Determination of wind erosion intensity on heavy clay soils

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Jana Kozlovsky Dufková

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Wind erosion, common problem of light-textured soils, was determined on heavy clay soils in the foothills of Bílé Karpaty Mountains, Czech Republic. Soil erodibility by wind was determined from the Map of potential erodibility of soil by wind and from the calculation of potential and real soil loss by wind. All the determinations show underestimation of soil erodibility by wind on heavy clay soils, because methods that are used for this are based above all on the assessment of clay particles content and the presumption the more clay particles soil contains, the less vulnerable to wind erosion is. The potential erodibility of soil by wind is 0,09 t . ha−1 per year. The determined value does not exceed the tolerable soil loss limit 10 t . ha−1 per year for deep soils. The real average erodibility of soil by wind has the highest value 1,47 g . m−2 on November 30th, 2008. Other soil losses that do not exceed the tolerable soil loss limit 1,4 g . m−2, were determined on March 18th and 28th, 2008. Big difficulties come with the assessment of the erodibility of heavy clay soils in the areas, where soil erosion ve­ri­fia­bly exists, but it is not assessable by objective calculating methods. Evident necessity of new know­ledge concerning the determination of wind erosion intensity follows from the results.

Deformation and Fabric in Compacted Clay Soils

Science.gov (United States)

Wensrich, C. M.; Pineda, J.; Luzin, V.; Suwal, L.; Kisi, E. H.; Allameh-Haery, H.

2018-05-01

Hydromechanical anisotropy of clay soils in response to deformation or deposition history is related to the micromechanics of platelike clay particles and their orientations. In this article, we examine the relationship between microstructure, deformation, and moisture content in kaolin clay using a technique based on neutron scattering. This technique allows for the direct characterization of microstructure within representative samples using traditional measures such as orientation density and soil fabric tensor. From this information, evidence for a simple relationship between components of the deviatoric strain tensor and the deviatoric fabric tensor emerge. This relationship may provide a physical basis for future anisotropic constitutive models based on the micromechanics of these materials.

Clay minerals, metallic oxides and oxy-hydroxides and soil organic carbon distribution within soil aggregates in temperate forest soils

Science.gov (United States)

Gartzia-Bengoetxea, Nahia; Fernández-Ugalde, Oihane; Virto, Iñigo; Arias-González, Ander

2017-04-01

Soil mineralogy is of primary importance for key environmental services provided by soils like carbon sequestration. However, current knowledge on the effects of clay mineralogy on soil organic carbon (SOC) stabilization is based on limited and conflicting data. In this study, we investigated the relationship between clay minerals, metallic oxides and oxy-hydroxides and SOC distribution within soil aggregates in mature Pinus radiata D.Don forest plantations. Nine forest stands located in the same geographical area of the Basque Country (North of Spain) were selected. These stands were planted on different parent material (3 on each of the following: sandstone, basalt and trachyte). There were no significant differences in climate and forest management among them. Moreover, soils under these plantations presented similar content of clay particles. We determined bulk SOC storage, clay mineralogy, the content of Fe-Si-Al-oxides and oxyhydroxides and the distribution of organic C in different soil aggregate sizes at different soil depths (0-5 cm and 5-20 cm). The relationship between SOC and abiotic factors was investigated using a factor analysis (PCA) followed by stepwise regression analysis. Soils developed on sandstone showed significantly lower concentration of SOC (29 g C kg-1) than soils developed on basalts (97 g C kg-1) and trachytes (119 g C kg-1). The soils on sandstone presented a mixed clay mineralogy dominated by illite, with lesser amounts of hydroxivermiculite, hydrobiotite and kaolinite, and a total absence of interstratified chlorite/vermiculite. In contrast, the major crystalline clay mineral identified in the soils developed on volcanic rocks was interstratified chlorite/vermiculite. Nevertheless, no major differences were observed between basaltic and trachytic soils in the clay mineralogy. The selective extraction of Fe showed that the oxalate extractable iron was significantly lower in soils on sandstone (3.7%) than on basalts (11.2%) and

Effect of crude oil contamination on the engineering behavior of clay soils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rehman, H.; Abdoljaowad, S.N.

2005-01-01

Humans are, unintentionally or intentionally contaminating soil from different sources. The contaminated soil are not only a challenge for the environmentalists but also for geotechnical engineers. When contaminated by crude oil, the soil is subjected to a change in its engineering properties. The soil, which is mostly affected by its environment, is clay, being active electro-chemically. So, a comprehensive laboratory-testing program was performed to compare the engineering properties of an uncontaminated and a contaminated clay. Laboratory tests included all basic and advanced geotechnical tests along with Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Crude oil was chosen as the contaminant. The clay was taken from the Al-Qatif area of the Eastern province of Saudi Arabia. The selected soil is considered to be highly expansive in nature. The comparison between uncontaminated and crude oil contaminated clay showed that there would be a significant change in the engineering behavior of the clay if it were contaminated by crude oil. The contaminated clay behaves more like sand, owing to the formation of agglomerates. The coarse-grained soil-like behavior was observed in the strength of the oil-contaminated clay. The contamination has affected the plasticity and the cation exchange capacity of the investigated clay. The swelling pressure of the contaminated clay is 1/3 of that of the uncontaminated clay while the swelling is almost the same. (author)

Validation of water sorption-based clay prediction models for calcareous soils

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Arthur, Emmanuel; Razzaghi, Fatemeh; Moosavi, Ali

2017-01-01

on prediction accuracy. The soils had clay content ranging from 9 to 61% and CaCO3 from 24 to 97%. The three water sorption models considered showed a reasonably fair prediction of the clay content from water sorption at 28% relative humidity (RMSE and ME values ranging from 10.6 to 12.1 and −8.1 to −4......Soil particle size distribution (PSD), particularly the active clay fraction, mediates soil engineering, agronomic and environmental functions. The tedious and costly nature of traditional methods of determining PSD prompted the development of water sorption-based models for determining the clay...... fraction. The applicability of such models to semi-arid soils with significant amounts of calcium carbonate and/or gypsum is unknown. The objective of this study was to validate three water sorption-based clay prediction models for 30 calcareous soils from Iran and identify the effect of CaCO3...

Migration of leachate solution through clay soil

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abdel Warith, M M

1987-01-01

The problem of domestic solid wastes buried in landfill sites is viewed from the aspect of leachate contamination and migration in the substrate, and the efficiency of natural clay barriers as an expedient economic lining material is assessed. Various chemical constituents of the landfill leachate of an actual waste containment site at Lachenaie (35 km east of Montreal) were determined from samples collected from specially designed basins. Data for companion tests on laboratory columns are also presented. Chemical analysis on samples from the basins and leachates from the columns measured changes in the concentration of: (a) cations (Na, K, Ca, and Mg), (b) anions (Cl, HCO/sub 3/, and CO/sub 3/) (c) total organic carbon (TOC), and (d) heavy metals (Fe, Zn, Pb, and Cu). The physical parameters measured included: (a) pH, and (b) specific conductivity. Predictions, using a dispersion-convection model for concentration profile development for either adsorbed or retained contaminants, were compared with the experimentally determined profiles (both in leaching columns and landfill laboratory model). Another set of experiments was also conducted to evaluate the effect of some organic fluids on the geotechnical properties of different clay soils (natural clay and two reference clay soils: illite and kaolinite). The results from this study have demonstrated that the natural clay soil can be used to adequately contain the different contaminant species usually present in the leachate solutions. Furthermore, the data suggested that under favorable soil conditions, landfill leachates containing low levels of trace metals will not pose a substantial contamination threat to the subsurface environment, provided that a proper thickness of barrier is used.

Investigationof Clay Mineralogy, Micromorphology and Evolution of Soils in Bajestan Playa

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Mohammad Ghasemzadeh Ganjehie

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Playa is one of the most important landscapes in arid regions which covers about 1% of the world's total land area. Study of playas is important from different points of view especially pedology, sedimentology, mineralogy, environmental geology, groundwater and surface water chemistry. More than 60 playas have been identified in Iran. Considering the fact that playas and surrounding landforms are important archive of landscape evolution and paleoenvironmental variations, it seems that less attention has been paid to them so far. Soils are known as indicators of the landscapes evolution. Previous studies in arid regions of Iran imply different periods of deposition and soil formation in playa and alluvial fans or pediments. Bajestan playa is one of the known playa in northeastern Iran, and the largest clay flat exists in this playa. There is no information on the soils and their evolution in Bajestan playa. The objective of this study were to 1 identify the soils in different landforms along a transect from alluvial fan to clay in Bajestan playa 2 determine the morphological, micromorphological and mineralogical characteristics of these soils 3 determine the periods of soil and landform evolution and 4 comparison of soils evolution of the study area to other arid regions of Iran. Material and Methods: The study area of approximately 20000 hectares is located in southeastern of KhorasanRazavi province. The climate of the study area is hot and dry with mean annual temperature and rainfall of 17.3 °C and 193 mm, respectively. Soil moisture regime is aridic with subdivisions of weak aridic and soil temperature regime is thermic. Firstly, landforms and geomorphic surfaces of the study area were recognized based on Google Earth images interpretations and field observations. Four main landforms were recognized in the study area. The landforms from north to the south of the study area were alluvial fan, intermediate alluvial fan- clay flat

Quantitative approach on SEM images of microstructure of clay soils

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

施斌; 李生林; M.Tolkachev

1995-01-01

The working principles of Videolab Image Processing System (VIPS), the examining methods of orientation of microstructural units of clay soils and analysing results on SEM images of some typical microstructures of clay soils using the VIPS are introduced.

Quick clay and landslides of clayey soils

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Khaldoun, A.; Moller, P.; Fall, A.; Wegdam, G.; de Leeuw, B.; Méheust, Y.; Fossum, J.O.; Bonn, D.

2009-01-01

We study the rheology of quick clay, an unstable soil responsible for many landslides. We show that above a critical stress the material starts flowing abruptly with a very large viscosity decrease caused by the flow. This leads to avalanche behavior that accounts for the instability of quick clay

experimental characterization of clay soils behavior stabilized

African Journals Online (AJOL)

S. Rehab Bekkouche, G. Boukhatem

2016-09-01

Sep 1, 2016 ... California Bearing Ratio (CBR) ... the globe. Clay soils have the curious property of seeing their consistency changes according ... The use of building materials had been popularly applied to soil stabilization, such as cement.

Soil Microbes and soil microbial proteins: interactions with clay minerals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spence, A.; Kelleher, B. P.

2009-01-01

Bacterial enumeration in soil environments estimates that the population may reach approximately 10 1 0 g - 1 of soil and comprise up to 90% of the total soil microbial biomass. Bacteria are present in soils as single cells or multicell colonies and often strongly adsorb onto mineral surfaces such as sand and clay. The interactions of microbes and microbial biomolecules with these minerals have profound impacts on the physical, chemical and biological properties of soils. (Author)

Sorption of radioiodine in organo-clays and -soils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bors, J.

1990-01-01

In the framework of investigations on the sorption of radioiodine to natural and artificially altered soil components, a number of clay minerals and natural soils were treated with quaternary alkylammonium ions to replace the exchangeable metal cations. With help of batch experiments the resulting organo-clays were tested with respect to their sorption capability of radioiodine quantified by the distribution ratio (R D -value). Treatment of bentonite, vermiculite and cretaceous clay as well as of samples from natural horizons of chernozem soil with hexadecylpyridinium (HDPY + ) and benzethonium (BE + ) exhibited sorptions rates and amounts, which are several orders of magnitude higher than those of the respective untreated samples. Moderate increases of the R D -values were found after cation exchange with hexadecyltrimethylammonium (HDTMA + ), while the applications of trimethylphenylammonium (TMPA + ) and tetramethylammonium (TMA + ) were ineffective. Considerable sorption of radioiodine was observed with the commercially available Bentone. (orig.)

Retention and loss of water extractable carbon in soils: effect of clay properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Nguyen, Trung-Ta; Marschner, Petra

2014-02-01

Clay sorption is important for organic carbon (C) sequestration in soils, but little is known about the effect of different clay properties on organic C sorption and release. To investigate the effect of clay content and properties on sorption, desorption and loss of water extractable organic C (WEOC), two experiments were conducted. In experiment 1, a loamy sand alone (native) or mixed with clay isolated from a surface or subsoil (78 and 96% clay) resulting in 90, 158 and 175 g clay kg(-1) soil. These soil treatments were leached with different WEOC concentrations, and then CO2 release was measured for 28 days followed by leaching with reverse osmosis water at the end of experiment. The second experiment was conducted to determine WEOC sorption and desorption of clays isolated from the loamy sand (native), surface soil and subsoil. Addition of clays isolated from surface and subsoil to sandy loam increased WEOC sorption and reduced C leaching and cumulative respiration in percentage of total organic C and WEOC added when expressed per g soil and per g clay. Compared to clays isolated from the surface and subsoil, the native clay had higher concentrations of illite and exchangeable Ca(2+), total organic C and a higher CEC but a lower extractable Fe/Al concentration. This indicates that compared to the clay isolated from the surface and the subsoil, the native clay had fewer potential WEOC binding sites because it had lower Fe/Al content thus lower number of binding sites and the existing binding sites are already occupied native organic matter. The results of this study suggest that in the soils used here, the impact of clay on WEOC sorption and loss is dependent on its indigenous organic carbon and Fe and/or Al concentrations whereas clay mineralogy, CEC, exchangeable Ca(2+) and surface area are less important. © 2013.

Quick clay and landslides of clayey soils.

Science.gov (United States)

Khaldoun, Asmae; Moller, Peder; Fall, Abdoulaye; Wegdam, Gerard; De Leeuw, Bert; Méheust, Yves; Otto Fossum, Jon; Bonn, Daniel

2009-10-30

We study the rheology of quick clay, an unstable soil responsible for many landslides. We show that above a critical stress the material starts flowing abruptly with a very large viscosity decrease caused by the flow. This leads to avalanche behavior that accounts for the instability of quick clay soils. Reproducing landslides on a small scale in the laboratory shows that an additional factor that determines the violence of the slides is the inhomogeneity of the flow. We propose a simple yield stress model capable of reproducing the laboratory landslide data, allowing us to relate landslides to the measured rheology.

CLAY SOIL STABILISATION USING POWDERED GLASS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. OLUFOWOBI

2014-10-01

Full Text Available This paper assesses the stabilizing effect of powdered glass on clay soil. Broken waste glass was collected and ground into powder form suitable for addition to the clay soil in varying proportions namely 1%, 2%, 5%, 10% and 15% along with 15% cement (base by weight of the soil sample throughout. Consequently, the moisture content, specific gravity, particle size distribution and Atterberg limits tests were carried out to classify the soil using the ASSHTO classification system. Based on the results, the soil sample obtained corresponded to Group A-6 soils identified as ‘fair to poor’ soil type in terms of use as drainage and subgrade material. This justified stabilisation of the soil. Thereafter, compaction, California bearing ratio (CBR and direct shear tests were carried out on the soil with and without the addition of the powdered glass. The results showed improvement in the maximum dry density values on addition of the powdered glass and with corresponding gradual increase up to 5% glass powder content after which it started to decrease at 10% and 15% powdered glass content. The highest CBR values of 14.90% and 112.91% were obtained at 5% glass powder content and 5mm penetration for both the unsoaked and soaked treated samples respectively. The maximum cohesion and angle of internal friction values of 17.0 and 15.0 respectively were obtained at 10% glass powder content.

Natural attenuation of diesel fuel in heavy clay soil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berry, K.A.T.; Burton, D.L.

1997-01-01

The application of bioremediation techniques on heavy clay soils contaminated with diesel fuels was studied. Earlier studies suggested that in-situ bioreclamation was only effective on permeable soils such as medium- to coarse-textured sandy or loamy soils. It was assumed that heavy clay soils such as those found in the Red River Valley in Southern Manitoba had physical and chemical properties that would limit the usefulness of natural attenuation. In this study, the disappearance and the natural attenuation of diesel fuel added to soil at a rate of 5000 mg/kg soil in tilled and untilled heavy clay soil was monitored. Three methods of analysis were used: (1) oil and grease content, (2) extractable organics, and (3) the Millipore EnviroGard ELISA method for petroleum hydrocarbons. Effects of the contamination on the soil microbial population were measured using surface CO 2 flux measurements and microbial biomass carbon analysis. Soil moisture contents at all sample times were between 44 and 49 per cent. Soil temperature was also monitored. All three analytical methods used in the study showed the near-complete disappearance of detectable diesel fuel hydrocarbons from the soil after 30 days with half-lives ranging from 11 to 26 days. The advantages and limitations of the ELISA kit were described. No hydrocarbons were detected in the groundwater sample. 45 refs., 7 tabs., 2 figs

Kinetics of exchange of a tracer in soil and clay samples

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zanotti, J C; Facetti, J F [Asuncion Nacional Univ. (Paraguay). Inst. de Ciencias

1971-01-01

The kinetics of exchange of a Na tracer in soil and clay samples, provides with a reliable and convenient method for the determination of the different soil fraction ahd their CEC values, In addition, the analysis of the exchanges curves can be used for the identification of the clay present in the soil.

Kinetics of exchange of a tracer in soil and clay samples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zanotti, J.C.; Facetti, J.F.

1971-01-01

The kinetics of exchange of a Na tracer in soil and clay samples, provides with a reliable and convenient method for the determination of the different soil fraction ahd their CEC values, In addition, the analysis of the exchanges curves can be used for the identification of the clay present in the soil

Clay slurry and engineered soils as containment technologies for remediation of contaminated sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williams, J.R.; Dudka, S.; Miller, W.P.; Johnson, D.O.

