas of Soils by p-Nitrophenol Adsorption
,” Applied Clay Science
0169-1317 https://doi.org/10.1016/0169-1317(89)90028-8, Vol. 4
, pp. 521
-532
.25.
Ross
, G. J.
, 1978
, “Relationships of Specific Surface Area and Clay Content to Shrink-Swell Potential of Soils Having Different Clay Mineralogic Compositions
,” Canadian Journal of Soil Science
, Vol. 58
, pp. 159
-166
.26.
Smith
, C. W.
, Hadas
, A.
, Dan
, J.
, and Koyumdjisky
, H.
, 1985
, “Shrinkage and Atterberg Limits Relation to Other Properties of Principle Soil Types in Israel
,” Geoderma
0016-7061, Vol. 35
, pp. 47
-65
.27.
Sridharan
, A.
, Rao
, G.
, and Venkatappa
, 1972
, “Surface Area Determination of Clays
,”28.
Geotechnical Engineering, Technical Note
, Vol. 3
, pp. 127
-132
.29.
Tiller
, K. G.
and Smith
, L. H.
, 1990
, “Limitations of EGME Retention to Estimate Surface Area of Soils
,” Australian Journal of Soil Science
, Vol. 28
, pp. 1
-26
.30.
Warkintin
, B. P.
, 1972
, “Use of Liquid Limit in Characterizing Clay Soils
,” Canadian Journal of Soil Science
, Vol. 52
, pp. 457
-464
.
This content is only available via PDF.
All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced or copied, in whole or in part, in any printed, mechanical, electronic, film, or other distribution and storage media, without the written consent of ASTM International.
You do not currently have access to this content.
