Abstract
The similarity model test is one of the important means to study the engineering properties of soft rock. This study aims to develop similar materials for silty mudstone, which has characteristics of low strength and water expansion, based on traditional materials including gypsum, barite powder, clay minerals, and distilled water. The orthogonal design method was used to determine the mixing ratios of the similar materials. The density, uniaxial compressive strength, tensile strength, elastic modulus, and Poisson’s ratio were selected as control indicators of the similar materials. The results show that the water content is the dominant factor for the density, tensile strength, elastic modulus, and Poisson’s ratio of the similar materials of silty mudstone, while the gypsum content is the dominant factor for the uniaxial compressive strength. The physical and mechanical properties of the similar material samples with water content of 19%, barite powder ratio of 32%, and gypsum mass of 250 g show good similarity to those of the raw silty mudstone. The water absorption and expansibility of similar materials with clay mineral ratio of 12% are consistent with those of the raw silty mudstone. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observation indicates that the similar material with optimal mixing ratios exhibits a similar microstructure to that of silty mudstone.
Highlights
Silty mudstone shows obvious characteristics of water absorption and expansion, so its mechanical properties deteriorate under a long-term influence of rainfall
It shows that the density of the prepared similar materials varies from 1.82 to 2.08 g/cm3, the range of uniaxial compressive strength is between 8.28 and 18.19 MPa, and the tensile strength falls between 1.01 and 4.00 MPa
Based on the physical and mechanical properties of silty mudstone, the similar materials of silty mudstone with water absorption and expansibility were developed based on traditional materials including gypsum, barite powder, clay minerals, and distilled water
Summary
Silty mudstone shows obvious characteristics of water absorption and expansion, so its mechanical properties deteriorate under a long-term influence of rainfall. Intact samples are often required in order to better consider the influences of single factor or multiple factors. Us, it is difficult to extract completely intact samples without initial random damage. The preparation of undisturbed raw samples is quite expensive because of the need for highprecision equipment. If the physical and mechanical properties are measured from raw rock samples with unknown initial damages, they are not suitable to be used in numerical simulations and guiding practical engineering. Because of complicated practical conditions, there are few applicable and cheap field testing approaches for the determination of physical and mechanical properties of silty mudstone
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