1997-01-01

Clay Slurry and Engineered Soils are containment technologies for remediation of waste disposal sites where leaching, groundwater plumes and surface runoff of contaminants are serious ecological hazards to adjacent environments. This technology is a patent-pending process which involves the use of conditioned clay materials mixed with sand and water to form a readily pourable suspension, a clay slurry, which is either placed into a trench barrier system or allowed to de-water to create Engineered Soils. The Engineered Soil forms a layer impervious to water and air, therefore by inhibiting both water and oxygen from penetrating through the soil the material. This material can be installed in layers and as a vertical barrier to create a surface barrier containment system. The clay percentage in the clay slurry and Engineered Soils varies depending on site characteristics and desired performance standards. For example Engineered Soils with 1-2% of clay (dry wt.) had a hydraulic conductivity (K) of 10 -8 to 10 -1 cm/sec. Tests of tailing materials from a kyanite and pyrite mine showed that the clay slurry was effective not only in reducing the permeability of the treated tailings, but also in decreasing their acidity due to the inherent alkalinity of the clay. The untreated tailings had pH values in the range of 2.4 - 3.1; whereas, the effluent from clay and tailings mixtures had pH values in a slightly alkaline range (7.7-7.9). Pug-mills and high volume slurry pumps can be readily adapted for use in constructing and placing caps and creating Engineered Soils. Moreover, material on site or from a local sand supply can be used to create clay slurries and engineered soils. Clay materials used in cap construction are likewise readily available commercially. As a result, the clay slurry system is very cost effective compared to other capping systems, including the commonly used High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) liner systems

Soil Compressibility Models for a Wide Stress Range

KAUST Repository

Chong, Song-Hun

2016-03-03

Soil compressibility models with physically correct asymptotic void ratios are required to analyze situations that involve a wide stress range. Previously suggested models and other functions are adapted to satisfy asymptotic void ratios at low and high stress levels; all updated models involve four parameters. Compiled consolidation data for remolded and natural clays are used to test the models and to develop correlations between model parameters and index properties. Models can adequately fit soil compression data for a wide range of stresses and soil types; in particular, models that involve the power of the stress σ\\'β display higher flexibility to capture the brittle response of some natural soils. The use of a single continuous function avoids numerical discontinuities or the need for ad hoc procedures to determine the yield stress. The tangent stiffness-readily computed for all models-should not be mistaken for the small-strain constant-fabric stiffness. © 2016 American Society of Civil Engineers.

Sorption of radioiodine in organo-clays and -soils

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bors, J. (Niedersaechsisches Inst. fuer Radiooekologie, Hannover (Germany, F.R.))

1990-01-01

In the framework of investigations on the sorption of radioiodine to natural and artificially altered soil components, a number of clay minerals and natural soils were treated with quaternary alkylammonium ions to replace the exchangeable metal cations. With help of batch experiments the resulting organo-clays were tested with respect to their sorption capability of radioiodine quantified by the distribution ratio (R{sub D}-value). Treatment of bentonite, vermiculite and cretaceous clay as well as of samples from natural horizons of chernozem soil with hexadecylpyridinium (HDPY{sup +}) and benzethonium (BE{sup +}) exhibited sorptions rates and amounts, which are several orders of magnitude higher than those of the respective untreated samples. Moderate increases of the R{sub D}-values were found after cation exchange with hexadecyltrimethylammonium (HDTMA{sup +}), while the applications of trimethylphenylammonium (TMPA{sup +}) and tetramethylammonium (TMA{sup +}) were ineffective. Considerable sorption of radioiodine was observed with the commercially available Bentone. (orig.).

Electrokinetic enhancement of phenanthrene biodegradation in creosote-polluted clay soil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Niqui-Arroyo, Jose-Luis; Bueno-Montes, Marisa; Posada-Baquero, Rosa; Ortega-Calvo, Jose-Julio

2006-01-01

Given the difficulties caused by low-permeable soils in bioremediation, a new electrokinetic technology is proposed, based on laboratory results with phenanthrene, to afford bioremediation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in clay soils. Microbial activity in a clay soil historically polluted with creosote was promoted using a specially designed electrokinetic cell with a permanent anode-to-cathode flow and controlled pH. The rates of phenanthrene losses during treatment were tenfold higher in soil treated with an electric field than in the control cells without current or microbial activity. Results from experiments with Tenax-assisted desorption and mineralization of 14 C-labeled phenanthrene indicated that phenanthrene biodegradation was limited by mass-transfer of the chemical. We suggest that the enhancement effect of the applied electric field on phenanthrene biodegradation resulted from mobilization of the PAH and nutrients dissolved in the soil fluids. - Electrokinetic bioremediation is a potentially effective technology to treat PAH-polluted, clay-rich soils

A comparative study on Pb 2+ removal efficiencies of fired clay soils ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Abstract. Batch adsorption studies were carried out to evaluate the Pb2+ adsorption capacities of three different fired clay soils with different particle size distributions. Adsorption efficiency was observed to increase with an increase in clay content. Adsorption efficiencies of the fired clay soils were also influenced by the firing ...

Radiocesium sorption in relation to clay mineralogy of paddy soils in Fukushima, Japan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nakao, Atsushi, E-mail: na_4_ka_triplochiton@kpu.ac.jp [Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Kyoto Prefectural University, Hangi-cho 1-5, Shimogamo, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8522 (Japan); Ogasawara, Sho [Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Kyoto Prefectural University, Hangi-cho 1-5, Shimogamo, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8522 (Japan); Sano, Oki; Ito, Toyoaki [Field Science Center, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, Naruko-Onsen 232-3, Osaki, Miyagi 989-6711 (Japan); Yanai, Junta [Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Kyoto Prefectural University, Hangi-cho 1-5, Shimogamo, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8522 (Japan)

2014-01-01

Relationships between Radiocesium Interception Potential (RIP) and mineralogical characteristics of the clay fraction isolated from 97 paddy soils (Hama-dori, n = 25; Naka-dori, n = 36; Aizu, n = 36) in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan were investigated to clarify the mineralogical factors controlling the {sup 137}Cs retention ability of soils (half-life 30.1 y). Of all the fission products released by the Fukushima accident, {sup 137}Cs is the most important long-term contributor to the environmental contamination. The RIP, a quantitative index of the {sup 137}Cs retention ability, was determined for the soil clays. The composition of clay minerals in the soil clays was estimated from peak areas obtained using X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses. The predominant clay mineral was smectite in soils from Hama-dori and Aizu, while this was variable for those from Naka-dori. Native K content of the soil clays was found to be an indicator of the amount of micaceous minerals. The average RIP for the 97 soil clays was 7.8 mol kg{sup −1}, and ranged from 2.4 mol kg{sup −1} to 19.4 mol kg{sup −1}. The RIP was significantly and positively correlated with native K content for each of the geographical regions, Hama-dori (r = 0.76, p < 0.001), Naka-dori (r = 0.43, p < 0.05), and Aizu (r = 0.76, P < 0.001), while it was not related to the relative abundance of smectite. The linear relationship between RIP and native K content not only indicate a large contribution of micaceous minerals to the {sup 137}Cs retention ability of the soil clays, but also could be used to predict the {sup 137}Cs retention ability of soil clays for other paddy fields in Fukushima and other areas. - Highlights: • RIP was measured for 97 paddy soils from Fukushima to assess {sup 137}Cs retention ability. • The dominant clay mineral was smectite, but this did not control RIP. • RIP was positively correlated with native K content. • Micaceous minerals were found to control the {sup 137}Cs retention

Carbon saturation in the silt and clay particles in soils with contrasting mineralogy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francisco Matus

2016-07-01

Full Text Available The silt and clay particles play a key role as stabilizing agents of soil organic carbon (SOC. Several lines of evidence indicate a theoretical maximum or C saturation in individual particles. In the present study, we hypothesized that a C fraction displaying linear accumulation relative to the SOC is not influenced by C saturation, while a fraction displaying an asymptotic relationship is regarded as saturated (Stewart et al., 2008. The aim of the present study was to compare the amount of C in the silt and clay sized fractions in temperate and subtropical cropping soils across a range of textures with different mineralogy. Twenty-one and 18 soil samples containing 1:1 and 2:1 clay of temperate soil from Chile under monoculture of maize (Zea maiz L. for at least 30 years and 9 subtropical soils from Mexico under maize and bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L. cropping for 9 years having mixed clay were collected at 0-0.1 m. The SOC of 2:1 soils was significantly higher (14±0.5 g kg-1 dry soil than 1:1 soils (10±0.7 g kg-1. However, subtropical soils showed the highest values (59±0.5 g kg-1. A positive (P < 0.01 relationship was observed between the SOC and the C in the silt fraction (R2 0.80-0.97, P < 0.01. In contrast, the clay fraction remained constant or showed asymptotic behavior. We conclude that the silt fraction, unlike clay, showed no evidence of C saturation, while clay accumulates C to a maximum. On average, the 2:1 clay was saturated at 1-2 g C kg-1 and 1:1 at 1 g C kg-1, and subtropical soils at 14 g C kg-1.

Experimental Study on Unconfined Compressive Strength of Basalt Fiber Reinforced Clay Soil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lei Gao

2015-01-01

Full Text Available In order to study the mechanism and effect of basalt fiber reinforced clay soil, a series of unconfined compressive strength tests conducted on clay soil reinforced with basalt fiber have been performed under the condition of optimum water content and maximum dry density. Both the content and length of basalt fiber are considered in this paper. When the effect of content is studied, the 12 mm long fibers are dispersed into clay soil at different contents of 0.05%, 0.1%, 0.15%, 0.20%, 0.25%, 0.30%, and 0.35%. When the effect of length is researched, different lengths of basalt fibers with 4 mm, 8 mm, 12 mm, and 15 mm are put into soil at the same content of 0.05%. Experimental results show that basalt fiber can effectively improve the UCS of clay soil. And the best content and length are 0.25% and 12 mm, respectively. The results also show that the basalt fiber reinforced clay soil has the “poststrong” characteristic. About the reinforcement mechanism, the fiber and soil column-net model is proposed in this paper. Based on this model and SEM images, the effect of fiber content and length is related to the change of fiber-soil column and formation of effective fiber-soil net.

Beyond clay - using selective extractions to improve predictions of soil carbon content

Science.gov (United States)

Rasmussen, C.; Berhe, A. A.; Blankinship, J. C.; Crow, S. E.; Druhan, J. L.; Heckman, K. A.; Keiluweit, M.; Lawrence, C. R.; Marin-Spiotta, E.; Plante, A. F.; Schaedel, C.; Schimel, J.; Sierra, C. A.; Thompson, A.; Wagai, R.; Wieder, W. R.

2016-12-01

A central component of modern soil carbon (C) models is the use of clay content to scale the relative partitioning of decomposing plant material to respiration and mineral stabilized soil C. However, numerous pedon to plot scale studies indicate that other soil mineral parameters, such as Fe- or Al-oxyhydroxide content and specific surface area, may be more effective than clay alone for predicting soil C content and stabilization. Here we directly address the following question: Are there soil physicochemical parameters that represent mineral C association and soil C content that can replace or be used in conjunction with clay content as scalars in soil C models. We explored the relationship of soil C content to a number of soil physicochemical and physiographic parameters using the National Cooperative Soil Survey database that contains horizon level data for > 62,000 pedons spanning global ecoregions and geographic areas. The data indicated significant variation in the degree of correlation among soil C, clay and Fe-/Al-oxyhydroxides with increasing moisture variability. Specifically, dry, water-limited systems (PET/MAP > 1) presented strong positive correlations between clay and soil C, that decreased significantly to little or no correlation in wet, energy-limited systems (PET/MAP soil C to oxalate extractable Al+Fe increased significantly with increasing moisture availability. This pattern was particularly well expressed for subsurface B horizons. Multivariate analyses indicated similar patterns, with clear climate and ecosystem level variation in the degree of correlation among soil C and soil physicochemical properties. The results indicate a need to modify current soil C models to incorporate additional C partitioning parameters that better account for climate and ecoregion variability in C stabilization mechanisms.

Stabilization of Clay Soil Using Tyre Ash

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Mahmood Dheyab Ahmed

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The planning, designing, construction of excavations and foundations in soft to very soft clay soils are always difficult. They are problematic soil that caused trouble for the structures built on them because of the low shear strength, high water content, and high compressibility. This work investigates the geotechnical behavior of soft clay by using tyre ash material burnt in air. The investigation contains the following tests: physical tests, chemical tests, consolidation test, Compaction tests, shear test, California Bearing Ratio test CBR, and model tests. These tests were done on soil samples prepared from soft clay soil; tyre ash was used in four percentages (2, 4, 6, and 8%. The results of the tests were; The soil samples which gave the value of plasticity test were 2% (25, 4% (25.18, 6% (25.3, and 8% (26.7.The soil samples which gave the value of specific gravity were 2% (2.65, 4% (2.61, 6% (2.5, and 8% (2.36.The value of maximum dry density in a compaction test observed with 2% percentage gave the value 15.8 kN/m3, the 4% gave the value 15.4 kN/m 3 34 , 6% gave 15.3 kN/m 3 and 8%with 15.2 kN/m3 .Samples that gave the values of undrained shear strength test were 2% (55 kN/m 2 , 4% (76 kN/m2 , 6% (109 kN/m 2, and 8% (122 kN/m 2. The best of them is 8%. The sample that gave the best value for swelling test was 8%.The best value for compression index Cc was in 8%.The results of CBR test, were improved in all soil samples. The soil samples which gave the value for CBR were 2% (3.507%, 4% (4.308%, 6% (5.586%, and 8% (9.569%. The best value was obtained from 8%.

Clay content evaluation in soils through GPR signal processing

Science.gov (United States)

Tosti, Fabio; Patriarca, Claudio; Slob, Evert; Benedetto, Andrea; Lambot, Sébastien

2013-10-01

The mechanical behavior of soils is partly affected by their clay content, which arises some important issues in many fields of employment, such as civil and environmental engineering, geology, and agriculture. This work focuses on pavement engineering, although the method applies to other fields of interest. Clay content in bearing courses of road pavement frequently causes damages and defects (e.g., cracks, deformations, and ruts). Therefore, the road safety and operability decreases, directly affecting the increase of expected accidents. In this study, different ground-penetrating radar (GPR) methods and techniques were used to non-destructively investigate the clay content in sub-asphalt compacted soils. Experimental layout provided the use of typical road materials, employed for road bearing courses construction. Three types of soils classified by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) as A1, A2, and A3 were used and adequately compacted in electrically and hydraulically isolated test boxes. Percentages of bentonite clay were gradually added, ranging from 2% to 25% by weight. Analyses were carried out for each clay content using two different GPR instruments. A pulse radar with ground-coupled antennae at 500 MHz centre frequency and a vector network analyzer spanning the 1-3 GHz frequency range were used. Signals were processed in both time and frequency domains, and the consistency of results was validated by the Rayleigh scattering method, the full-waveform inversion, and the signal picking techniques. Promising results were obtained for the detection of clay content affecting the bearing capacity of sub-asphalt layers.

Experimental Study on Unconfined Compressive Strength of Basalt Fiber Reinforced Clay Soil

OpenAIRE

Gao, Lei; Hu, Guohui; Xu, Nan; Fu, Junyi; Xiang, Chao; Yang, Chen

2015-01-01

In order to study the mechanism and effect of basalt fiber reinforced clay soil, a series of unconfined compressive strength tests conducted on clay soil reinforced with basalt fiber have been performed under the condition of optimum water content and maximum dry density. Both the content and length of basalt fiber are considered in this paper. When the effect of content is studied, the 12 mm long fibers are dispersed into clay soil at different contents of 0.05%, 0.1%, 0.15%, 0.20%, 0.25%, 0...

Rheological properties of different minerals and clay soils

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Dolgor Khaydapova

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Rheological properties of kaolinite, montmorillonite, ferralitic soil of the humid subtropics (Norfolk island, southwest of Oceania, alluvial clay soil of arid subtropics (Konyaprovince, Turkey and carbonate loess loam of Russian forest-steppe zone were determined. A parallel plate rheometer MCR-302 (Anton Paar, Austria was used in order to conduct amplitude sweep test. Rheological properties allow to assess quantitatively structural bonds and estimate structural resistance to a mechanical impact. Measurements were carried out on samples previously pounded and capillary humidified during 24 hours. In the amplitude sweep method an analyzed sample was placed between two plates. The upper plate makes oscillating motions with gradually extending amplitude. Software of the device allows to receive several rheological parameters such as elastic modulus (G’, Pa, viscosity modulus (G", Pa, linear viscoelasticity range (G’>>G”, and point of destruction of structure at which the elastic modulus becomes equal to the viscosity modulus (G’=G”- crossover. It was found out that in the elastic behavior at G '>> G " strength of structural links of kaolinite, alluvial clay soil and loess loam constituted one order of 105 Pa. Montmorillonit had a minimum strength - 104 Pa and ferrallitic soil of Norfolk island [has] - a maximum one -106 Pa. At the same time montmorillonite and ferralitic soil were characterized by the greatest plasticity. Destruction of their structure (G '= G" took place only in the cases when strain was reaching 11-12%. Destraction of the kaolinite structure happened at 5% of deformation and of the alluvial clay soil and loess loam - at 4.5%.

Effect of red clay on diesel bioremediation and soil bacterial community.

Science.gov (United States)

Jung, Jaejoon; Choi, Sungjong; Hong, Hyerim; Sung, Jung-Suk; Park, Woojun

2014-08-01

Red clay is a type of soil, the red color of which results from the presence of iron oxide. It is considered an eco-friendly material, with many industrial, cosmetic, and architectural uses. A patented method was applied to red clay in order to change its chemical composition and mineral bioavailability. The resulting product was designated processed red clay. This study evaluates the novel use of red clay and processed red clay as biostimulation agents in diesel-contaminated soils. Diesel biodegradation was enhanced in the presence of red clay and processed red clay by 4.9- and 6.7-fold, respectively, and the number of culturable bacterial cells was correlated with the amount of diesel biodegradation. The growth of Acinetobacter oleivorans DR1, Pseudomonas putida KT2440, and Cupriavidus necator was promoted by both types of red clays. Culture-independent community analysis determined via barcoded pyrosequencing indicated that Nocardioidaceae, Xanthomonadaceae, Pseudomonadaceae, and Caulobacteraceae were enriched by diesel contamination. Bacterial strain isolation from naphthalene- and liquid paraffin-amended media was affiliated with enriched taxa based on 16S rRNA gene sequence identity. We suggest that the biostimulating mechanism of red clay and processed red clay is able to support bacterial growth without apparent selection for specific bacterial species.

