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A VERSATILE METHOD FOR TREATMENT OF CLAY SOILS FOR THIN‐SECTION FABRIC STUDIES
Author(s) -
SINGH R. B.
Publication year - 1969
Publication title -
journal of soil science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.244
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1365-2389
pISSN - 0022-4588
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2389.1969.tb01573.x
Subject(s) - degree of saturation , soil water , montmorillonite , clay soil , saturation (graph theory) , araldite , materials science , clay minerals , thin section , degree (music) , geology , composite material , mineralogy , geotechnical engineering , soil science , mathematics , layer (electronics) , adhesive , combinatorics , physics , acoustics
Summary In an earlier investigation three different methods had to be used for the treatment of laboratory‐compacted clay soils prior to the preparation of thin sections for use in fabric studies. The three methods, viz., the Carbowax method, the Araldite‐resin impregnation method, and the Aquax method, had limited application depending on the degree of saturation and the clay‐mineral composition of the soil. A new method has been developed which can be applied to all clay soils irrespective of their mineralogy and degree of saturation. In this method, the pore water of the soil specimen is first replaced with monostyrene using a two‐step diffusion process. Then the specimen is impregnated with an Araldite‐resin mixture which can be cured at a temperature of 55°C. The method has yielded better thin sections than those obtained by any of the three previous methods. Pure montmorillonite soils can be treated with a greater degree of success than hitherto possible.