Effect of reduced surface tension of pore fluid on liquid and plastic limits of fine-grained soils

JS Sharma

In the proceedings of: GeoVancouver 2016: 69th Canadian Geotechnical Conference

Session: GEOENVIRONMENTAL - II Remediation

ABSTRACT: This paper presents results of a laboratory testing program on investigating the effect of reduced surface tension of pore fluid on the liquid and plastic limits of five different fine-grained soils. The surface tension of the pore fluid was altered using a chemically-inert surface-active solute 1-butanol in order to isolate the physical and chemical aspects of soil-pore-fluid interaction. Using four different concentrations of 1-butanol in the pore fluid, it was shown that the alteration of pore fluid surface tension has no statistically significant effect on the liquid and plastic limits of the five fine-grained soils tested. It is concluded that the change in consistency limits of fine-grained soils in response to addition of surface-active agents to pore fluid was likely because of chemical interactions between the soil and the pore fluid. The results of this study cast doubt on the validity of the moisture tension method of determining the consistency limits of fine-grained soils.

RÉSUMÉ: Cet article présente les résultats d'un programme de tests de laboratoire sur l'étude de l'effet de la réduction de la tension superficielle du fluide des pores sur les limites liquides et plastiques de cinq sols à grains fins différentes. La tension superficielle du fluide des pores a été modifiée en utilisant un surfactant de 1-butanol chimiquement inerte afin d'isoler les aspects physiques et chimiques de l'interaction sol-pores de fluide. En utilisant quatre concentrations différentes de butanol-1 dans le liquide des pores, il a été montré que la modification de la tension superficielle du liquide des pores n'a pas d'effet statistiquement significatif sur les limites liquides et plastiques des cinq sols à grains fins testés. Il est conclu que la modification des limites de consistance des sols à grains fins, en réponse à l'addition d'agents tensio-actifs au fluide interstitiel est probablement due à des interactions chimiques entre le sol et le fluide des pores. Les résultats de cette étude mettent en doute la validité de la méthode de tension de l'humidité de la détermination des limites de consistance des sols à grains fins.

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Cite this article:
JS Sharma (2016) Effect of reduced surface tension of pore fluid on liquid and plastic limits of fine-grained soils in GEO2016. Ottawa, Ontario: Canadian Geotechnical Society.

@article{4126_0718133758,author = JS Sharma,title = Effect of reduced surface tension of pore fluid on liquid and plastic limits of fine-grained soils,year = 2016}