Stabilisation of Clay Soil with Lime and Melon Husk Ash for use in Farm Structures

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I. S. Mohammed

2014-08-01

Full Text Available The rising cost of traditional stabilising agents and the need for economical utilisation of industrial and agricultural waste for beneficial engineering purposes has encouraged an investigation into the stabilization of clay soil with lime and melon husk ash. The chemical composition of the melon husk ash that was used in stabilising clay soil was determined. The clay soil was divided into two parts, one part was used to determine the index properties while the other part was treated at British Standard Light (BSL compaction energy with 0 %, 2 %, 4 %, 6 % and 8 % melon husk ash by dry weight of the soil and each was admixed with 2 %, 4 %, 6 % and 8 % lime. The stabilised clay soil was cured for 7, 14 and 28 days before the unconfined compressive strength were determined while the coefficients of permeability of the stabilised clay soil were also determined at 28 days of curing. The data obtained from the experiment was subjected to analysis of variance to examine the significance at 5% level. Results showed that the natural clay soil belong to A-7-6 or CH (clay of high plasticity in the American Association of State Highway Transportation Official (AASHTO and Unified Soil Classification System (1986. The chemical composition of the ash had aluminum oxide, iron oxide and silicon dioxide values of 18.5%, 2.82% and 51.24% respectively. The unconfined compressive strength and coefficient of permeability of the natural clay soil was determined to be 285 kN/m2 and 1.45 x 10-5 cm/s, respectively. Increase in melon husk ash and lime percent increases the unconfined compressive strength (UCS of the stabilised clay soil significantly (p < 0.05 and decrease the coefficient of permeability when compared with the natural clay soil. The peak values of unconfined compressive strength for 7, 14 and 28 days of curing are 1200 kN/m2, 1598 kN/m2 and 1695 kN/m2 respectively at 6% MHA and 8% lime content while the lowest value for coefficient of permeability was 0

The Strength Behaviour of Lime Stabilized Organic Clay Soil Modified by Catalyst Additeives

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Khitam Abdulhussein Saeed

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The organic clay soil can be found in many large size reclaimed lands. These soils present enormously high settlement potential and low strength that needs to be improved by means of effective ground improvement techniques. One of the low cost techniques is to modify the soil with lime in-situ to make it suitable for construction and allow it to increase in strength by pozzolanic reactions between lime and clay minerals. Lime is known to be an effective stabilization material for clayey soil. Nevertheless, its effectiveness may be less with organic clay due to low effective strength properties. Thus, this study concerns the addition of catalyst i.e. zeolite which may improve the performance of lime stabilization to accelerate lime-organic clay reactions. The unconfined compressive test (UCT is conducted on remoulded samples (38mm x 80mm for 0, 7, 14 , 28, and 90 days of curing period. The addition of synthetic zeolite in lime-organic stabilized soil has increased the soil strength by 185% at 90 days curing period at the design mix of organic clay + 10% lime +10% zeolite. The higher value of UCS indicates that zeolite is an effective catalyst to enhance lime stabilization.

Evaluation of Water Vapor Sorption Hysteresis in Soils: The Role of Organic Matter and Clay

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Arthur, Emmanuel; Tuller, Markus; Moldrup, Per

2015-01-01

an important role. It is clear that modeling physical and biological soil processes is more accurate when SWC hysteresis is considered, particularly at low potentials where small differences in water content are associated with large changes in potential energy. The objectives of the presented study were to......: (i) evaluate and compare recently developed methods (MBET-n, Dh and SPN) for quantifying hysteresis in soils and pure clays, and (ii) investigate the role of organic matter (OM) and clay content and type on hysteresis. Five pure clays and two sets of soils with gradients in organic matter and clay....... For the SPN method, large contents of organic matter and clay in soils are associated with increased hysteresis. For both MBET-n and Dh methods, no clear trends of clay or OM contents effects on hysteresis was observed....

Towards a numerical run-out model for quick-clay slides

Science.gov (United States)

Issler, Dieter; L'Heureux, Jean-Sébastien; Cepeda, José M.; Luna, Byron Quan; Gebreslassie, Tesfahunegn A.

2015-04-01

Highly sensitive glacio-marine clays occur in many relatively low-lying areas near the coasts of eastern Canada, Scandinavia and northern Russia. If the load exceeds the yield stress of these clays, they quickly liquefy, with a reduction of the yield strength and the viscosity by several orders of magnitude. Leaching, fluvial erosion, earthquakes and man-made overloads, by themselves or combined, are the most frequent triggers of quick-clay slides, which are hard to predict and can attain catastrophic dimensions. The present contribution reports on two preparatory studies that were conducted with a view to creating a run-out model tailored to the characteristics of quick-clay slides. One study analyzed the connections between the morphological and geotechnical properties of more than 30 well-documented Norwegian quick-clay slides and their run-out behavior. The laboratory experiments by Locat and Demers (1988) suggest that the behavior of quick clays can be reasonably described by universal relations involving the liquidity index, plastic index, remolding energy, salinity and sensitivity. However, these tests should be repeated with Norwegian clays and analyzed in terms of a (shear-thinning) Herschel-Bulkley fluid rather than a Bingham fluid because the shear stress appears to grow in a sub-linear fashion with the shear rate. Further study is required to understand the discrepancy between the material parameters obtained in laboratory tests of material from observed slides and in back-calculations of the same slides with the simple model by Edgers & Karlsrud (1982). The second study assessed the capability of existing numerical flow models to capture the most important aspects of quick-clay slides by back-calculating three different, well documented events in Norway: Rissa (1978), Finneidfjord (1996) and Byneset (2012). The numerical codes were (i) BING, a quasi-two-dimensional visco-plastic model, (ii) DAN3D (2009 version), and (iii) MassMov2D. The latter two are

Electrochemical remediation of copper contaminated clay soils

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Korolev, V.A.; Babakina, O.A.; Mitojan, R.A. [Moscow State Univ. (Russian Federation)

2001-07-01

The study objective focused on electrochemical remediation copper polluted soils in the presence of adjuvant substances and conditions that are more effective for the treatment. Some of these substances were studied in different researches. Moreover, authors obtained a result of extraction copper rate higher than 90%. In this connection the following problems were set: - Influence organic and inorganic substances on copper mobility in soil under the DC current. - Moisture effect on copper migration in clay. - Electrochemical remediation soils different mineralogical composition. - A washing conditions contribution to electrochemical remediation of soil from copper. - Accuracy rating experimental dates. (orig.)

Sorption-desorption of imidacloprid onto a lacustrine Egyptian soil and its clay and humic acid fractions.

Science.gov (United States)

Kandil, Mahrous M; El-Aswad, Ahmed F; Koskinen, William C

2015-01-01

Sorption-desorption of the insecticide imidacloprid 1-[(6-chloro-3-pyridinyl)-methyl]-N-nitro-2-imidazolidinimine onto a lacustrine sandy clay loam Egyptian soil and its clay and humic acid (HA) fractions was investigated in 24-h batch equilibrium experiments. Imidacloprid (IMDA) sorption-desorption isotherms onto the three sorbents were found to belong to a non-linear L-type and were best described by the Freundlich model. The value of the IMDA adsorption distribution coefficient, Kd(ads), varied according to its initial concentration and was ranged 40-84 for HA, 14-58 for clay and 1.85-4.15 for bulk soil. Freundlich sorption coefficient, Kf(ads), values were 63.0, 39.7 and 4.0 for HA, clay and bulk soil, respectively. The normalized soil Koc value for imidacloprid sorption was ∼800 indicating its slight mobility in soils. Nonlinear sorption isotherms were indicated by 1/n(ads) values imidacloprid sorption process with all tested sorbents. Gibbs free energy (ΔG) values indicated a spontaneous and physicosorption process for IMDA and a more favorable sorption to HA than clay and soil. In conclusion, although the humic acid fraction showed the highest capacity and affinity for imidacloprid sorption, the clay fraction contributed to approximately 95% of soil-sorbed insecticide. Clay and humic acid fractions were found to be the major two factors controlling IMDA sorption in soils. The slight mobility of IMDA in soils and the hysteresis phenomenon associated with the irreversibility of its sorption onto, mainly, clay and organic matter of soils make its leachability unlikely to occur.

A model for predicting embankment slope failures in clay-rich soils; A Louisiana example

Science.gov (United States)

Burns, S. F.

2015-12-01

A model for predicting embankment slope failures in clay-rich soils; A Louisiana example It is well known that smectite-rich soils significantly reduce the stability of slopes. The question is how much smectite in the soil causes slope failures. A study of over 100 sites in north and south Louisiana, USA, compared slopes that failed during a major El Nino winter (heavy rainfall) in 1982-1983 to similar slopes that did not fail. Soils in the slopes were tested for per cent clay, liquid limits, plasticity indices and semi-quantitative clay mineralogy. Slopes with the High Risk for failure (85-90% chance of failure in 8-15 years after construction) contained soils with a liquid limit > 54%, a plasticity index over 29%, and clay contents > 47%. Slopes with an Intermediate Risk (55-50% chance of failure in 8-15 years) contained soils with a liquid limit between 36-54%, plasticity index between 16-19%, and clay content between 32-47%. Slopes with a Low Risk chance of failure (soils with a liquid limit plasticity index soil characteristics before construction. If the soils fall into the Low Risk classification, construct the embankment normally. If the soils fall into the High Risk classification, one will need to use lime stabilization or heat treatments to prevent failures. Soils in the Intermediate Risk class will have to be evaluated on a case by case basis.

Influence of low temperatures on aggregate disruption of heavy clay soils

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Jana Kozlovsky Dufková

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Heavy clay soils that are normally resistant to wind erosion, from study site Ostrožská Nová Ves si­tua­ted in the foothills of the Bílé Karpaty Mountains, Czech Republic, were a subject of laboratory analyses. The analyses should found out the influence of overwinter processes on disruption of soil aggregates and thus reason of vulnerability to soil loss by wind. Two overwinter processes were observed – freezing and thawing, and freeze-drying of the soil. Both processes have indicated the increasing of erodible fraction in dependence of water content of analysed soils. Exposed frozen clay soils that freeze-dries during the winter in the foothills of Bílé Karpaty, leaves soils highly erodible in late winter and early spring.

Revealing Soil Structure and Functional Macroporosity along a Clay Gradient Using X-ray Computed Tomography

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Naveed, Muhammad; Møldrup, Per; Arthur, Emmanuel

2013-01-01

clay content, respectively) at a field site in Lerbjerg, Denmark. The water-holding capacity of soils markedly increased with increasing soil clay content, while significantly higher air permeability was observed for the L1 to L3 soils than for the L4 to L6 soils. Higher air permeability values......The influence of clay content in soil-pore structure development and the relative importance of macroporosity in governing convective fluid flow are two key challenges toward better understanding and quantifying soil ecosystem functions. In this study, soil physical measurements (soil-water...... retention and air permeability) and x-ray computed tomography (CT) scanning were combined and used from two scales on intact soil columns (100 and 580 cm3). The columns were sampled along a natural clay gradient at six locations (L1, L2, L3, L4, L5 and L6 with 0.11, 0.16, 0.21, 0.32, 0.38 and 0.46 kg kg−1...

Clay content prediction using on-the-go proximal soil sensor fusion

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tabatabai, Salman; Knadel, Maria; Greve, Mogens Humlekrog

on soil usability, very few studies so far have provided robust and accurate predictions for fields with high clay content variability. An on-the-go multi-sensor platform was used to measure topsoil (25cm) VNIR spectra and temperature as well as electrical conductivity of top 30cm and top 90cm in 5 fields...... least squares regression (PLSR) and support vector machines regression (SVMR) were performed using VNIR spectra, EC and soil temperature as predictors and clay content as the response variable. PLSR and SVMR models were validated using full and 20-segment cross-validation respectively. The results were...... highly accurate with R2 of 0.91 and 0.93, root mean square error (RMSE) of 1.19 and 1.08, and ratio of performance to interquartile range (RPIQ) of 4.6 and 5.1 for PLSR and SVMR respectively. This shows the high potential of on-the-go soil sensor fusion to predict soil clay content and automate...

The influence of clay particles on the hydraulic conductivity of sandy soils

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Fahmy, M.I.

1961-01-01

The relation between hydraulic conductivity and size of the sand particles and clay content was investigated in artificial mixtures of sand and clay and in natural soils, in four different ways in the laboratory and field.

In the artificial mixtures coarse aggregates of illitic clay hardly

Strength Improvement of Clay Soil by Using Stone Powder

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Ahmed Sameer Abdulrasool

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Soil stabilization with stone powder is a good solution for the construction of subgrade for road way and railway lines, especially under the platforms and mostly in transition zones between embankments and rigid structures, where the mechanical properties of supporting soils are very influential. Stone powder often has a unique composition which justifies the need for research to study the feasibility of using this stone powder type for ground improvement applications. This paper presents results from a comprehensive laboratory study carried out to investigate the feasibility of using stone powder for improvement of engineering properties of clays. The stone powder contains bassanite (CaSO4. ½ H2O, and Calcite (CaCO3. Three percentages are used for stone powder (1%, 3% and 5% by dry weight of clay. Several tests are made to investigate the soil behavior after adding the stone powder (Atterberg limits, Standard Proctor density, Grain size distribution, Specific gravity, Unconfined Compressive test, and California bearing ratio test. Unconfined Compressive tests conducted at different curing. The samples are tested under both soaked and unsoaked condition. Chemical tests and X-ray diffraction analyses are also carried out. Stone powder reacts with clay producing decreasing in plasticity and The curves of grain size distribution are shifted to the coarse side as the stone powder percentage increase; the soil becomes more granular, and also with higher strength.

Picloram and Aminopyralid Sorption to Soil and Clay Minerals

Science.gov (United States)

Aminopyralid sorption data are lacking, and these data are needed to predict off-target transport and plant available herbicide in soil solution. The objective of this research was to determine the sorption of picloram and aminopyralid to five soils and three clay minerals and determine if the pote...

Soft X-ray spectromicroscopy study of mineral-organic matter associations in pasture soil clay fractions.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Chunmei; Dynes, James J; Wang, Jian; Karunakaran, Chithra; Sparks, Donald L

2014-06-17

There is a growing acceptance that associations with soil minerals may be the most important overarching stabilization mechanism for soil organic matter. However, direct investigation of organo-mineral associations has been hampered by a lack of methods that can simultaneously characterize organic matter (OM) and soil minerals. In this study, STXM-NEXAFS spectroscopy at the C 1s, Ca 2p, Fe 2p, Al 1s, and Si 1s edges was used to investigate C associations with Ca, Fe, Al, and Si species in soil clay fractions from an upland pasture hillslope. Bulk techniques including C and N NEXAFS, Fe K-edge EXAFS spectroscopy, and XRD were applied to provide additional information. Results demonstrated that C was associated with Ca, Fe, Al, and Si with no separate phase in soil clay particles. In soil clay particles, the pervasive C forms were aromatic C, carboxyl C, and polysaccharides with the relative abundance of carboxyl C and polysaccharides varying spatially at the submicrometer scale. Only limited regions in the soil clay particles had aliphatic C. Good C-Ca spatial correlations were found for soil clay particles with no CaCO3, suggesting a strong role of Ca in organo-mineral assemblage formation. Fe EXAFS showed that about 50% of the total Fe in soils was contained in Fe oxides, whereas Fe-bearing aluminosilicates (vermiculite and Illite) accounted for another 50%. Fe oxides in the soil were mainly crystalline goethite and hematite, with lesser amounts of poorly crystalline ferrihydrite. XRD revealed that soil clay aluminosilicates were hydroxy-interlayered vermiculite, Illite, and kaolinite. C showed similar correlation with Fe to Al and Si, implying a similar association of Fe oxides and aluminosilicates with organic matter in organo-mineral associations. These direct microscopic determinations can help improve understanding of organo-mineral interactions in soils.

Water repellency of clay, sand and organic soils in Finland

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K. RASA

2008-12-01

Full Text Available Water repellency (WR delays soil wetting process, increases preferential flow and may give rise to surface runoff and consequent erosion. WR is commonly recognized in the soils of warm and temperate climates. To explore the occurrence of WR in soils in Finland, soil R index was studied on 12 sites of different soil types. The effects of soil management practice, vegetation age, soil moisture and drying temperature on WR were studied by a mini-infiltrometer with samples from depths of 0-5 and 5-10 cm. All studied sites exhibited WR (R index >1.95 at the time of sampling. WR increased as follows: sand (R = 1.8-5.0 < clay (R = 2.4-10.3 < organic (R = 7.9-undefined. At clay and sand, WR was generally higher at the soil surface and at the older sites (14 yr., where organic matter is accumulated. Below 41 vol. % water content these mineral soils were water repellent whereas organic soil exhibited WR even at saturation. These results show that soil WR also reduces water infiltration at the prevalent field moisture regime in the soils of boreal climate. The ageing of vegetation increases WR and on the other hand, cultivation reduces or hinders the development of WR.;

Clay Mineralogy of Basaltic Hillsides Soils in the Western State of Santa Catarina

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Jaime Antonio de Almeida

2018-02-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT A commonly accepted concept holds that highly fertile, shallow soils are predominant in the Basaltic Hillsides of Santa Catarina State, in southern Brazil, but their agricultural use is restricted, either by excessive stoniness, low effective depth or steep slopes. Information about soil properties and distribution along the slopes in this region is, however, scarce, especially regarding genesis and clay fraction mineralogy. The objective of this study was to evaluate soil properties of 12 profiles distributed in three toposequences (T of the Basaltic Hillsides in the State of Santa Catarina, two located in the valley of the Peixe River (Luzerna - T1 and Ipira - T2 and one in Descanso, in the far West of the state (T3. The main focus was the mineralogical composition of the clay fraction, identified by X-ray diffractometry (XRD, and its relations with the soil chemical properties. The morphological, chemical, and mineralogical properties of the soils of the toposequences differed from each other. In most soils, the position of the most intense XRD reflections indicated predominance of kaolinite (K however, for being broad and asymmetric, a participation of interstratified kaolinite-smectite (K-S was assumed. Soils of T2 and T3, located in regions with higher temperatures, lower water surplus, and lower altitude than those of T1, were more fertile, mostly redder, and contained higher proportions of smectites (S and interstratified K-S mineral, accounting for a higher activity of the clay fraction of most soils. The T1 soils were generally less fertile, with lower clay activity and, aside from kaolinite, contained smectites with interlayered hydroxy-Al polymers (HIS. The low estimated smectite contents of the most fertile soils of all toposequences disagree with the high values of cation exchange capacity (CEC and clay activity related to pure kaolinite soils. The broad and asymmetric reflections of most of the supposed kaolinites

Estimation of hydraulic conductivity on clay content in soil determined from resistivity data

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shevnin, Vladimir; Delgado-Rodriguez, Omar; Mousatov, Aleksandr [Mexican Petroleum Institute, Mexico, D.F. (Mexico); Ryjov, Albert [Moscow State Geological Prospecting Academy, Geophysical Faculty, Moscow (Russian Federation)

2006-07-15

The influence of clay content in sandy and clayey soils on hydraulic conductivity (filtration coefficient) is considered. A review of published experimental data on the relationship of hydraulic conductivity with soil lithology and grain size, as dependent on clay content is presented. Theoretical calculations include clay content. Experimental and calculated data agree, and several approximation formulas for filtration coefficient vs clay content are presented. Clay content in soil is estimated from electric resistivity data obtained from 2D VES interpretation. A two-step method is proposed, the first step including clay content calculating from soil resistivity and groundwater salinity, and the second step including filtration coefficient estimating from clay content. Two applications are presented. [Spanish] El contenido de arcilla en suelos areno-arcillosos influye sobre la permeabilidad hidraulica (coeficiente de filtracion). Se presenta una revision de datos experimentales publicados que relacionan el coeficiente de filtracion con el tipo litologico del suelo y el tamano de las particulas. A partir de calculos teoricos, se modifican las conocidas formulas que relacionan el coeficiente de filtracion con el contenido de arcilla. Se estima el contenido de arcilla a partir de los datos interpretados por el metodo SEV, y se propone un procedimiento para la estimacion del coeficiente de filtracion: (a) calculo del contenido de arcilla a partir de la resistividad del suelo y de la salinidad del agua subterranea, (b) estimacion del coeficiente de filtracion a partir del contenido de arcilla. Se presentan algunos ejemplos de la aplicacion de esta metodologia.

