Doctoral Dissertations

Abstract

"Two types of clays, a magnesium montrnorillonite and a kaolinite, were subjected to precise permeability tests in specially designed triaxial permeameters, using organic and inorgani c permeants, to study the changes in permeability due to the reaction between clays and permeants. The organic permeants were an acid (acetic acid), a base (aniline), a neutral polar fluid (methanol), a neutral nonpolar fluid (xylene), as well as EDTA and its sodium salt. The inorganic permeants were aqueous solutions of aluminum, magnesium, sodium, calcium, barium and strontium.

The clay samples were prepared by consolidating from slurry; they were subjected to back-pressure saturation and volume change of the sample was monitored during testing.

The results showed that the permeability of the two clays to organic fluids is not significantly greater than to water. Methanol doubled the permeability of montmorillonite. Acetic acid reacted with the carbonates in montmorillonite liberating carbon dioxide. The resulting loss of mass increased its permeability three times. Aniline and xylene, which are not miscible with water, could not flow through the saturated montmorillonite sample. They could however, flow through the saturated kaolinite sample with substantially reduced permeability. Dissolution of minerals did not occur as the tests were of short duration. Hydraulic fracturing of the montmorillonite sample occurred with the flow of methanol under high gradient and low confining pressure.

Tests with inorganic permeants showed that neither the ion exchange nor the ionic size has significant effect on the permeability of the two clays. Passing distilled water through sodium-saturated montmorillonite decreased its permeability by more than an order of magnitude. The permeability increased subsequently when magnesium permeant was reintroduced. This did not occur when the clay was magnesium saturated. Kaolinite did not show any significant change in permeability in the above tests. Decrease in permeability by precipitation reaction within the clay and increase in permeability by loss of mass reaction, were also observed with inorganic permeants.

It was shown during the tests that Darcy's law is valid for clays, to gradient of 830"-- Abstract, pp. ii-iii

Advisor(s)

Stephenson, Richard Wesley

Committee Member(s)

Hatheway, Allen W.
Schmidt, Norbert O., 1925-2009
Dempsey, Brian A.
Senne, Joseph H.
Bolter, Ernst

Department(s)

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering

Degree Name

Ph. D. in Civil Engineering

Publisher

University of Missouri--Rolla

Publication Date

Fall 1984

Pagination

ix, 125 pages

Note about bibliography

Includes bibliographical references (pages 121-124)

Rights

© 1984 Janardanan Ondan Uppot, All rights reserved.

Document Type

Dissertation - Open Access

File Type

text

Language

English

Thesis Number

T 5079

Print OCLC #

12626399

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