Towards a methodology for the characterisation of the fabric of wet clays using X-ray scattering
Paper in proceeding, 2019

X-ray scattering is a promising non-invasive technique to study evolving nano- and micromechanics in clays. This study discusses the experimental considerations and a successful method to enable X-ray scattering to study clay samples at two extreme stages of consolidation. It is shown that the proposed sample environment comprising flat capillaries with a hydrophobic coating can be used for a wide range of voids ratios ranging from a clay suspension to consolidated clay samples, that are cut from larger specimens of reconstituted or natural clay. The initial X-ray scattering results using a laboratory instrument indicate that valuable information on, in principal evolving, clay fabric can be measured. Features such as characteristic distance between structural units and particle orientations are obtained for a slurry and a consolidated sample of kaolinite. Combined with other promising measurement techniques from Materials Science the proposed method will help advance the contemporary understanding on the behaviour of dense colloidal systems of clay, as it does not require detrimental sample preparation

Author

Georgios Birmpilis

Chalmers, Architecture and Civil Engineering, Geology and Geotechnics

Reza Ahmadi-Naghadeh

Chalmers, Architecture and Civil Engineering, Geology and Geotechnics

Jelke Dijkstra

Chalmers, Architecture and Civil Engineering, Geology and Geotechnics

E3S Web of Conferences

25550403 (ISSN) 22671242 (eISSN)

Vol. 92 01005
978-275989064-4 (ISBN)

7th International Symposium on Deformation Characteristics of Geomaterials (IS-Glasgow 2019)
Glasgow, United Kingdom,

Subject Categories

Analytical Chemistry

Materials Chemistry

Other Materials Engineering

DOI

10.1051/e3sconf/20199201005

More information

Latest update

1/3/2024 9