Squeezed Interstitial Water and Soil Properties in Pleistocene Blue Clays under Different Natural Environments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Dolores Fidelibus

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Studies dating almost a century relate clay properties with the structure of the diffuse double layer (DDL, where the charged surfaces of clay crystal behave like an electric capacitor, whose dielectric is the interstitial fluid. The intensity of the inner electric field relates to the concentration and type of ions in the DDL. Other important implications of the model are less stressed: this part of the clay soil system, energetically speaking, is conservative. External contribution of energy, work of overburden or sun driven capillarity and long exposure to border low salinity waters can modify the concentration of pore-waters, thus affecting the DDL geometry, with electric field and energy storage variations. The study of clay soils coming from various natural geomorphological and hydrogeological contexts, determining a different salinity of interacting groundwater, shows how the clay interaction with freely circulating waters at the boundaries produces alterations in the native pore water salinity, and, at the nano-scale, variations of electric field and stored energy from external work. The swelling and the shrinkage of clay soil with their volumetric and geotechnical implications should be regarded as variations of the electrostatic and mechanical energy of the system. The study is based on tests on natural clay soil samples coming from a formation of stiff blue clays, widespread in southern Italy. Geotechnical identification and oedometer tests have been performed, and pore waters squeezed out from the specimens have been analyzed. Tested samples have similar grain size, clay fraction and plasticity; sorted according to the classified geomorphological/hydrogeological contexts, they highlight good correlations among dry density, mechanical work performed in selected stages of the oedometric test, swelling and non-swelling behaviour, and electrical conductivity of the squeezed pore waters. The work performed for swelling and non

Effect of by-product steel slag on the engineering properties of clay soils

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Faisal I. Shalabi

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Clay soils, mainly if they contain swelling minerals such as smectite or illite, may cause severe damage to structures, especially when these soils are subjected to wetting and drying conditions. High expansion and reduction in shear strength and foundation bearing capacity will take place due to the increase in water content of these soils. The engineering properties of these kinds of soils can be improved by using additives and chemical stabilizers. In this work, by-product steel slag was used to improve the engineering properties of clay soils. Lab and field experimental programs were developed to investigate the effect of adding different percentages of steel slag on plasticity, swelling, compressibility, shear strength, compaction, and California bearing ratio (CBR of the treated materials. The results of tests on the clay soil showed that as steel slag content increased, the soil dry density, plasticity, swelling potential, and cohesion intercept decreased and the angle of internal friction increased. For the CBR, the results of the tests showed an increase in the CBR value with the increase in slag content.

Prediction of clay content from water vapour sorption isotherms considering hysteresis and soil organic matter content

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Arthur, E.; Tuller, M.; Møldrup, Per

2015-01-01

Soil texture, in particular the clay fraction, governs numerous environmental, agricultural and engineering soil processes. Traditional measurement methods for clay content are laborious and impractical for large-scale soil surveys. Consequently, clay prediction models that are based on water...... within a RH range from 3 to 93%. The clay contents, which ranged between 1 and 56%, were measured with a combination of sieving and sedimentation methods. Two regression models were developed for both adsorption and desorption at 10 RH levels (5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80 and 90%). While the first...

Influence of Rice Husk Ash and Clay in Stabilization of Silty Soils Using Cement

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Widjajakusuma Jack

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Soil stabilization is needed to enhance the strength of the soil. One popular method of soil stabilization is using cement. Due to the environmental issue, it is a need to reduce the application of cement and/or to replace partially the cement with other environmental-friendly compounds. One of these compounds is rice husk ash (RSA, which is agricultural wastes. The objective of this paper is to study the influence of RSA and clay as partial replacement to cement in soil stabilization of silt soil with high plasticity (MH using cement. The cement used was ordinary Portland cement, while the RHA was obtained by burning rice husk at temperature of 250°C. The MH soil is stabilized with 4% cement, 4% cement and 3% rice husk ash and 4% cement, 3 % RHA and 3 % clay. The various tests were conducted on the pure and stabilized soils. Results have indicated that application of 4% cement, 3 % RHA and 3 % clay as silt soil stabilization is more favorable in increasing soil strength and reducing brittle behaviour of soil.

[Research on characteristics of soil clay mineral evolution in paddy field and dry land by XRD spectrum].

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Zhi-dan; Li, Qiao; Luo, Xiang-li; Jiang, Hai-chao; Zheng, Qing-fu; Zhao, Lan-po; Wang, Ji-hong

2014-08-01

The present paper took the typical saline-alkali soil in Jilin province as study object, and determinated the soil clay mineral composition characteristics of soil in paddy field and dry land. Then XRD spectrum was used to analyze the evolutionary mechanism of clay mineral in the two kinds of soil. The results showed that the physical and chemical properties of soil in paddy field were better than those in dry land, and paddy field would promote the weathering of mineral particles in saline-alkali soil and enhance the silt content. Paddy field soil showed a strong potassium-removal process, with a higher degree of clay mineral hydration and lower degree of illite crystallinity. Analysis of XRD spectrum showed that the clay mineral composition was similar in two kinds of soil, while the intensity and position of diffraction peak showed difference. The evolution process of clay mineral in dry land was S/I mixture-->vermiculite, while in paddy field it was S/I mixture-->vermiculite-->kaolinite. One kind of hydroxylated 'chlorite' mineral would appear in saline-alkali soil in long-term cultivated paddy field. Taking into account that the physical and chemical properties of soil in paddy field were better then those in dry land, we could know that paddy field could help much improve soil structure, cultivate high-fertility soil and improve saline-alkali soil. This paper used XRD spectrum to determine the characteristics of clay minerals comprehensively, and analyzed two'kinds of land use comparatively, and was a new perspective of soil minerals study.

In situ immobilisation of toxic metals in soil using Maifan stone and illite/smectite clay.

Science.gov (United States)

Ou, Jieyong; Li, Hong; Yan, Zengguang; Zhou, Youya; Bai, Liping; Zhang, Chaoyan; Wang, Xuedong; Chen, Guikui

2018-03-15

Clay minerals have been proposed as amendments for remediating metal-contaminated soils owing to their abundant reserves, high performance, simplicity of use and low cost. Two novel clay minerals, Maifan stone and illite/smectite clay, were examined in the in situ immobilisation of soil metals. The application of 0.5% Maifan stone or illite/smectite clay to field soils significantly decreased the fractions of diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA)-extractable Cd, Ni, Cr, Zn, Cu and Pb. Furthermore, reductions of 35.4% and 7.0% in the DTPA-extractable fraction of Cd were obtained with the Maifan stone and illite/smectite clay treatments, respectively, which also significantly reduced the uptake of Cd, Ni, Cr, Zn, Cu and Pb in the edible parts of Brassica rapa subspecies pekinensis, Brassica campestris and Spinacia oleracea. Quantitatively, the Maifan stone treatment reduced the metal uptake in B. rapa ssp. Pekinensis, B. campestris and S. oleracea from 11.6% to 62.2%, 4.6% to 41.8% and 11.3% to 58.2%, respectively, whereas illite/smectite clay produced reductions of 8.5% to 62.8% and 4.2% to 37.6% in the metal uptake in B. rapa ssp. Pekinensis and B. campestris, respectively. Therefore, both Maifan stone and illite/smectite clay are promising amendments for contaminated soil remediation.

Quality evaluation of processed clay soil samples.

Science.gov (United States)

Steiner-Asiedu, Matilda; Harrison, Obed Akwaa; Vuvor, Frederick; Tano-Debrah, Kwaku

2016-01-01

This study assessed the microbial quality of clay samples sold on two of the major Ghanaian markets. The study was a cross-sectional assessing the evaluation of processed clay and effects it has on the nutrition of the consumers in the political capital town of Ghana. The items for the examination was processed clay soil samples. Staphylococcus spp and fecal coliforms including Klebsiella, Escherichia, and Shigella and Enterobacterspp were isolated from the clay samples. Samples from the Kaneshie market in Accra recorded the highest total viable counts 6.5 Log cfu/g and Staphylococcal count 5.8 Log cfu/g. For fecal coliforms, Madina market samples had the highest count 6.5 Log cfu/g and also recorded the highest levels of yeast and mould. For Koforidua, total viable count was highest in the samples from the Zongo market 6.3 Log cfu/g. Central market samples had the highest count of fecal coliforms 4.6 Log cfu/g and yeasts and moulds 6.5 Log cfu/g. "Small" market recorded the highest staphylococcal count 6.2 Log cfu/g. The water activity of the clay samples were low, and ranged between 0.65±0.01 and 0.66±0.00 for samples collected from Koforidua and Accra respectively. The clay samples were found to contain Klebsiella spp. Escherichia, Enterobacter, Shigella spp. staphylococcus spp., yeast and mould. These have health implications when consumed.

Water storage change estimation from in situ shrinkage measurements of clay soils

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brake, te B.; Ploeg, van der M.J.; Rooij, de G.H.

2012-01-01

Water storage in the unsaturated zone is a major determinant of the hydrological behaviour of the soil, but methods to quantify soil water storage are limited. The objective of this study is to assess the applicability of clay soil surface elevation change measurements to estimate soil water storage

Impact of clay mineral on air oxidation of PAH-contaminated soils.

Science.gov (United States)

Biache, Coralie; Kouadio, Olivier; Lorgeoux, Catherine; Faure, Pierre

2014-09-01

This work investigated the impact of a clay mineral (bentonite) on the air oxidation of the solvent extractable organic matters (EOMs) and the PAHs from contaminated soils. EOMs were isolated from two coking plant soils and mixed with silica sand or bentonite. These samples, as well as raw soils and bentonite/soil mixtures, were oxidized in air at 60 and 100 °C for 160 days. Mineralization was followed by measuring the CO2 produced over the experiments. EOM, polycyclic aromatic compound (PAC), including PAH, contents were also determined. Oxidation led to a decrease in EOM contents and PAH concentrations, these diminutions were enhanced by the presence of bentonite. Transfer of carbon from EOM to insoluble organic matter pointed out a condensation phenomenon leading to a stabilization of the contamination. Higher mineralization rates, observed during the oxidation of the soil/bentonite mixtures, seem to indicate that this clay mineral had a positive influence on the transformation of PAC into CO2.

Multisensor on-the-go mapping of readily dispersible clay, particle size and soil organic matter

Science.gov (United States)

Debaene, Guillaume; Niedźwiecki, Jacek; Papierowska, Ewa

2016-04-01

Particle size fractions affect strongly the physical and chemical properties of soil. Readily dispersible clay (RDC) is the part of the clay fraction in soils that is easily or potentially dispersible in water when small amounts of mechanical energy are applied to soil. The amount of RDC in the soil is of significant importance for agriculture and environment because clay dispersion is a cause of poor soil stability in water which in turn contributes to soil erodibility, mud flows, and cementation. To obtain a detailed map of soil texture, many samples are needed. Moreover, RDC determination is time consuming. The use of a mobile visible and near-infrared (VIS-NIR) platform is proposed here to map those soil properties and obtain the first detailed map of RDC at field level. Soil properties prediction was based on calibration model developed with 10 representative samples selected by a fuzzy logic algorithm. Calibration samples were analysed for soil texture (clay, silt and sand), RDC and soil organic carbon (SOC) using conventional wet chemistry analysis. Moreover, the Veris mobile sensor platform is also collecting electrical conductivity (EC) data (deep and shallow), and soil temperature. These auxiliary data were combined with VIS-NIR measurement (data fusion) to improve prediction results. EC maps were also produced to help understanding RDC data. The resulting maps were visually compared with an orthophotography of the field taken at the beginning of the plant growing season. Models were developed with partial least square regression (PLSR) and support vector machine regression (SVMR). There were no significant differences between calibration using PLSR or SVMR. Nevertheless, the best models were obtained with PLSR and standard normal variate (SNV) pretreatment and the fusion with deep EC data (e.g. for RDC and clay content: RMSECV = 0,35% and R2 = 0,71; RMSECV = 0,32% and R2 = 0,73 respectively). The best models were used to predict soil properties from the

Effects of leachate on geotechnical characteristics of sandy clay soil

Science.gov (United States)

Harun, N. S.; Ali, Z. Rahman; Rahim, A. S.; Lihan, T.; Idris, R. M. W.

2013-11-01

Leachate is a hazardous liquid that poses negative impacts if leaks out into environments such as soil and ground water systems. The impact of leachate on the downgraded quality in terms of chemical characteristic is more concern rather than the physical or mechanical aspect. The effect of leachate on mechanical behaviour of contaminated soil is not well established and should be investigated. This paper presents the preliminary results of the effects of leachate on the Atterberg limit, compaction and shear strength of leachate-contaminated soil. The contaminated soil samples were prepared by mixing the leachate at ratiosbetween 0% and 20% leachate contents with soil samples. Base soil used was residual soil originated from granitic rock and classified as sandy clay soil (CS). Its specific gravity ranged between 2.5 and 2.64 with clay minerals of kaolinite, muscovite and quartz. The field strength of the studied soil ranged between 156 and 207 kN/m2. The effects of leachate on the Atterberg limit clearly indicated by the decrease in liquid and plastic limit values with the increase in the leachate content. Compaction tests on leachate-contaminated soil caused the dropped in maximum dry density, ρdry and increased in optimum moisture content, wopt when the amount of leachate was increased between 0% and 20%. The results suggested that leachate contamination capable to modify some geotechnical properties of the studied residual soils.

Investigation of Different Forms of Potassium as a Function of Clay Mineralogy and Soil Evolution in Some Soils of Fars Province

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N. Sadri

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Introduction: The optimum and sustainable use of soil is only possible with a correct and complete understanding of its properties. Potassium (K+ is an essential element for plant growth and is a dynamic ion in the soil system and its importance in agriculture is well recognized. According to increasing order of plant availability, soil K exists in four forms: mineral (5000-25000 ppm, nonexchangeable (50-750 ppm, exchangeable (40-600 ppm, and solution (1-10 ppm. K cycling or transformations among the K forms in soils are dynamic. The objectives of the present research were to study the relationship between different forms of potassium and clay mineralogy as well as soil evolution of 14 surface soil samples from some selected locations of Fars Province. Materials and methods: Fars provinces, with an area of 122000 km2 located in southern Iran. The elevation varies from 500 m to 4400 m above mean sea level. Mean annual precipitation ranges from about 350 mm to 850 mm. Mean annual temperature ranges from 10°C to 24°C. According to Soil Moisture and Temperature Regime Map of Iran, the soils comprise xeric, and ustic moisture regimes along with mesic, thermic and hyperthemic temperature regimes. Based on the previous soil survey maps of Fars province, 14 surface soil samples were collected. Routine physicochemical analyses and clay mineralogy were performed on soil samples. Soil reaction, texture, electrical conductivity, calcium carbonate, and gypsum were identified. Soluble potassium, exchangeable potassium, non exchangeable potassium, and mineral potassium were measured. The amounts of K forms in each sample were determined. Total K was determined following digestion (110°C of soil with 48 % HF and 6 M HCl. Water soluble K was measured in the saturated extract. Exchangeable K was extracted with 20 ml 1.0 M NH4OAc (pH 7.0 for 5 min. Nitric acid-extractable K was measured by extraction of a soil sample with boiling 1.0 M HNO3 for 1 h. Potassium

Water storage change estimation from in situ shrinkage measurements of clay soils

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brake, te B.; Ploeg, van der M.J.; Rooij, de G.H.

2013-01-01

The objective of this study is to assess the applicability of clay soil elevation change measurements to estimate soil water storage changes, using a simplified approach. We measured moisture contents in aggregates by EC-5 sensors, and in multiple aggregate and inter-aggregate spaces (bulk soil) by

Alteration of isolating properties of dense smectite clay in repository environment as exemplified by seven pre-quaternary clays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pusch, R.; Boergesson, L.; Erlstroem, M.

1987-12-01

Seven pre-quaternary clays with a smectite content ranging between zero and about 25% were taken as possible reaction products resulting from chemical alteration of dense sodium bentonite. They were characterized with respect to the mineral composition and microstructural constitution and tested with reference to their hydraulic conductivity, swelling ability and creep properties. It was found that since they were all less permeable than a typical large granitic rock mass they would serve as flow barriers in a repository. Thus, even rather extreme chemical attack is not expected to eliminate the most important barrier function of Na bentonite in repository environment. However, slight mechanical disturbance of a heterogeneously altered smectite clay buffer or seal, may be critical. Thus, the investigated, less smectitic clays experienced a rather dramatic increase in hydraulic conductivity on expansion and remolding. This is explained by the inability of a microstructurally discontinuous smectite component - particularly in the Ca-form - to swell and fill voids. The minimum content of Na smectite to preserve the self-healing capacity is estimated at 15-25%. Slight or moderate cementation was indicated by two of the clays by the creep tests. At a smectite content of 15-25% it is probable that self-healing will take place after a mechanically induced breakage of the cementing bonds. The tests gave a good basis for future development of rational, routine tests as well as for a relevant characterization of buffer material candidates. (orig.)

Electrochemical remediation of the phenol contaminated clay soils

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Korolev, V.A.; Babakina, O.A.; Lazareva, E.V. [Moscow State Univ. (Russian Federation)

2001-07-01

The study phenol migration induced by electric current is multiple analyze, because determine the governing factor of electrokinetic remediation is one more problem. The governing factor of phenol removal can be electroosmotic water transport, ionic migration or phenol destruction caused by electrolysis or oxidizing agents. Therefore research objective was study mechanism of removal phenol from soils with different mineral composition. To answer on set issue should be studied the effectiveness of electrochemcial remediation for contaminated soil and determination electrokinetic characteristics of interaction clay's particles with phenol solution. (orig.)

