Rapid Determination of Swelling Pressure of Clay Minerals
Thakur, V
Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai, India

Singh, D
Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai, India

(Received 21 January 2003; accepted 12 January 2005)

Abstract
The present study deals with development of a rapid and easy way to apply methodology that can be employed to determine the swelling pressure of clay minerals, and hence, expansive soils. Conventional oedometer tests were performed to determine the swelling characteristics of montmorillonite and bentonite clay minerals corresponding to various molding water contents, maintaining the same dry density. With the help of a dew point potentiameter, which can be used for measuring very high suction (@90 MPa), the suction of these minerals was measured. The results obtained were used to correlate suction with the swelling pressure and the correlation was validated using data reported in the literature. The study demonstrates the usefulness of the methodology for quickly determining the swelling pressure of various clay minerals and soils.

Keywords:
bentonite, clay minerals, dew point potentiometer, montmorillonite, suction, swelling pressure

Paper ID: JTE11866
DOI: 10.1520/JTE11866

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Author Thakur, V Affiliation Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai, India Author Singh, D Affiliation Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai, India Author Thakur VK, Singh DN Title Rapid Determination of Swelling Pressure of Clay Minerals Symposium , Committee on