https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6406-8010
Abstract
This article presents an experimental investigation of the microstructure and water distribution of partially saturated natural hard clay. A series of natural hard clay specimens were desaturated using a controlled-suction technique and then examined using nuclear magnetic resonance relaxometry (NMR) and mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP). NMR allows one to investigate the microstructure and the water distribution of the material, while MIP can provide information about the free space distribution of the material. The results of NMR are consistent with the MIP measurements and show that the pore size of the hard clay has a similar unimodal distribution. The relaxation time distribution curves are closely related to the water content of the specimens. The dehydration mechanism of the hard clay is revealed by both NMR and MIP: the water progressively evaporates from large pores to small pores. The peak of the T2 relaxation time distribution decreases with a decrease in water content, and the peak of the free pore size distribution increases during hydration. The results of NMR and MIP are consistent and reveal the same dehydration mechanisms. The limits of NMR and MIP for partially saturated materials will be discussed in this text.
References
1.
Bird
, N. R. A.
, Preston
, A. R.
, Randall
, E. W.
, Whalley
, W. R.
, and Whitmore
, A. P.
, 2005
, “Measurement of the Size Distribution of Water-Filled Pores at Different Matric Potentials by Stray Field Nuclear Magnetic Resonance
,” Eur. J. Soil Sci.
, Vol. 56
, No. 1
, pp. 135
–143
, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1351-0754.2004.00658.x2.
Chen
, X.
and Wu
, S.
, 2013
, “Influence of Water-to-Cement Ratio and Curing Period on Pore Structure of Cement Mortar
,” Constr. Build. Mater.
, Vol. 38
, No. 6
, pp. 804
–812
, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2012.09.0583.
Chen
, X.
, Wu
, S.
, and Zhou
, J.
, 2014
, “Experimental Study and Analytical Model for Pore Structure of Hydrated Cement Paste
,” Appl. Clay Sci.
, Vol. 101
, pp. 159
–167
, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clay.2014.07.0314.
Delage
, P.
, Le
, T. T.
, Tang
, A. M.
, Cui
, Y. J.
, and Li
, X. L.
, 2007
, “Suction and In-Situ Stresses of Deep Boom Clay Samples
,” Géotechnique
, Vol. 57
, No. 1
, pp. 239
–244
.5.
Delage
, P.
, Menaceur
, H.
, Tang
, A. M.
, and Talandier
, J.
, 2014
, “Suction Effects in Deep Callovo-Oxfordian Claystone
,” Géotech. Lett.
, Vol. 4
, No. 4
, pp. 267
–271
, https://doi.org/10.1680/geolett.14.000626.
Delage
, P.
and Pellerin
, M.
, 1984
, “Influence de la Lyophilisation sur la Structure d’une Argile Sensible du Quebec
,” Clay Miner.
, Vol. 19
, No. 2
, pp. 151
–160
, https://doi.org/10.1180/claymin.1984.019.2.037.
Faure
, P. F.
, Caré
, S.
, Magat
, J.
, and Chaussadent
, T.
, 2012
, “Drying Effect on Cement Paste Porosity at Early Age Observed by NMR Methods
,” Constr. Build. Mater.
, Vol. 29
, pp. 496
–503
, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2011.07.0128.
Jaeger
, F.
, Bowe
, S.
, Van As
, H.
, and Schaumann
, G. E.
, 2009
, “Evaluation of 1H NMR Relaxometry for the Assessment of Pore-Size Distribution in Soil Samples
,” Eur. J. Soil Sci.
, Vol. 60
, No. 6
, pp. 1052
–1064
, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2389.2009.01192.x9.
Koliji
, A.
, Vulliet
, L.
, and Laloui
, L.
, 2010
, “Structural Characterization of Unsaturated Aggregated Soil
,” Can. Geotech. J.
, Vol. 47
, No. 3
, pp. 297
–311
, https://doi.org/10.1139/T09-08910.
Menaceur
, H.
, Delage
, P.
, Tang
, A. M.
, and Talandier
, J.
, 2016
, “The Status of Water in Swelling Shales: An Insight from the Water Retention Properties of the Callovo-Oxfordian Claystone
,” Rock Mech. Rock Eng.
, Vol. 49
, No. 12
, pp. 4571
–4586
, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-016-1065-211.
Mitchell
, J.
, Howe
, A. M.
, and Clarke
, A.
, 2015
, “Real-Time Oil-Saturation Monitoring in Rock Cores with Low-Field NMR
,” J. Magn. Reson.