Micaceous Soil Strength And Permeability Improvement Induced By Microbacteria From Vegetable Waste

Science.gov (United States)

Omar, R. C.; Roslan, R.; Baharuddin, I. N. Z.; Hanafiah, M. I. M.

2016-11-01

Green technology method using vegetable waste are introduced in this paper for improvement of phyllite residual soil from UNITEN, Campus. Residual soil from phyllite are known as micaceous soils and it give problem in managing the stability of the slope especially in wet and extensively dry seasons. Micaceous soil are collected using tube sampler technique and mixed with liquid contain microorganism from fermented vegetable waste name as vege-grout to form remolded sample. The remolded sample are classify as 15.0%, 17.5%, 20.00% and 22.5% based on different incremental percentages of vege-grout. The curing time for the sample are 7, 14, 21, 28, and 35 days before the tests were conducted. Observation of the effect of treatment shows 20.0% of liquid contain Bacillus pasteurii and Bacillus Subtilis with 21 days curing time is the optimum value in strengthening the soil and improve the permeability.

222Rn and CO2 soil-gas geochemical characterization of thermally altered clays at Orciatico (Tuscany, Central Italy)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Voltattorni, N.; Lombardi, S.; Rizzo, S.

2010-01-01

Research highlights: → Soil-gas technique is applied to study gas permeability of Orciatico clay units. → Clay permeability depends on thermal and mechanical alteration degree. → Soil-gas distributions are due to shallow fracturing of clays. → Rn and CO 2 soil-gas anomalies highlight secondary permeability in clay sequence. → Soil-gas results are supported by detailed geoelectrical surveys. - Abstract: The physical properties of clay allow argillaceous formations to be considered geological barriers to radionuclide migration in high-level radioactive-waste isolation systems. As laboratory simulations are short term and numerical models always involve assumptions and simplifications of the natural system, natural analogues are extremely attractive surrogates for the study of long-term isolation. The clays of the Orciatico area (Tuscany, Central Italy), which were thermally altered via the intrusion of an alkali-trachyte laccolith, represent an interesting natural model of a heat source which acted on argillaceous materials. The study of this natural analogue was performed through detailed geoelectrical and soil-gas surveys to define both the geometry of the intrusive body and the gas permeability of a clay unit characterized by different degrees of thermal alteration. The results of this study show that gas permeability is increased in the clay sequences subjected to greater heat input from the emplacement of the Orciatico intrusion, despite the lack of apparent mineral and geotechnical variations. These results, which take into consideration long time periods in a natural, large-scale geological system, may have important implications for the long-term safety of underground storage of nuclear waste in clay formations.

Effects of Organic Matter and Clay Content in Soil on Pesticide Adsorption Processes

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Rada Đurović

2009-01-01

Full Text Available The effect of organic matter and clay content on the adsorption of atrazine, acetochlor, clomazone, pendimethalin and oxyfluorfen in soil samples was studied. In order to determine whether and to what degree different soil properties affect the process of determinationof selected pesticides, three soils with different clay and organic matter contents were used. An optimized liquid-solid extraction procedure followed by SPME measurement was applied to analyse the selected pesticides in soil samples. Detection and quantificationwere done by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS. Relative standard deviation (RSD values for multiple analyses of soil samples fortified at 30 μg/kg of each pesticide were below 19%. Limits of detection (LODs for all compounds studied were less than 2 μg/kg. The results indicate that soils with different physico-chemical properties have different effects on the adsorption of most pesticides, especially at higher concentration levels.

Modeling Air Permeability in Variably Saturated Soil from Two Natural Clay Gradients

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Chamindu, Deepagoda T K K; Arthur, Emmanuel; Møldrup, Per

2013-01-01

measurements from two Danish arable fields, each located on natural clay gradients, this study presents a pore tortuosity–disconnectivity analysis to characterize the soil–gas phase. The main objective of this study is to investigate the effect of soil–moisture condition, clay content, and other potential......Understanding soil–gas phase properties and processes is important for finding solutions to critical environmental problems such as greenhouse gas emissions and transport of gaseous-phase contaminants in soils. Soil–air permeability, ka (μm2), is the key parameter governing advective gas movement...... in soil and is controlled by soil physical characteristics representing soil texture and structure. Models predicting ka as a function of air-filled porosity (ɛ) often use a reference-point measurement, for example, ka,1000 at ɛ1000 (where the measurement is done at a suction of –1000 cm H2O). Using ka...

Effects of Fuel Oil on the Geotechnical Properties of Clay Soil

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Mahdi Obaid Karkush

2017-08-01

Full Text Available The present study highlights the effects of medium fuel oil (MFO on the chemical, physical and mechanical properties of clay soil samples (disturbed and undisturbed obtained from the site of the electrical power plant in the campus of the University of Baghdad at Al-Jadriah district in Baghdad/Iraq. The soil sample was classified according to the unified soil classification system (USCS as CL and described as lean clay of low plasticity. The medium fuel oil is an industrial wastewater disposed as a byproduct from the fuel used in the electricity power plant. The soil samples are artificially contaminated with two percentages of medium fuel oil, 10 and 20 % related to the dry weight of soil. The soil samples were mixed with the contaminant (MFO by hand and then left for 4 days for homogeneity. A series of laboratory tests are conducted on both natural and artificially contaminated soil samples to measure the effects of medium fuel oil on the chemical, physical and mechanical properties of soil samples. The results of tests showed that the medium fuel oil has significant impacts on some properties of soil and slight effects on the others. Increasing the percentage of contaminant causes a slight decrease in the liquid limit and particle size distribution; on the other hand, it causes a considerable increase in the consolidation parameters and decrease in shear strength parameters. Also, there is a slight change in the chemical composition of soil samples.

Different Behavior of Enteric Bacteria and Viruses in Clay and Sandy Soils after Biofertilization with Swine Digestate

Science.gov (United States)

Fongaro, Gislaine; García-González, María C.; Hernández, Marta; Kunz, Airton; Barardi, Célia R. M.; Rodríguez-Lázaro, David

2017-01-01

Enteric pathogens from biofertilizer can accumulate in the soil, subsequently contaminating water and crops. We evaluated the survival, percolation and leaching of model enteric pathogens in clay and sandy soils after biofertilization with swine digestate: PhiX-174, mengovirus (vMC0), Salmonella enterica Typhimurium and Escherichia coli O157:H7 were used as biomarkers. The survival of vMC0 and PhiX-174 in clay soil was significantly lower than in sandy soil (iT90 values of 10.520 ± 0.600 vs. 21.270 ± 1.100 and 12.040 ± 0.010 vs. 43.470 ± 1.300, respectively) and PhiX-174 showed faster percolation and leaching in sandy soil than clay soil (iT90 values of 0.46 and 2.43, respectively). S. enterica Typhimurium was percolated and inactivated more slowly than E. coli O157:H7 (iT90 values of 9.340 ± 0.200 vs. 6.620 ± 0.500 and 11.900 ± 0.900 vs. 10.750 ± 0.900 in clay and sandy soils, respectively), such that E. coli O157:H7 was transferred more quickly to the deeper layers of both soils evaluated (percolation). Our findings suggest that E. coli O157:H7 may serve as a useful microbial biomarker of depth contamination and leaching in clay and sandy soil and that bacteriophage could be used as an indicator of enteric pathogen persistence. Our study contributes to development of predictive models for enteric pathogen behavior in soils, and for potential water and food contamination associated with biofertilization, useful for risk management and mitigation in swine digestate recycling. PMID:28197137

The Effect of Land Use Change on Soil Type and Clay Mineralogy in Safashahr Area, Fars Province

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Karimi

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Nowadays, changing the rangelands to agriculture and garden is common. To investigate the impact of land use change on the soils type and clay mineralogy, four land uses including rangeland with poor vegetation, agricultural land, new and old apple orchards were selected in Safashahr area, Fars province. In each land use, three soil profiles were excavated and described and one profile was considered as representative. After required physical and chemical analyses, they were classified according to Soil Taxonomy (ST and the World Reference Base for Soil Resources (WRB. Selected surface and subsurface samples were also collected for clay mineralogy studies. Results showed that changing land use did not have significant effect on soil type and clay minerals and all soils consist of mica, chlorite, smectite, kaolinite and mixed layer minerals. Results demonstrated that ST is more efficient compared to WRB to classify the studied soils.

Estimation of soil water storage change from clay shrinkage using satellite radar interferometry

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brake, te Bram

2017-01-01

Measurements of soil water storage are hard to obtain on scales relevant for water management and policy making. Therefore, this research develops a new measurement methodology for soil water storage estimation in clay containing soils. The proposed methodology relies on the specific property of

STABILISATION OF SILTY CLAY SOIL USING CHLORIDE

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TAMADHER T. ABOOD

2007-04-01

Full Text Available The object of this paper is to investigate the effect of adding different chloride compounds including (NaCl, MgCl2, CaCl2 on the engineering properties of silty clay soil. Various amounts of salts (2%, 4%, and 8% were added to the soil to study the effect of salts on the compaction characteristics, consistency limits and compressive strength. The main findings of this study were that the increase in the percentage of each of the chloride compounds increased the maximum dry density and decrease the optimum moisture content. The liquid limit, plastic limit and plasticity index decreased with the increase in salt content. The unconfinedcompressive strength increased as the salt content increased.

Colloid and phosphorus leaching from undisturbed soil cores sampled along a natural clay gradient

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vendelboe, Anders Lindblad; Møldrup, Per; Heckrath, Goswin Johann

2011-01-01

correlated to the accumulated outflow and was described as a diffusion controlled process, using ¾(accumulated outflow). The mass of leached particles was positively correlated to the clay content as well as to water-dispersible colloids. Particulate phosphorus (P) was linearly correlated to concentration......The presence of strongly sorbing compounds in groundwater and tile drains can be a result of colloid-facilitated transport. Colloid and phosphorus leaching from macropores in undisturbed soil cores sampled across a natural clay gradient at Aarup, Denmark, were studied. The aim of the study...... was to correlate easily measurable soil properties, such as clay content and water-dispersible colloids, to colloid and phosphorus leaching. The clay contents across the gradient ranged from 0.11 to 0.23 kg kgj1. Irrigating with artificial rainwater, all samples showed a high first flush of colloids and phosphorus...

Beyond clay: Towards an improved set of variables for predicting soil organic matter content

Science.gov (United States)

Rasmussen, Craig; Heckman, Katherine; Wieder, William R.; Keiluweit, Marco; Lawrence, Corey R.; Berhe, Asmeret Asefaw; Blankinship, Joseph C.; Crow, Susan E.; Druhan, Jennifer; Hicks Pries, Caitlin E.; Marin-Spiotta, Erika; Plante, Alain F.; Schadel, Christina; Schmiel, Joshua P.; Sierra, Carlos A.; Thompson, Aaron; Wagai, Rota

2018-01-01

Improved quantification of the factors controlling soil organic matter (SOM) stabilization at continental to global scales is needed to inform projections of the largest actively cycling terrestrial carbon pool on Earth, and its response to environmental change. Biogeochemical models rely almost exclusively on clay content to modify rates of SOM turnover and fluxes of climate-active CO2 to the atmosphere. Emerging conceptual understanding, however, suggests other soil physicochemical properties may predict SOM stabilization better than clay content. We addressed this discrepancy by synthesizing data from over 5,500 soil profiles spanning continental scale environmental gradients. Here, we demonstrate that other physicochemical parameters are much stronger predictors of SOM content, with clay content having relatively little explanatory power. We show that exchangeable calcium strongly predicted SOM content in water-limited, alkaline soils, whereas with increasing moisture availability and acidity, iron- and aluminum-oxyhydroxides emerged as better predictors, demonstrating that the relative importance of SOM stabilization mechanisms scales with climate and acidity. These results highlight the urgent need to modify biogeochemical models to better reflect the role of soil physicochemical properties in SOM cycling.

Impact of tillage intensity on clay loam soil structure

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Daraghmeh, Omar; Petersen, Carsten; Munkholm, Lars Juhl

Soil structure and structural stability are key parameters in sustainable soil management and optimum cropping practices. Locally and temporally adapted precision tillage may improve crop performance while at the same time reduce environmental impacts. The main objective of this study...... was to improve the knowledge of precision tillage practices through characterizing the effect of varied tillage intensities on structural properties of a clay loam soil. A field experiment was conducted using a randomized complete block design with two main factors, i.e. operational speed (OS, 2 levels......) and rotovating speed (RS, 3 levels). The tillage was conducted using a PTO-driven rotovator equipped to measure angular velocity. The effect of traffic compaction, made directly after tillage, was measured on soil taken from wheel track (WT) compared with soil outside wheel track (NWT). Soil samples from 0-3 cm...

Clay components in soil dictate environmental stability and bioavailability of cervid prions in mice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Christy Wyckoff

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Chronic wasting disease affects cervids and is the only known prion disease to affect free-ranging wildlife populations. CWD spread continues unabated, and exact mechanisms of its seemingly facile spread among deer and elk across landscapes in North America remain elusive. Here we confirm that naturally contaminated soil contains infectious CWD prions that can be transmitted to susceptible model organisms. We show that smectite clay content of soil potentiates prion binding capacity of different soil types from CWD endemic and non-endemic areas, likely contributing to environmental stability of bound prions. The smectite clay montmorillonite (Mte increased prion retention and bioavailability in vivo. Trafficking experiments in live animals fed bound and unbound prions showed that mice retained significantly more Mte-bound than unbound prions. Mte promoted rapid uptake of prions from the stomach to the intestines via enterocytes and M cells, and then to macrophages and eventually CD21+ B cells in Peyer’s patches and spleens. These results confirm clay components in soil as an important vector in CWD transmission at both environmental and organismal levels.□

Intensity and duration of chemical weathering: An example from soil clays of the southeastern Koolau Mountains, Oahu, Hawaii

Science.gov (United States)

Johnsson, Mark J.; Ellen, Stephen D.; McKittrick, Mary Anne

1993-01-01

Orographic precipitation on the southern flank of the southeastern Koolau Mountains produces a pronounced precipitation gradient. The corresponding gradient in the intensity of the chemical weathering environment provides an opportunity to address the effects of varying chemical weathering intensity on the composition of clay-size weathering products in soils developed on basalt. In addition, little-modified remnants of the constructional surface of the Koolau Volcano, isolated by stream dissection, remain as facets on the southern ends of the parallel ridges of the study area. By comparing clay mineralogy of soils developed on these older geomorphic surfaces with those developed on the younger sharp-crested ridges and steep side slopes, the effects of weathering duration on clay mineralogy can also be addressed.Soil clays in this part of the Koolau Mountains are mineralogically complex; principal phases include smectite, kaolinite, and halloysite, but pure end member phases are uncommon. Rather, most phases contain some amount of mixed layering. Smectite may contain small (Volcano are markedly more leached than those from younger landscapes in the same precipitation regime. Although smectite may be present, kaolinite is the dominant phase, and accumulations of Fe and Ti occur in the uppermost soil levels. Enrichment of Zr and Ti in these soils, as compared to concentrations in the original basaltic parent material, indicates that as much as 75% of the parent material has been lost. Thus weathering duration may affect soil clay composition in the same way as weathering intensity.Because smectite and halloysite are expandable clay minerals, their presence in soils may decrease slope stability and influence the nature of slope processes. Soil avalanches occur on steep slopes throughout the study area, whereas slow-moving landslides appear to be restricted to gentler slopes in drier parts of the study area where smectite is abundant. The clay mineralogy of soils thus

Field-scale transport of water and bromide in a cracking clay soil

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hendriks, R.F.A.; Hamminga, W.; Oostindie, K.; Bronswijk, J.J.B.

1995-01-01

The transport of a bromide tracer was studied in a cracking heavy clay soil. The soil was sampled six times and the groundwater and drain discharge were sampled frequently. Samples were analysed for bromide content. Solutes were transported in three domains: macropores, such as large continuous

Contact angles at the water-air interface of hydrocarbon-contaminated soils and clay minerals

Science.gov (United States)

Sofinskaya, O. A.; Kosterin, A. V.; Kosterina, E. A.

2016-12-01

Contact angles at the water-air interface have been measured for triturated preparations of clays and soils in order to assess changes in their hydrophobic properties under the effect of oil hydrocarbons. Tasks have been to determine the dynamics of contact angle under soil wetting conditions and to reveal the effect of chemical removal of organic matter from soils on the hydrophilicity of preparations. The potentialities of static and dynamic drop tests for assessing the hydrophilic-hydrophobic properties of soils have been estimated. Clays (kaolinite, gumbrine, and argillite) have been investigated, as well as plow horizons of soils from the Republic of Tatarstan: heavy loamy leached chernozem, medium loamy dark gray forest soil, and light loamy soddy-calcareous soil. The soils have been contaminated with raw oil and kerosene at rates of 0.1-3 wt %. In the uncontaminated and contaminated chernozem, capillary water capacity has been maintained for 250 days. The contact angles have been found to depend on the degree of dispersion of powdered preparation, the main type of clay minerals in the soil, the presence and amount of oxidation-resistant soil organic matter, and the soil-water contact time. Characteristic parameters of mathematical models for drop behavior on triturated preparations have been calculated. Contamination with hydrocarbons has resulted in a reliable increase in the contact angles of soil preparations. The hydrophobization of soil surface in chernozem is more active than in soils poorer in organic matter. The complete restoration of the hydrophilic properties of soils after hydrocarbon contamination is due to the oxidation of easily oxidizable organic matter at the low content of humus, or to wetting during several months in the absence of the mazut fraction.

