Chemical aspects of quick-clay formation

Abstract

In connection with the systematical examination of the slope stability in the Go¨ta River Valley in Sweden it was impossible to get a satisfactory explanation of the cause of the high sensitivity of quick clays which could be used in the continued examination as a basis for geotechnical investigations. It was concluded that the quick-clay problem must be regarded as a problem of colloid chemical nature. Many of the results obtained pointed out the fact that the surface properties of the grains will play an important role, and in this connection the problem with the possible existence of surface-active agents (dispersing agents) in natural quick clays has been studied. Systematic isolations of dispersing agents have been made by different methods, and the subsequent extracts have been analysed chromatographically. It is found to be easy to isolate dispersing substances by most of the methods tested, but it is very difficult to find any substances with a known composition. Instead, this part of the examination will approach the humic problem. In one case it has been possible to break up the complexes into individual components of known composition, i.e., in the case of fatty acids and soaps. Quick clay contains homologuous series of normal saturated fatty acids and for this reason soaps seem to be components which contribute to the quick-clay formation.