Epigenetic Formation of Clay Surface Properties: Experimental Modeling

Abstract

Quaternary diluvium soil samples were tested for particles’ cohesion, contact angle, porosity and their geoengineering properties were compared. The effect of particle size, applied external pressure, hy dration and the presence of organomineral surfactants on the soil surface properties of a clay preparation was evaluated. These characteristics determine the strength of clay particles’ cohesion to each other and are important for the development of techniques for geoengineering management. The macroscopic wetting contact angle was estimated using the captive bubble method by the author’s technique. An external pressure in excess of 40 kPa applied to a clay preparation on a glass substrate results in more than one layer of clay particles due to cohesion. It was observed that the thickness of the clay layer retained on the preparations due to cohesion decreases during hydration. This decrease is more noticeable for samples with particles up to 45 μm compared to samples containing larger particles up to 250 μm. The positive effect of organomineral surfactants on the cohesion of clay particles has been established. The addition of these surfactants initially leads to an increase in wetting heterogeneity.