, Vol. 256
, pp. 34
–42
, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmr.2015.04.01112.
Mitchell
, J. K.
and Soga
, K.
, 2005
, “Chapter 5
,” Fundamentals of Soil Behavior
, 3rd ed., John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
, Hoboken, NJ
, pp. 109
–140
.13.
Ohkubo
, T.
, Kikuchi
, H.
, and Yamaguchi
, M.
, 2008
, “An Approach of NMR Relaxometry for Understanding Water in Saturated Compacted Bentonite
,” Phys. Chem. Earth
, Vol. 33
, Suppl. 1
, pp. S169
–S176
.14.
Pham
, Q. T.
, Vales
, F.
, Malinsky
, L.
, Nguyen Minh
, D.
, and Gharbi
, H.
, 2007
, “Effects of Desaturation-Resaturation on Mudstone
,” Phys. Chem. Earth
, Vol. 32
, Nos. 8–14
, pp. 646
–655
, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pce.2006.03.01215.
Romero
, E.
and Simms
, P. H.
, 2008
, “Microstructure Investigation in Unsaturated Soils: A Review with Special Attention to Contribution of Mercury Intrusion Porosimetry and Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy
,” Geotech. Geol. Eng.
, Vol. 26
, No. 6
, pp. 705
–727
, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-008-9204-516.
Simms
, P. H.
and Yanful
, E. K.
, 2004
, “A Discussion of the Application of Mercury Intrusion Porosimetry for the Investigation of Soils, Including an Evaluation of its Use to Estimate Volume Change in Compacted Clayey Soils
,” Géotechnique
, Vol. 54
, No. 6
, pp. 421
–426
, https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.2004.54.6.42117.
Stingaciu
, L. R.
, Pohlmeier
, A.
, Blümler
, P.
, Weihermüller
, L.
, van Dusschoten
, D.
, Stapf
, S.
, and Vereecken
, H.
, 2009
, “Characterization of Unsaturated Porous Media by High-Field and Low-Field NMR Relaxometry
,” Water Resour. Res.
, Vol. 45
, No. 8
, W08412, https://doi.org/10.1029/2008WR00745918.
Tian
, H. H.
, Wei
, C. F.
, Wei
, H. Z.
, and Zhou
, J. Z.
, 2014
, “Freezing and Thawing Characteristics of Frozen Soils: Bound Water Content and Hysteresis Phenomenon
,” Cold Reg. Sci. Technol.
, Vol. 103
, pp. 74
–81
, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coldregions.2014.03.00719.
Tsang
, C. F.
, Bernier
, F.
, and Davies
, C.
, 2005
, “Geohydromechanical Processes in the Excavation Damaged Zone in Crystalline Rock, Rock Salt, and Indurated and Plastic Clays—In the Context of Radioactive Waste Disposal
,” Int. J. Rock Mech. Min. Sci.
, Vol. 42
, No. 1
, pp. 109
–125
, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrmms.2004.08.00320.
Vincent
, B.
, Fleury
, M.
, Santerre
, Y.
, and Brigaud
, B.
, 2011
, “NMR Relaxation of Neritic Carbonates: An Integrated Petrophysical and Petrographical Approach
,” J. Appl. Geophys.
, Vol. 74
, No. 1
, pp. 38
–58
, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jappgeo.2011.03.00221.
Wang
, L. L.
, Bornert
, M.
, Héripré
, E.
, Chanchole
, S.
, and Tanguy
, A.
, 2014
, “Full-Field Measurements on Low-Strained Geomaterials Using Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy and Digital Image Correlation: Improved Imaging Conditions
,” Strain
, Vol. 50
, No. 5
, pp. 370
–380
, https://doi.org/10.1111/str.1207622.
Yang
, D. S.
, Bornert
, M.
, Chanchole
, S.
, Gharbi
, H.
, and Valli
, P.
, 2012
, “Dependence on Moisture Content of Elastic Properties of Argillaceous Rocks Investigated with Optical Full-Field Strain Measurement Techniques
,” Int. J. Rock Mech. Min. Sci.
, Vol. 53
, pp. 45
–55
, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrmms.2012.04.00423.
Yang
, D. S.
, Chanchole
, S.
, Valli
, P.
, and Chen
, L.
, 2013
, “Study of the Anisotropic Properties of Argillite under Moisture and Mechanical Loads
,” Rock Mech. Rock Eng.
, Vol. 46
, No. 2
, pp. 247
–257
, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-012-0267-5
This content is only available via PDF.
All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced or copied, in whole or 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.