Influence of cracking clays on satellite estimated and model simulated soil moisture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Y. Y. Liu

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Vertisols are clay soils that are common in the monsoonal and dry warm regions of the world. One of the characteristics of these soil types is to form deep cracks during periods of extended dry, resulting in significant variation of the soil and hydrologic properties. Understanding the influence of these varying soil properties on the hydrological behavior of the system is of considerable interest, particularly in the retrieval or simulation of soil moisture. In this study we compare surface soil moisture (θ in m³ m⁻³ retrievals from AMSR-E using the VUA-NASA (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam in collaboration with NASA algorithm with simulations from the Community Land Model (CLM over vertisol regions of mainland Australia. For the three-year period examined here (2003–2005, both products display reasonable agreement during wet periods. During dry periods however, AMSR-E retrieved near surface soil moisture falls below values for surrounding non-clay soils, while CLM simulations are higher. CLM θ are also higher than AMSR-E and their difference keeps increasing throughout these dry periods. To identify the possible causes for these discrepancies, the impacts of land use, topography, soil properties and surface temperature used in the AMSR-E algorithm, together with vegetation density and rainfall patterns, were investigated. However these do not explain the observed θ responses. Qualitative analysis of the retrieval model suggests that the most likely reason for the low AMSR-E θ is the increase in soil porosity and surface roughness resulting from cracking of the soil. To quantitatively identify the role of each factor, more in situ measurements of soil properties that can represent different stages of cracking need to be collected. CLM does not simulate the behavior of cracking soils, including the additional loss of moisture from the soil continuum during drying and the infiltration into cracks during rainfall events

Complexity of clay mineral formation during 120,000 years of soil development along the Franz Josef chronosequence, New Zealand

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dietel, J.; Dohrmann, R.; Guggenberger, G.; Meyer-Stueve, S.; Turner, S.; Schippers, A.; Kaufhold, S.; Butz-Braun, R.; Condron, L.M.; Mikutta, R.

2017-01-01

Weathering of primary silicates to secondary clay minerals over time affects multiple soil functions such as the accumulation of organic matter and nutrient cations. However, the extent of clay mineral (trans)formation as a function of soil development is poorly understood. In this study, the degree of weathering of sediments along a 120 kyr soil formation gradient was investigated using X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy. Irrespective of site age, mica and chlorite were the dominant clay minerals. During weathering, a remarkable suite of transitional phases such as vermiculite and several interstratifications with vermiculitic, smectitic, chloritic and micaceous layers developed. The degree of weathering was correlated with soil pH and depletion of K, Ca, Na, Fe and Al, regarding both soil depth and site age. Kaolinite occurred especially at the 120 kyr site, indicating slow formation via transitional phases. The findings of this study revealed that long-term soil development caused complex clay mineral assemblages, both temporally and spatially, and linking this variability to soil functioning warrants further research. (author).

Kinetic mechanism of steel corrosion in clay soils by impedance measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arpaia, M.; Pernice, P.; Costantini, A.

1990-01-01

The corrosion of steel in clay soil at m.c. 15% has been studied for a long exposure time by electrochemical methods. A.c. impedance measurements results show that at a short exposure time the corrosion process is controlled by the diffusion of H + coupled with a rate determining homogeneous reaction, whereas at a long exposure time the process is controlled by pure diffusion. We have hypothesized that the rate determining homogeneous reaction might be the clay particles cations exchange. (orig.)

Light-assisted decomposition of dyes over iron-bearing soil clays in the presence of H2O2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Zhaohui; Ma Wanhong; Chen Chuncheng; Zhao Jincai

2009-01-01

Four types of soil clays from different sites in China have been chosen to simulate chemical remediation of soils contaminated with dyes by light-assisted Fenton-like method. X-Ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic (XPS) and electron spin resonance (ESR) measurements indicated that these soil clays contain iron oxides such as magnetite and hematite, where nondistorted iron active sites (ESR spectra, g = 2.3) predominate. Upon visible or UV irradiation, the soil clays were very effective for the degradation of nonbiodegradable cationic dyes such as Rhodamine B (RhB) by activating H 2 O 2 at neutral pH. The photodegradation rates of RhB were closely related to total Fe content in clays and H 2 O 2 dosage, indicating the mineral-catalyzed Fenton-like reactions operated. Soil organic matters (SOM) would remarkably inhibit the photodecomposition of RhB dye. The reaction products were some low-molecular-weight dicarboxylic acids and their derivatives, all of which are easily biodegradable. A possible mechanism was proposed based on the results obtained by spin-trapping ESR technique.

{sup 222}Rn and CO{sub 2} soil-gas geochemical characterization of thermally altered clays at Orciatico (Tuscany, Central Italy)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Voltattorni, N., E-mail: nunzia.voltattorni@ingv.it [Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Via di Vigna Murata 605, 00143 Rome (Italy); Lombardi, S. [Earth Science Department, University ' La Sapienza' , Piazzale A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome (Italy); Rizzo, S. [Via Tito, 1/A, 00061 Anguillara Sabazia, Rome (Italy)

2010-08-15

Research highlights: {yields} Soil-gas technique is applied to study gas permeability of Orciatico clay units. {yields} Clay permeability depends on thermal and mechanical alteration degree. {yields} Soil-gas distributions are due to shallow fracturing of clays. {yields} Rn and CO{sub 2} soil-gas anomalies highlight secondary permeability in clay sequence. {yields} Soil-gas results are supported by detailed geoelectrical surveys. - Abstract: The physical properties of clay allow argillaceous formations to be considered geological barriers to radionuclide migration in high-level radioactive-waste isolation systems. As laboratory simulations are short term and numerical models always involve assumptions and simplifications of the natural system, natural analogues are extremely attractive surrogates for the study of long-term isolation. The clays of the Orciatico area (Tuscany, Central Italy), which were thermally altered via the intrusion of an alkali-trachyte laccolith, represent an interesting natural model of a heat source which acted on argillaceous materials. The study of this natural analogue was performed through detailed geoelectrical and soil-gas surveys to define both the geometry of the intrusive body and the gas permeability of a clay unit characterized by different degrees of thermal alteration. The results of this study show that gas permeability is increased in the clay sequences subjected to greater heat input from the emplacement of the Orciatico intrusion, despite the lack of apparent mineral and geotechnical variations. These results, which take into consideration long time periods in a natural, large-scale geological system, may have important implications for the long-term safety of underground storage of nuclear waste in clay formations.

Respirable dust and quartz exposure from three South African farms with sandy, sandy loam, and clay soils.

Science.gov (United States)

Swanepoel, Andrew J; Kromhout, Hans; Jinnah, Zubair A; Portengen, Lützen; Renton, Kevin; Gardiner, Kerry; Rees, David

2011-07-01

To quantify personal time-weighted average respirable dust and quartz exposure on a sandy, a sandy loam, and a clay soil farm in the Free State and North West provinces of South Africa and to ascertain whether soil type is a determinant of exposure to respirable quartz. Three farms, located in the Free State and North West provinces of South Africa, had their soil type confirmed as sandy, sandy loam, and clay; and, from these, a total of 298 respirable dust and respirable quartz measurements were collected between July 2006-November 2009 during periods of major farming operations. Values below the limit of detection (LOD) (22 μg · m(-3)) were estimated using multiple 'imputation'. Non-parametric tests were used to compare quartz exposure from the three different soil types. Exposure to respirable quartz occurred on all three farms with the highest individual concentration measured on the sandy soil farm (626 μg · m(-3)). Fifty-seven, 59, and 81% of the measurements on the sandy soil, sandy loam soil, and clay soil farm, respectively, exceeded the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) threshold limit value (TLV) of 25 μg · m(-3). Twelve and 13% of respirable quartz concentrations exceeded 100 μg · m(-3) on the sandy soil and sandy loam soil farms, respectively, but none exceeded this level on the clay soil farm. The proportions of measurements >100 μg · m(-3) were not significantly different between the sandy and sandy loam soil farms ('prop.test'; P = 0.65), but both were significantly larger than for the clay soil farm ('prop.test'; P = 0.0001). The percentage of quartz in respirable dust was determined for all three farms using measurements > the limit of detection. Percentages ranged from 0.5 to 94.4% with no significant difference in the median quartz percentages across the three farms (Kruskal-Wallis test; P = 0.91). This study demonstrates that there is significant potential for over-exposure to respirable quartz in

Carbon-Nitrogen Relationships during the Humification of Cellulose in Soils Containing Different Amounts of Clay

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Lasse Holst

1981-01-01

the 2 soils with the high content of clay had a relatively high content of available unlabeled soil-N which was used for synthesis of metabolic material. The proportionate retention of labeled C for a given soil was largely independent of the size of the amendments, whereas the proportionate amount....... Some of the labeled organic N when mineralized was re-incorporated into organic compounds containing increasing proportions of native soil-C, whereas labeled C when mineralized as CO2 disappeared from the soils. The amount of labeled amino acid-C, formed during decomposition of the labeled cellulose...... was most intense, and it held throughout the 4 yr of the incubation; proportionally it was independent of the amount of cellulose added and the temperature. The labeled amino acid-N content was not directly related to the amount of clay in the soil, presumably because more unlabeled soil-N was available...

Description of the phosphorus sorption and desorption processes in lowland peaty clay soils

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schoumans, O.F.

2013-01-01

To determine phosphorus (P) losses from agricultural land to surface water, information is needed about the behavior of P in soils. In this study, the sorption and desorption characteristics of lowland peaty clay soils are described based on experimental laboratory studies. The maximum P sorption

Influence of Amang (Tin Tailing) on Geotechnical Properties of Clay Soil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zulfahmi, A.R.; Zuhairi, W.Y.W.; Raihan, M.T.; Sahibin, A.R.; Razi, I.W.M.; Tukimat, L.; Syakireen, Z.S.N.; Noorulakma, A.

2012-01-01

Amang or tin tailing is commonly found in the vicinity of disused mining area and responsible in downgrading the water quality, landscape and mechanical behaviour of soils. It was generated from extraction process of separating valuable metal from particular ore. This paper presents the geotechnical characteristics of amang-contaminated clay soil. The geotechnical properties of uncontaminated soils were studied in order to compare to that of amang contaminated soils. The base soil used in this study represents completely weathered horizon of meta sedimentary rock. Meanwhile, tin tailing sample was taken from the disused mine at Sungai Lembing, Pahang. The geotechnical characterisations of base soil and contaminated soils were determined based on consistency index, compaction behaviour, hydraulic conductivity and undrained shear strength (UU tests). Contaminated soil samples were prepared by adding 5, 10 and 20 % of tailing, based on dry weigh of the studied base soil. The results from the particle size distribution analysis showed that residual soil from meta sedimentary rock comprised 42.6 % clay, 32.2 % silt and 25.2 % sand whilst tailing was dominated by 98 % of sand fraction. XRD analysis indicated the presence of quartz, kaolinite and muscovite minerals in the studied soil. The specific gravity of soil used is 2.67 and the pH is 3.88. Tailing found to have higher specific gravity of 3.37. The consistency index of contaminated soils showed that liquid limit, wL and plastic limit, wP decreased with the increase in the percentage of tailing added to the soil samples. The value of maximum dry density, ρ dry max increased while optimum moisture content decreased due to the increase in tailing content in soil sample. The permeability of contaminated soil also increased with the increase in tailing contents ranged from 19.8 cm/ hr to 23.8 cm/ hr. The undrained shear strength, Cu, of contaminated soil decreased from 646 kPa (5 % of tailing) to 312 kPa (20 % of

The Influence of Clay on the Rate of Decay of Amino Acid Metabolites Synthesized in Soils during Decomposition of Cellulose

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Lasse Holst

1975-01-01

caused by the treatments in the different soils was, however, not related to the amount of silt + clay, and a high content of this material did not protect organic material against the effect of the treatments. is concluded that the silt + clay fraction ensures stabilization of amino acid metabolites...... produced during the period of intense biological activity that follows the addition of decomposable, energy rich material to the soil. The amount of amino acid metabolites stabilized increased with increasing concentration of silt + clay, but the rate of decay of the amino acid material during later stages......14C-labelled cellulose was added to seven different soils containing silt + clay (particles

Comparing Kriging and Regression Approaches for Mapping Soil Clay Content in a diverse Danish Landscape

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Adhikari, Kabindra; Bou Kheir, Rania; Greve, Mette Balslev

2013-01-01

Information on the spatial variability of soil texture including soil clay content in a landscape is very important for agricultural and environmental use. Different prediction techniques are available to assess and map spatial variability of soil properties, but selecting the most suitable techn...... the prediction in OKst compared with that in OK, whereas RT showed the lowest performance of all (R2 = 0.52; RMSE = 0.52; and RPD = 1.17). We found RKrr to be an effective prediction method and recommend this method for any future soil mapping activities in Denmark....... technique at a given site has always been a major issue in all soil mapping applications. We studied the prediction performance of ordinary kriging (OK), stratified OK (OKst), regression trees (RT), and rule-based regression kriging (RKrr) for digital mapping of soil clay content at 30.4-m grid size using 6...

Nonlinear soil parameter effects on dynamic embedment of offshore pipeline on soft clay

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Su Young Yu

2015-03-01

Full Text Available In this paper, the effects of nonlinear soft clay on dynamic embedment of offshore pipeline were investigated. Seabed embedment by pipe-soil interactions has impacts on the structural boundary conditions for various subsea structures such as pipeline, riser, pile, and many other systems. A number of studies have been performed to estimate real soil behavior, but their estimation of seabed embedment has not been fully identified and there are still many uncertainties. In this regards, comparison of embedment between field survey and existing empirical models has been performed to identify uncertainties and investigate the effect of nonlinear soil parameter on dynamic embedment. From the comparison, it is found that the dynamic embedment with installation effects based on nonlinear soil model have an influence on seabed embedment. Therefore, the pipe embedment under dynamic condition by nonlinear para- meters of soil models was investigated by Dynamic Embedment Factor (DEF concept, which is defined as the ratio of the dynamic and static embedment of pipeline, in order to overcome the gap between field embedment and currently used empirical and numerical formula. Although DEF through various researches is suggested, its range is too wide and it does not consider dynamic laying effect. It is difficult to find critical parameters that are affecting to the embedment result. Therefore, the study on dynamic embedment factor by soft clay parameters of nonlinear soil model was conducted and the sensitivity analyses about parameters of nonlinear soil model were performed as well. The tendency on dynamic embedment factor was found by conducting numerical analyses using OrcaFlex software. It is found that DEF was influenced by shear strength gradient than other factors. The obtained results will be useful to understand the pipe embedment on soft clay seabed for applying offshore pipeline designs such as on-bottom stability and free span analyses.

Reducing the Influence of Soil Moisture on the Estimation of Clay from Hyperspectral Data: A Case Study Using Simulated PRISMA Data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fabio Castaldi

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Soil moisture hampers the estimation of soil variables such as clay content from remote and proximal sensing data, reducing the strength of the relevant spectral absorption features. In the present study, two different strategies have been evaluated for their ability to minimize the influence of soil moisture on clay estimation by using soil spectra acquired in a laboratory and by simulating satellite hyperspectral data. Simulated satellite data were obtained according to the spectral characteristics of the forthcoming hyperspectral imager on board of the Italian PRISMA satellite mission. The soil datasets were split into four groups according to the water content. For each soil moisture level a prediction model was applied, using either spectral indices or partial least squares regression (PLSR. Prediction models were either specifically developed for the soil moisture level or calibrated using synthetically dry soil spectra, generated from wet soil data. Synthetically dry spectra were obtained using a new technique based on the effects caused by soil moisture on the optical spectrum from 400 to 2400 nm. The estimation of soil clay content, when using different prediction models according to soil moisture, was slightly more accurate as compared to the use of synthetically dry soil spectra, both employing clay indices and PLSR models. The results obtained in this study demonstrate that the a priori knowledge of the soil moisture class can reduce the error of clay estimation when using hyperspectral remote sensing data, such as those that will be provided by the PRISMA satellite mission in the near future.

Continuous treatment of heavy metal contaminated clay soils by extraction in stirred tanks and in a countercurrent column

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tuin, B.J.W.; Tels, M.

1991-01-01

Extn. of metals from 2 contaminated waste site clay soils by 0.1-0.3 N HCl solns. was tested in 3 lab. scale, continuous processes: 2 stirred tank reactors (CSTR' s) in series; a countercurrent sieve-plate column fed with flocculated clay soil materials; and a combination of tank reactor and column.

Flocculation and dispersion behaviour of two kaolinitic soil clays as ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This showed that crystalline Fe oxides were important in stabilizing the structure of the soils studied. The amorphous Fe oxides, however, did not play a stabilizing role. The clays whose crystalline Fe oxides, amorphous Fe oxides and organic matter were successively removed were the most flocculated and therefore had ...

Sorption and migration of 137Cs attached to organic materials of tea in silty clay soil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yuecel, H.; Oezmen, A.

1996-01-01

The effect of the organic material of tea on the adsorption behavior of 137 Cs on the silty clay soil has been examined by batch experiments, using 137 Cs extracted tea contaminated by the Chernobyl accident, with water. The variation of K d values was studied as a function of contact time and a volume-solid ratio (V/m). The equilibrium time of 137 Cs extracted from the tea is slower by 9 times than that of 137 Cs + ions for the silty clay soil. The V/m ratio did not affect the 137 Cs adsorption strongly. The sorption of 137 Cs extracted form the tea in terms of the distribution coefficient K d is higher (a factor of 2.5) than that of 137 Cs + ions. This result indicates that 137 Cs-complexes with organic materials of tea are much sorbed than 137 C + ions on the silty clay soil. The migration of 137 Cs extracted from the tea in the silty clay soil has been studied under a steady flow of tea-extract by using a soil zone apparatus. The 137 Cs concentrations contained in both effluent fractions and in soil samples were measured using a HPGe detector. The distribution patterns of 137 Cs in the layers of the soil zone were obtained as one- and two-dimensional. The migration of 137 Cs extracted from the tea in soil is mainly influenced by flow. The results indicate that the migration of 137 Cs-complexes with organic materials and 137 Cs adsorbed fine silts cannot be described by such a K d based on ion-exchange reactions, but it is important to consider the moving mechanism of particulates besides ion-exchange reactions. (Author)

Optimization method for quantitative calculation of clay minerals in soil

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

However, no reliable method for quantitative analysis of clay minerals has been established so far. In this study, an attempt was made to propose an optimization method for the quantitative ... 2. Basic principles. The mineralogical constitution of soil is rather complex. ... K2O, MgO, and TFe as variables for the calculation.

Consequences of preferential flow in cracking clay soils for contamination-risk of shallow aquifers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Oostindie, K.; Bronswijk, J.J.B.

