Experimental and numerical simulation research of the physical and mechanical properties of Attapulgite clay

Abstract

<p indent=0mm>A series of laboratory experiments were carried out in this paper, around the problems of crusher sticking and tool wear in the pre-treatment of Attapulgite clay. Firstly, the results of mechanical experiments showed that the uniaxial compressive strength of Attapulgite clay decreases gradually with the increase of moisture content. And the triaxial test measured the elastic modulus of the Attapulgite clay to be <sc>0.98 GPa,</sc> the cohesive force to be <sc>2.40 MPa.</sc> Secondly, the meso-mechanical parameters of the numerical model were calibrated by the discrete element numerical experiment, with the condition of different moisture content, and compared with the laboratory test results to verify. Then the macro- and micro- mechanical properties of Attapulgite clay with different moisture content were deeply analyzed. As the moisture content content increases, the effective coordination number inside the sample decreases. The larger the moisture content, the greater the increase in porosity after loading, and the increase in porosity will result in the attenuation of macroscopic mechanical properties. The conclusions in this paper are helpful to optimize the industrial treatment process under different moisture content of Attapulgite clay.