Pore size distribution of pusan clay measured by mercury intrusion porosimetry

Abstract

Little attention was paid to the mi cro-structural investigation, although a number of geotechnical in vestigations have been performed on pusan clay since early 1990s. Particularly, pore size distribution (PSD) which affects permeability, consolidation, and strength and so on has seldom been investigated on the clay. In order to examine the PSD during consolidation, mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) investigation was carried out on intact clay and also the one-dimensional consolidated clays with various stress levels, as well as scanning electron microscope (SEM). As the result, the PSD of intact clay was observed in depth and also the change with the applied consolidation stress levels. It was recognized that the PSD are remarkably different for the upper and lower clays, but the compression occurred during consolidation stress is dominantly resulted from a decrease in the inter-aggregate (large) pore spaces (larger than 2 μm in diameter). Moreover, characteristics of the PSD were effectively represented by the mean pore size (Dp50).