Effect of Bentonite Admixture Content on Effective Porosity and Hydraulic Conductivity of Clay-based Barrier Backfill Materials

Abstract

Clay-based barrier wall has been diffusely employed as vertical barriers. Nevertheless, there were few project practices of these walls in China. And few research have been performed to study the impact on the permeability of the addition of domestic bentonites. To solve this problem, the influences of bentonite level on hydraulic conductivity, porosity and clay-bound water of soil-bentonite admixtures have been assessed employing a flexible-wall test and water centrifugal dewatering experiment with various bentonites. The outcomes revealed that as barrier walls are constructed by blending bentonite and Fujian standard sandy soil, there is a critical bentonite level of the smallest porosity. If the bentonite level is less than the critical bentonite content, hydraulic conductivity is reduced quickly, while if the bentonite level is greater than the critical bentonite content, hydraulic conductivity is reduced gently. Additionally, as the bentonite level grew, the clay-bound water centage of the admixtures continually improved. Supposing that the clay-bound water enclosed the clay grains, a near computation approach of the effective porosity is put forward and showed that the effective porosity decreased with bentonite content. Additionally, an exponential relationship was found between the effective porosity and the permeability.