1995-01-01

A method is presented to asses the contamination risk of aquifers covered with cracking clay soils, with special emphasis on preferential flow through shrinkage cracks. A water extraction area was divided into units with homogeneous soil types and hydrological conditions. For each unit, a

Incorporation of Biochar Carbon into Stable Soil Aggregates: The Role of Clay Mineralogy and Other Soil Characteristics

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Charlene N.KELLY; Joseph BENJAMIN; Francisco C.CALDER(O)N; Maysoon M.MIKHA; David W.RUTHERFORD; Colleen E.ROSTAD

2017-01-01

Aggregation and structure plav key roles in water-holding capacity and stability of soils.In this study,the incorporation of carbon (C) from switchgrass biochar into stable aggregate size fractions was assessed in an Aridisol (from Colorado,USA) dominated by 2:1 clays and an Alfisol (from Virginia,USA) containing weathered mixed 1∶1 and 2∶1 mineralogy,to evaluate the effect of biochar addition on soil characteristics.The biochar was applied at 4 levels,0,25,50,and 100 g kg-1,to the soils grown with wheat in a growth chamber experiment.The changes in soil strength and water-holding capacity using water release curves were measured.In the Colorado soil,the proportion of soil occurring in large aggregates decreased,with concomitant increases in small size fractions.No changes in aggregate size fractions occurred in the Virginia soil.In the Colorado soil,C content increased from 3.3 to 16.8 g kg-1,whereas in the ＜ 53 μm fraction C content increased from 5.7 to 22.6 g kg-1 with 100 g kg-1 biochar addition.In the Virginia soil,C content within aggregate size fractions increased for each size fraction,except the ＞ 2 000 μm fraction.The greatest increase (from 6.2 to 22.0 g kg-1) occurred in the 53-250 μm fraction.The results indicated that C was incorporated into larger aggregates in the Virginia soil,but remained largely unassociated to soil particles in the Colorado soil.Biochar addition had no significant effect on water-holding capacity or strength measurements.Adding biochar to more weathered soils with high native soil organic content may result in greater stabilization of incorporated C and result in less loss because of erosion and transport,compared with the soils dominated by 2∶1 clays and low native soil organic content.

On the freezing of clay soil and water migration into the pavement design

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sergeev Andrey Sergeevich

2014-03-01

Full Text Available The freezing of the surface layers of the Earth’s crust causes the volume deformation of soil and is expressed in the increase of volume and differential movement of their surface due to freezing of water and formation of ice inclusions. Underestimation of the frost heaving of soils, as well as the untimely application of anti — heaving measures cause the enormous damage to the national economy. All of this results in life reduction and condition deterioration of auto-road operation, as well as increase in non-manufacturing labor costs, building materials and financial means. During the experimental studies we have found that after four stages of freezing and defrosting the physical properties of clay soil change, i.e. the formation of 2-3 mm ice lenses is taking place at the junction of clay soil and sand. The number and dimensions of ice lenses increase with a further tightening of moisture up to 5-6 mm, and 3 zones related to the intensity of freezing are formed.

Lead pollution of soil and groundwater in clay-pigeon shooting ranges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hahn, R.

1990-01-01

Within the framework of the exemplary investigation of soil and groundwater pollution with lead on clay-pigeon shooting ranges, three facilities were sampled. The analyses for depth distribution in the main area of the ammunition deposition showed that the dissolved lead amounts are as a rule smaller than the limiting value of the Sewage Sludge Regulation (100 mg/kg). In two groundwater samples, no lead could be found. Considerable amounts of small lead balls are found on the soil surface, but only a very small part appears to be washed out and adsorbed by the soil matrix. (orig.) [de

Hydraulic conductivity study of compacted clay soils used as landfill liners for an acidic waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hamdi, Noureddine; Srasra, Ezzeddine

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► Examined the hydraulic conductivity evolution as function of dry density of Tunisian clay soil. ► Follow the hydraulic conductivity evolution at long-term of three clay materials using the waste solution (pH=2.7). ► Determined how compaction affects the hydraulic conductivity of clay soils. ► Analyzed the concentration of F and P and examined the retention of each soil. - Abstract: Three natural clayey soils from Tunisia were studied to assess their suitability for use as a liner for an acid waste disposal site. An investigation of the effect of the mineral composition and mechanical compaction on the hydraulic conductivity and fluoride and phosphate removal of three different soils is presented. The hydraulic conductivity of these three natural soils are 8.5 × 10 −10 , 2.08 × 10 −9 and 6.8 × 10 −10 m/s for soil-1, soil-2 and soil-3, respectively. Soil specimens were compacted under various compaction strains in order to obtain three wet densities (1850, 1950 and 2050 kg/m 3 ). In this condition, the hydraulic conductivity (k) was reduced with increasing density of sample for all soils. The test results of hydraulic conductivity at long-term (>200 days) using acidic waste solution (pH = 2.7, charged with fluoride and phosphate ions) shows a decrease in k with time only for natural soil-1 and soil-2. However, the specimens of soil-2 compressed to the two highest densities (1950 and 2050 kg/m 3 ) are cracked after 60 and 20 days, respectively, of hydraulic conductivity testing. This damage is the result of a continued increase in the internal stress due to the swelling and to the effect of aggressive wastewater. The analysis of anions shows that the retention of fluoride is higher compared to phosphate and soil-1 has the highest sorption capacity.

Rapid Stabilization/Polymerization of Wet Clay Soils; Literature Review

Science.gov (United States)

2009-01-15

MacDonald, W. A., Pitman, D., and Ryan, T. G. (1999). "High Tempera- ture Non-aqueous Dispersion Polymerization of Aromatic Main Chain Liquid...of Dispersive Soils by Using Different Additives." Indian Geotechnical Journal, 14(3), 202-216. 36. Charleson, D. A. and Widger, R. A. (1989...Baghdadi, Z. A., and Khan, A. M. (1991). "Overconsolidated Beha- vior of Phosphoric Acid and Lime-Stabilized Kaolin Clay." Transportation Research

Measurements of the streaming potential of clay soils from tropical and subtropical regions using self-made apparatus.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Zhong-Yi; Li, Jiu-Yu; Liu, Yuan; Xu, Ren-Kou

2014-09-01

The streaming potential has been wildly used in charged parallel plates, capillaries, and porous media. However, there have been few studies involving the ζ potential of clay soils based on streaming potential measurements. A laboratory apparatus was developed in this study to measure the streaming potential (ΔE) of bulk clay soils' coupling coefficient (C) and cell resistance (R) of saturated granular soil samples. Excellent linearity of ΔE versus liquid pressure (ΔP) ensured the validity of measurements. The obtained parameters of C and R can be used to calculate the ζ potential of bulk soils. The results indicated that the ζ potentials measured by streaming potential method were significantly correlated with the ζ potentials of soil colloids determined by electrophoresis (r (2) = 0.960**). Therefore, the streaming potential method can be used to study the ζ potentials of bulk clay soils. The absolute values of the ζ potentials of four soils followed the order: Ultisol from Jiangxi > Ultisol from Anhui > Oxisol from Guangdong > Oxisol from Hainan, and this was consistent with the cation exchange capacities of these soils. The type and concentration of electrolytes affected soil ζ potentials. The ζ potential became less negative with increased electrolyte concentration. The ζ potentials were more negative in monovalent than in divalent cationic electrolyte solutions because more divalent cations were distributed in the shear plane of the diffuse layer as counter-cations on the soil surfaces than monovalent cations at the same electrolyte concentration.

Adsorption of chloroacetanilide herbicides on soil and its components. III. Influence of clay acidity, humic acid coating and herbicide structure on acetanilide herbicide adsorption on homoionic clays.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Wei-ping; Fang, Zhuo; Liu, Hui-jun; Yang, Wei-chun

2002-04-01

Adsorption of chloroacetanilide herbicides on homoionic montmorillonite, soil humic acid, and their mixtures was studied by coupling batch equilibration and FT-IR analysis. Adsorption isotherms of acetochlor, alachlor, metolachlor and propachlor on Ca(2+)-, Mg(2+)-, Al(3+)- and Fe(3+)-saturated clays were well described by the Freundlich equation. Regardless of the type of exchange cations, Kf decreased in the order of metolachlor > acetolachlor > alachlor > propachlor on the same clay. FT-IR spectra showed that the carbonyl group of the herbicide molecule was involved in binding, probably via H-bond with water molecules in the clay interlayer. The type and position of substitutions around the carbonyl group may have affected the electronegativity of oxygen, thus influencing the relative adsorption of these herbicides. For the same herbicide, adsorption on clay increased in the order of Mg2+ < Ca2+ < Al3+ < or = Fe3+ which coincided with the increasing acidity of homoionic clays. Acidity of cations may have affected the protonation of water, and thus the strength of H-bond between the clay water and herbicide. Complexation of clay and humic acid resulted in less adsorption than that expected from independent adsorption by the individual constituents. The effect varied with herbicides, but the greatest decrease in adsorption occurred at a 60:40 clay-to-humic acid ratio for all the herbicides. Causes for the decreased adsorption need to be characterized to better understand adsorption mechanisms and predict adsorption from soil compositions.

Competitive sorption between glyphosphate and inorganic phosphate on clay minerals and low organic matter soils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dion, H.M.; Hill, H.H.Jr.; Washington State Univ., Pullmann, WA; Harsh, J.B.; Washington State Univ., Pullmann, WA

2001-01-01

Inorganic phosphate may influence the adsorption of glyphosate to soil surface sites. It has been postulated that glyphosphate sorption is dominated by the phosphoric acid moiety, therefore, inorganic phosphate could compete with glyphosate for surface sorption sites. Sorption of glyphosate is examined in low organic carbon systems where clay minerals dominate the available adsorption sites using 32 P-labeled phosphate and 14 C-labeled glyphosate to track sorption. Glyphosate sorption was found to be strongly dependent on phosphate additions. Isotherms were generally of the L type, which is consistent with a limited number of surface sites. Most sorption on whole soils could be accounted for by sorption observed on model clays of the same mineral type as found in the soils. (author)

Geotechnical Characterization of Mined Clay from Appalachian Ohio: Challenges and Implications for the Clay Mining Industry

Science.gov (United States)

Moran, Anthony R.; Hettiarachchi, Hiroshan

2011-01-01

Clayey soil found in coal mines in Appalachian Ohio is often sold to landfills for constructing Recompacted Soil Liners (RSL) in landfills. Since clayey soils possess low hydraulic conductivity, the suitability of mined clay for RSL in Ohio is first assessed by determining its clay content. When soil samples are tested in a laboratory, the same engineering properties are typically expected for the soils originated from the same source, provided that the testing techniques applied are standard, but mined clay from Appalachian Ohio has shown drastic differences in particle size distribution depending on the sampling and/or laboratory processing methods. Sometimes more than a 10 percent decrease in the clay content is observed in the samples collected at the stockpiles, compared to those collected through reverse circulation drilling. This discrepancy poses a challenge to geotechnical engineers who work on the prequalification process of RSL material as it can result in misleading estimates of the hydraulic conductivity of the samples. This paper describes a laboratory investigation conducted on mined clay from Appalachian Ohio to determine how and why the standard sampling and/or processing methods can affect the grain-size distributions. The variation in the clay content was determined to be due to heavy concentrations of shale fragments in the clayey soils. It was also concluded that, in order to obtain reliable grain size distributions from the samples collected at a stockpile of mined clay, the material needs to be processed using a soil grinder. Otherwise, the samples should be collected through drilling. PMID:21845150

Geotechnical characterization of mined clay from Appalachian Ohio: challenges and implications for the clay mining industry.

Science.gov (United States)

Moran, Anthony R; Hettiarachchi, Hiroshan

2011-07-01

Clayey soil found in coal mines in Appalachian Ohio is often sold to landfills for constructing Recompacted Soil Liners (RSL) in landfills. Since clayey soils possess low hydraulic conductivity, the suitability of mined clay for RSL in Ohio is first assessed by determining its clay content. When soil samples are tested in a laboratory, the same engineering properties are typically expected for the soils originated from the same source, provided that the testing techniques applied are standard, but mined clay from Appalachian Ohio has shown drastic differences in particle size distribution depending on the sampling and/or laboratory processing methods. Sometimes more than a 10 percent decrease in the clay content is observed in the samples collected at the stockpiles, compared to those collected through reverse circulation drilling. This discrepancy poses a challenge to geotechnical engineers who work on the prequalification process of RSL material as it can result in misleading estimates of the hydraulic conductivity of the samples. This paper describes a laboratory investigation conducted on mined clay from Appalachian Ohio to determine how and why the standard sampling and/or processing methods can affect the grain-size distributions. The variation in the clay content was determined to be due to heavy concentrations of shale fragments in the clayey soils. It was also concluded that, in order to obtain reliable grain size distributions from the samples collected at a stockpile of mined clay, the material needs to be processed using a soil grinder. Otherwise, the samples should be collected through drilling.

Geotechnical Characterization of Mined Clay from Appalachian Ohio: Challenges and Implications for the Clay Mining Industry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anthony R. Moran

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Clayey soil found in coal mines in Appalachian Ohio is often sold to landfills for constructing Recompacted Soil Liners (RSL in landfills. Since clayey soils possess low hydraulic conductivity, the suitability of mined clay for RSL in Ohio is first assessed by determining its clay content. When soil samples are tested in a laboratory, the same engineering properties are typically expected for the soils originated from the same source, provided that the testing techniques applied are standard, but mined clay from Appalachian Ohio has shown drastic differences in particle size distribution depending on the sampling and/or laboratory processing methods. Sometimes more than a 10 percent decrease in the clay content is observed in the samples collected at the stockpiles, compared to those collected through reverse circulation drilling. This discrepancy poses a challenge to geotechnical engineers who work on the prequalification process of RSL material as it can result in misleading estimates of the hydraulic conductivity of the samples. This paper describes a laboratory investigation conducted on mined clay from Appalachian Ohio to determine how and why the standard sampling and/or processing methods can affect the grain-size distributions. The variation in the clay content was determined to be due to heavy concentrations of shale fragments in the clayey soils. It was also concluded that, in order to obtain reliable grain size distributions from the samples collected at a stockpile of mined clay, the material needs to be processed using a soil grinder. Otherwise, the samples should be collected through drilling.

Clay Mineralogy of Soils on Quaternary Sediment in Northeast of Urmia

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Parisa Farzamnia

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Minerals are one of the main components of soils which play different roles in the soils. Minerals make up about 50% of the volume of most soils. They provide physical support for plants, and create the water- and air-filled pores that make plant growth possible. Mineral weathering releases plant nutrients which are retained by other minerals through adsorption, cation exchange, and precipitation. Minerals are indicators of the amount of weathering that has taken place, and the presence or absence of particular minerals gives clues to how soils have been formed. The physical and chemical characteristics of soil minerals are important consideration in planning, constructing, and maintaining of buildings, roads, and airports. Clay minerals can be used for understanding of soil formation, optimum management of dry and wet lands and interpretation of paleo environments. Moreover, clay minerals can provide some valuable information such as the origin of sediments, transportation and precipitation of sediments and also some information about intercontinental weathering regimes. Quaternary sediments have occupied most of the agricultural and natural resources of Urima plain and recognition of mineralogical of these soils is essential to optimum and stabile use of these soils. Additionally, caly mineralogical investigation can provide some information about the intensity of weathering processes and climate change in this area. Thus, in this study clay minerals of quaternary sediments in northeast of Urmia and the mechanisms of their formation and also tracing probable climate change in this area were investigated. Materials and Methods: This study was performed in theUrmia plain in west Azerbaijan Province. The study area is located on quaternary sediments and physiographically, this area is a part of a river alluvial plain with the gentle slope toward Urmia Lake. The mean annual precipitation and temperature of this area are 345.37 mm and

Scanning electronic microscopy on clays in soils used as road foundations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barelli, N.

1982-01-01

The scanning electron microscope (SEM) proves to be ideally suited for studying the morphology, texture and fabric of clays in soils used as road foundation. It is also seen that certain samples are easier to examine by SEM because of their larger crystallite sizes, better crystallinities and open textures. (C.L.B.) [pt

Infiltration of water in disturbed soil columns as affected by clay dispersion and aggregate slaking

OpenAIRE

Amezketa, E.; Aragües, R.; Gazol, R.

2004-01-01

Soil crusting negatively affects the productivity and sustainability of irrigated agriculture, reducing water infiltration and plant emergence, and enhancing surface runoff and erosion. Clay dispersion and slaking of the aggregates at the soil surface are the main processes responsible for crusting. The infiltration rates (IR) of ten arid-zone soils in disturbed soil columns were measured and their relative susceptibilities to dispersion and slaking were determined. It was also examined wheth...

Physicochemical Properties, Micromorphology and Clay Mineralogy of Soils Affected by Geological Formations, Geomorphology and Climate

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A. Bayat

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Soil genesis and development in arid and semi-arid areas are strongly affected by geological formations and geomorphic surfaces. Various morphological, physical, and geochemical soil properties at different geomorphic positions are usually attributed to different soil forming factors including parent material and climate. Due to variations in climate, geological formations (Quaternary, Neogene and Cretaceous and geomorphology, the aim of the present research was the study of genesis, development, clay mineralogy, and micromorphology of soils affected by climate, geology and geomorphology in Bardsir area, Kerman Province. Materials and Methods: The study area, 25000 ha, starts from Bardsir and extends to Khanesorkh elevations close to Sirjan city. The climate of the area is warm and semi-arid with mean annual temperature and precipitation of 14.9 °C and 199 mm, respectively. Soil moisture and temperature regimes of the area are aridic and mesic due to 1:2500000 map, provided by Soil and Water Research Institute. Moving to west and southwest, soil moisture regime of the area changes to xeric with increasing elevation. Using topography and geology maps (1:100000 together with Google Earth images, geomorphic surfaces and geologic formations of the area were investigated. Mantled pediment (pedons 1, 3, 7, and 8, rock pediment (pedon 2, semi-stable alluvial plain (pedon 6, unstable alluvial plain (pedon 5, piedmont plain (pedons 9 and 11, intermediate surface of alluvial plain and pediment (pedon 4, and old river terrace (pedon 10 are among geomorphic surfaces investigated in the area. Mantled pediment is composed of young Quaternary sediments and Cretaceous marls. Rock pediments are mainly formed by Cretaceous marls. Quaternary formations are dominant in alluvial plains. Alluvial terraces and intermediate surface of alluvial plain and pediment are dominated by Neogene conglomerates. Siltstone, sandstone, and Neogene marls together with

Rapid nutrient leaching to groundwater and surface water in clay soil areas

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bronswijk, J.J.B.; Hamminga, W.; Oostindie, K.

1995-01-01

The mechanism and magnitude of nitrate leaching from grassland on a heavy clay soil were investigated by measuring nitrogen input, and nitrate concentrations in groundwater and drain discharge for two years. A bromide tracer was applied to study solute transport mechanisms. Nitrate transport in the

Compressibility characteristics of Sabak Bernam Marine Clay

Science.gov (United States)

Lat, D. C.; Ali, N.; Jais, I. B. M.; Baharom, B.; Yunus, N. Z. M.; Salleh, S. M.; Azmi, N. A. C.

