Swelling Behavior of Bentonite- Sand Mixtures in the Presence of Organic Pore fluids

Abstract

ABSTRACT In this study, the swelling behavior of bentonite sand mixtures has been investigated using different percentage of ethanol-water and methanol-water solutions in a conventional one-dimensional consolidometer. Both swelling pressure and percent swell are significantly influenced by the different percentages of ethanol-water and methanol-solutions and the respective dielectric constants of the solutions. The swelling pressure and swell percentage seem to decrease with the increase of ethanol and methanol percentage. Good relation was obtained between the swell percentage and swell pressure of the bentonite sand mixtures with different proportions of ethanol-water and methanol-water solutions, as well as with the dielectric constants of the mixture solutions. Correlations were developed to predict the swelling pressure. The study focuses on the significant influence of the different percentages of ethanol-water and methanol-water solutions on the swelling pressure and the swelling percentage.