Rheological study of the effect of clay mineral composition on non-linear viscoelasticity

Abstract

Due to cyclic loading, clays composed of different mineral compositions exhibit non-linear viscoelastic characteristics. This study quantified the effect of the mineral composition on the non-linear viscoelastic properties of clays. Large-amplitude oscillatory shear rheological tests and cryo-electron microscopy tests were conducted on clays containing quartz, feldspar, montmorillonite, and kaolinite (Q, F, Mt., and Kaol). The results indicated that as the clay content in the soil sample increased, so did the value of relative intensity(I3/1), the Lissajous curves shifted from elliptical to rectangular, and the absolute values of the overall non-linear viscoelasticity parameters (NEand NV) were also larger. In addition, its non-linear viscoelasticity was more prominent, supported by the cryo-electron microscopy test outcomes. Montmorillonite played a more significant role than kaolinite in increasing the nonlinear viscoelasticity of the soil samples. The study findings have significant academic and practical value, facilitating an in-depth understanding of the viscoelastic behavior of clays, rheological studies of other types of clay soils, and geotechnical engineering applications.