Physicochemical mechanics of disperse porous materials as a new approach to assessing mechanical stability of clay soils

Data are presented on the discrepancy between theoretical calculations and experimental results on assessing the strength of fine dispersed bodies including clay soils. Physicochemical processes operating on the surface of dispersed particles are considered upon interaction of latter with water and the formation of adsorbed water films producing disjoining pressure. The presence of films exerting the disjoining effect controls the development of various types of contacts between soil particles in the course of lithogenesis, i. e., coagulational, transitional, and phase contacts. These contacts are the most important factors influencing the behavior of clay soils. The study dwells on the effect of contact types on the state, deformability and stability of clay soils under external impact. It is concluded that the assessment of clay behavior should be based on physicochemical mechanics, patterns of contact interactions in fine-grained soils, and statistical analysis of experimentally obtained parameters of the mechanical properties of clays.