The Interplay of Clay Behavior and Particle Structuring: A Multiscale Investigation

Abstract The effects of different particle associations on the mechanical behavior of kaolinite are investigated by coupling the experimental mechanical results with microscopic analyses. Two types of particle structures are generated through sedimentation tests conducted in solutions with different pH values, in which flocculation and dispersion of particles take place. It is shown that the compressibility of flocculated samples with an edge-to-face particle structure is higher than that of dispersed samples with a face-to-face particle structure. The particle associations are strongly influenced by the pH of the surrounding fluid. Mercury Intrusion Porosimetry (MIP) results showed that the dominant pore size of flocculated samples is higher than that of dispersed samples. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) observations on the vertical plane of clay samples provided a visualization of the particle arrangement after mechanical load.