2018-04-01

This study is carried out to determine the geotechnical properties and compressibility characteristics of marine clay collected at Sabak Bernam. The compressibility characteristics of this soil are determined from 1-D consolidation test and verified by existing correlations by other researchers. No literature has been found on the compressibility characteristics of Sabak Bernam Marine Clay. It is important to carry out this study since this type of marine clay covers large coastal area of west coast Malaysia. This type of marine clay was found on the main road connecting Klang to Perak and the road keeps experiencing undulation and uneven settlement which jeopardise the safety of the road users. The soil is indicated in the Generalised Soil Map of Peninsular Malaysia as a CLAY with alluvial soil on recent marine and riverine alluvium. Based on the British Standard Soil Classification and Plasticity Chart, the soil is classified as a CLAY with very high plasticity (CV). Results from laboratory test on physical properties and compressibility parameters show that Sabak Bernam Marine Clay (SBMC) is highly compressible, has low permeability and poor drainage characteristics. The compressibility parameters obtained for SBMC is in a good agreement with other researchers in the same field.

Distribution of six heavy metals in contaminated clay soils before and after extractive cleaning

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tuin, B.J.W.; Tels, M.

1990-01-01

A sequential extraction procedure according to Tessier et al. is carried out to compare the distribution of six metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn) in contaminated clay soils before and after extractive cleaning. Extraction of metals from the ‘soil fractions’ with 0.1 N HC1 or 0.1 M EDTA becomes more

Effect of clay minerals on the stabilization of black cotton and lateritic soils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nyambok, I.O.

1986-01-01

The problem associated with black cotton and lateritic soils because of the swelling-shrinkage property of their constituent clay minerals were investigated. Samples of black cotton lateritic soils were collected from different parts of Kenya. The samples were analysed for their mineral compositions and later treated with hydrated lime in order to eliminate the swelling shrinkage behaviour. The samples were subsequently tested for their engineering properties in a soil mechanics laboratory using shear box and Casagrande apparatus. It was found that the chemical treatment of the soils with hydrated lime removes their plastic property and improves their shear strength. (author)

Influence of Rice Husk Ash and Clay in Stabilization of Silty Soils Using Cement

OpenAIRE

Widjajakusuma Jack; Winata Hendo

2017-01-01

Soil stabilization is needed to enhance the strength of the soil. One popular method of soil stabilization is using cement. Due to the environmental issue, it is a need to reduce the application of cement and/or to replace partially the cement with other environmental-friendly compounds. One of these compounds is rice husk ash (RSA), which is agricultural wastes. The objective of this paper is to study the influence of RSA and clay as partial replacement to cement in soil stabilization of sil...

Carbon sequestration in clay and silt fractions of Brazilian soils under conventional and no-tillage systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cecília Estima Sacramento dos Reis

2014-08-01

Full Text Available The capacity of soils to sequestrate carbon (C is mainly related to the formation of organo-mineral complexes. In this study, we investigated the influence of soil management systems on the C retention capacity of soil with an emphasis on the silt and clay fractions of two subtropical soils with different mineralogy and climate. Samples from a Humic Hapludox and a Rhodic Hapludox, clayey soils cultivated for approximately 30 years under no-tillage (NT and conventional tillage (CT were collected from six layers distributed within 100-cm soil depth from each site and from an adjacent native forest. After the removal of particulate organic matter (POM, the suspension (<53 µm was sonicated, the silt and clay fractions were separated in accordance with Stokes' law and the carbon content of whole soil and physical fractions was determined. In the Humic Hapludox, the clay and silt fractions under NT showed a higher maximum C retention (72 and 52 g kg-1, respectively in comparison to those under CT (54 and 38 g kg-1, respectively. Moreover, the C concentration increase in both fractions under NT occurred mainly in the topsoil (up to 5 cm. The C retention in physical fractions of Rhodic Hapludox varied from 25 to 32 g kg-1, and no difference was observed whether under an NT or a CT management system. The predominance of goethite and gibbsite in the Humic Hapludox, as well as its exposure to a colder climate, may have contributed to its greater C retention capacity. In addition to the organo-mineral interaction, a mechanism of organic matter self-assemblage, enhanced by longer periods of soil non-disturbance, seems to have contributed to the carbon stabilization in both soils.

A lysimeter experiment to investigate the leaching of veterinary antibiotics through a clay soil and comparison with field data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kay, Paul; Blackwell, Paul A.; Boxall, Alistair B.A.

2005-01-01

Pharmaceuticals used in livestock production may be present in manure and slurry as the parent compound and/or metabolites. The environment may therefore be exposed to these substances due to the application of organic fertilisers to agricultural land or deposition by grazing livestock. For other groups of substances that are applied to land (e.g. pesticides), preferential flow in clay soils has been identified as an extremely important mechanism by which surface water pollution can occur. This lysimeter study was therefore performed to investigate the fate of three antibiotics from the sulphonamide, tetracycline and macrolide groups in a clay soil. Only sulphachloropyridazine was detected in leachate and soil analysis at the end of the experiment showed that almost no antibiotic residues remained. These data were analysed alongside field data for the same compounds to show that soil tillage which breaks the connectivity of macropores formed over the summer months, prior to slurry application, significantly reduces chemical mobility. - This paper describes one of the first studies to investigate the fate of veterinary medicines in cracking clay soils

A lysimeter experiment to investigate the leaching of veterinary antibiotics through a clay soil and comparison with field data

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kay, Paul [Cranfield Centre for EcoChemistry, Cranfield University, Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Derby DE72 2GN (United Kingdom)]. E-mail: paul.kay@adas.co.uk; Blackwell, Paul A. [Cranfield Centre for EcoChemistry, Cranfield University, Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Derby DE72 2GN (United Kingdom); Boxall, Alistair B.A. [Cranfield Centre for EcoChemistry, Cranfield University, Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Derby DE72 2GN (United Kingdom)

2005-03-01

Pharmaceuticals used in livestock production may be present in manure and slurry as the parent compound and/or metabolites. The environment may therefore be exposed to these substances due to the application of organic fertilisers to agricultural land or deposition by grazing livestock. For other groups of substances that are applied to land (e.g. pesticides), preferential flow in clay soils has been identified as an extremely important mechanism by which surface water pollution can occur. This lysimeter study was therefore performed to investigate the fate of three antibiotics from the sulphonamide, tetracycline and macrolide groups in a clay soil. Only sulphachloropyridazine was detected in leachate and soil analysis at the end of the experiment showed that almost no antibiotic residues remained. These data were analysed alongside field data for the same compounds to show that soil tillage which breaks the connectivity of macropores formed over the summer months, prior to slurry application, significantly reduces chemical mobility. - This paper describes one of the first studies to investigate the fate of veterinary medicines in cracking clay soils.

Release of cadmium from clays and plant uptake of cadium from soil as affected by potassium and calcium amendments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haghiri, F.

1976-01-01

The effects of percent K and/or Ca saturations on the release of Cd from Cd-treated H-clays (kaolinite and illite) and on the Cd availability to plants from Cd-treated Canfield silt loam soil were determined. The concentration of Cd in the dialyzates from both kaolinite and illite clays increased as the percent of Ca or K saturation of the clays in the suspension decreased. The release of Cd from both clays was greater in the presence of Ca than K. In a separate experiment, the concentration of Cd in soybean shoots (Glycine max L. Merr.) ''Corsoy'' decreased with increasing percent Ca or K saturation of the soil. The results indicated that Cd uptake by soybeam shoots could be impaired to a great extent by K application

THE ANALYSIS OF CONSOLIDATION PROCESS OF CLAY SOILS FROM CAUSED BY THE DUTY PROCESS IN ERECTIONS THE ROAD BED OF HIGHWAYS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. M. Timofeeva

2010-04-01

Full Text Available The analysis of consolidation process of condensed water-saturated clay soils of the floodable bridge-approach fill to the bridge across Kama River, erected by method called «Intensive technology», is presented. The method consists in the arrangement of drainage longitudinal and cross-section cuts for acceleration of consolidation of soils of the road bad and the base composed from the weak, strongly compressible water-saturated clay soils of different consistency.

Texture-contrast profile development across the prairie-forest ecotone in northern Minnesota, USA, and its relation to soil aggregation and clay dispersion.

Science.gov (United States)

Kasmerchak, C. S.; Mason, J. A.

2016-12-01

Along the prairie-forest ecotone, Alfisols with distinct clay-enriched B horizons are found under forest, established only within the past 4 ka, including outlying patches of prairie groves surrounded by prairie. Grassland soils only 5-10 km away from the vegetation boundary show much weaker texture-contrast. In order for clay to be dispersed it must first be released from aggregates upper horizons, which occurs when exposed top soil undergoes wetting and mechanical stress. The relationship between physiochemical soil characteristics and soil aggregation/clay dispersion is of particular interest in explaining texture-contrast development under forest. Soil samples were collected along a transect in northern Minnesota on gentle slopes in similar glacial sediment. Aggregate stability experiments show Mollisol A and B horizons have the most stable aggregates, while Alfisol E horizons have the weakest aggregates and disintegrate rapidly. This demonstrates the strong influence of OM and exchange chemistry on aggregation. Analysis of other physiochemical soil characteristics such as base saturation and pH follow a gradual decreasing eastward trend across the study sites, and do not abruptly change at the prairie-forest boundary like soil morphology does. Linear models show the strongest relationship between rapid aggregate disintegration and ECEC, although they only explain 47-50% of the variance. Higher surface charge enhances aggregation by allowing for greater potential of cation bridging between OM and clay particles. ECEC also represents multiple soil characteristics such as OC, clay, mineralogy, and carbonate presence, suggesting the relationship between aggregation stability and soil characteristics is not simple. Given the parent material consists of calcareous glacial sediment, abundant Ca2+ and Mg2+ from carbonates weathering also contributes to enhanced aggregation in upper horizons. Differences in the rates of bioturbation, most likely also contribute

Sorption/desorption of Cs on clay and soil fractions from various regions of Turkey

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Erten, H.N.

1988-01-01

The sorption/desorption behaviour of Cs ion in the concentration region of 10 -8 to 10 -4 meqml -1 have been studied using clay and soil fractions from various regions of Turkey. The sorption curves for all the material studied show similar behaviour indicating at least two different sorption processes. One with high and the other with low distribution coefficients. The results of desorption studies indicate that Cs cation is to a large extent attached to the solid material in a reversible manner. The adsorption isotherms were found to be nonlinear in all cases. The increase of R D values with decreasing particle size in most cases, suggests that sorption and/or exchange is primarily a surface phenomenon in the clay and soil fractions studied. 14 figs.; 4 tabs

Effect of quick lime on physicochemical properties of clay soil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bessaim Mohammed Mustapha

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Clay soils are known for their water sensitivity, which causes irreparable damage to any structure built on this type of soil. In order to avoid such problem, it is necessary to use various improvement and stabilization methods such as treatment with lime. This process has been used successfully in the field for decades. The addition of lime generates various physicochemical reactions within the soil such as cation exchange and pozzolanic reactions which are largely responsible for the improvement of the soil in question. This paper presents a study concerning the variation of physicochemical properties of clayey soil with the addition of quicklime at different percentages. Experiments were performed on two clayey soils (CL type in order to investigate the influence of quicklime on Atterberg limits and pH. These tests were carried out in an attempt to study and follow the development and progression of various reactions occurred within the soil with various lime percentages. The results show that the addition of quicklime causes a significant improvement in soil properties by reducing plasticity and thereby improves the soil workability. It can also be found that the addition of lime increase pH of soil, which allow activating pozzolanic reactions who tend to stabilize the soil in question by formation of cementitious compounds. Finally, the pH can be considered as a relevant parameter who allows a better understanding of the reactions that occur in the soil matrix.

Clay mineralogy of soils located on islands in the upper Paraná River, PR/MS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paulo Henrique Marques de Castro

2014-10-01

Full Text Available The Mutum and Porto Rico islands are part of the archipelago Mutum-Porto Rico, located in the upper Paraná River between the cities Porto Rico, PR and Taquaruçu, MS. The soils are formed by constituents inherited from parent materials, organic compounds, and various minerals with varying degrees of complexity and stages of weathering. Among the constituents inherited of the parent materials, the most active are called clay minerals, derived from the weathering or transformation of primary minerals. The clay minerals has a key role in behavior morphological, chemical, physical and hydraulic of soil. They comprise a large family of minerals that can be classified into several groups according to their crystalline structure, like the kaolinites, smectite and ilitas. The aim of this study was to conduct mineralogical analyzes by X-ray in eight soils from the Mutum and Porto Rico islands. The mineralogical data were generated from the Panalytical X-ray diffractometer and X’pert Highscore Plus software. The results show that all soils showed a pattern of peaks comprising illite, kaolinite and gibbsite. Some soils also had characteristic peaks of iron oxyhydroxide.

Availability and bio-accessibility of metals in the clay fraction of urban soils of Sevilla

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Madrid, F.; Diaz-Barrientos, E.; Madrid, L.

2008-01-01

The availability of Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Mn, Pb and Zn present in the finest size particles of urban soils is studied by comparing the concentrations in the clay fraction with those extracted from the whole soil by either single-extraction or sequential extraction method. Many metals are preferentially present in the finest particles as compared to coarser fractions. This is true for most metals studied, except Mn and, perhaps, Cd. Those metals present in the clay fraction are often in easily bio-accessible forms, especially Cu, Pb and Zn. The results suggest that bio-accessible forms of these three metals are distributed among the three sequential fractions, and even the fraction considered as 'residual' is also bio-accessible to a significant extent. The statistical analysis shows some distinctions among metals that are compared to the 'urban', 'natural', or intermediate behaviour of the various metals as proposed earlier in the literature. - The recreational use of most urban soils causes that the availability of metals in the finest soil particles must be studied and eventually controlled

Simulation of pesticide leaching in a cracking clay soil with the PEARL model

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Scorza, R.P.; Boesten, J.J.T.I.

2005-01-01

Testing of pesticide leaching models is important to increase confidence in their use in pesticide registration procedures world-wide. The chromatographic PEARL model was tested against the results of a field leaching study on a cracking clay soil with a tracer (bromide), a mobile pesticide

Wave liquefaction in soils with clay content

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kirca, Özgür; Sumer, B. Mutlu; Fredsøe, Jørgen

2012-01-01

The paper presents the results of an experimental study of the influence of clay content (in silt-clay and sand-clay mixtures) on liquefaction beneath progressive waves. The experiments showed that the influence of clay content is very significant. Susceptibility of silt to liquefaction is increa...

Evaluation of Nitrate Transport in Clay Soil

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Morteza Seyedian

2016-09-01

Full Text Available  Background and purpose: With the increase in world population and the need to provide food, farmers are now using a variety of chemical fertilizers, organic pesticides have turned. Indiscriminate use of these inputs without considering its side effects, both environmental problems and brings in terms of human health. Among these, organic fertilizers contain soluble compounds such as nitrate. These compounds through precipitation or irrigation of the soil solution, groundwater and surface water resources are. The purpose of this study was to determine the amount of nitrate transport in clay and simulation software using HYDRUS2D. Methods: In order to perform it, 5 different height of soil column 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 cm selected. In thicknesses of 20, 40, 60 and 80 cm respectively output levels after a period of 6, 12, 18 and 22 hours to input the concentration of nitrate (50 mg/lit is. In thicknesses of 20, 40, 60 and 80 cm, respectively, after the time of 5/6, 5/12, 21, and 25-hour concentration of 50 mg/lit is output. In thickness 20, 40, 60 and 80cm, outlet concentration after 6, 12, 18 and 22 minutes inlet concentration (50mg/lit. Results: The result showed that Hydrus software ability of simulates nitrate movement in soil and result of Hydrus software and laboratory data near. Conclusions: With increasing soil thickness difference HYDRUS2D results and experimental data more and more time to transfer nitrate were spent with increasing thickness. 

Radionuclides sorption in clay soils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Siraky, G.; Lewis, C.; Hamlat, S.; Nollmann, C.E.

1987-01-01

The sorption behaviour of clay soils is examined through a parametric study of the distribution coefficient (Kd) for the radionuclides of interest, Cs and Sr. This work is a preliminary stage of the migration studies of these nuclides in a porous medium (ground of Ezeiza, Argentina) and the evaluation of radiologic impact of the removal of low and intermediate activity wastes in shallow trenches. The determination of Kd is performed by a static technique or batch. The phases are separated by centrifugation at 20000 g during 1 hour. The activity of supernatant solution of Cs-137 and Sr-85 is measured in a detecting system of I Na(Tl) well-type. Two types of parameters were changed: a) those related to the determination method: phase separation (centrifugation vs. centrifugation plus filtration); equilibrium period, ratio solid/liquid; b) those related to the geochemical system: pH of contact solution, carrier concentration, competitive ions, ionic strength, desorption. It was observed that the modification of parameters in the Kd-measurement does not change the order of magnitude of results. (Author)

Cs adsorption on the clay-sized fraction of various soils: effect of organic matter destruction and charge compensating cation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Staunton, S.; Levacic, P.

1999-01-01

The association of organic matter with clay minerals may decrease their affinity for Cs and thus enhance its bioavailability. We have investigated this hypothesis by comparing Cs adsorption on several soils, both topsoils and the corresponding subsoils, before and after organic matter destruction with H 2 O 2 . The clay-sized fractions were homoionic in either K, Na or Ca, to avoid artefacts due to variable composition of the exchange complex. All experiments were carried out in dilute suspension under controlled conditions. The affinity of the clay-sized fractions for Cs and the value of the Freundlich b parameter are typical of illites. This supports the hypothesis that the adsorption properties of soils are dominated by small amounts of illite. However, if this is the case, the affinity of soil illites is higher than that of reference illites. The destruction of organic matter has a variable effect. In some cases, a marked enhancement is observed, in others there is no significant effect, or a small decrease. There is no clear pattern relating the effect of organic matter destruction and either dominant clay mineralogy or organic matter content. (Copyright (c) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam. All rights reserved.)

Fifteen-Year Growth of Six Planted Hardwood Species on Sharkey Clay Soil

Science.gov (United States)

Roger M. Krinard; Harvey E. Kennedy

1987-01-01

Six hardwood species planted on Sharkey clay soil that had been disked the first 5 years for weed control were significantly taller at age 5 when compared to species grown on mowed sites. By age 15, there were no differences in heights within species except for sweet pecan. Average heights by species at age 15 were: cottonwood (Populus deltoides...

Comparing predictive abilities of three visible-near infrared spectrophotometers for soil organic carbon and clay determination

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Knadel, Maria; Stenberg, Bo; Deng, Fan

2013-01-01

carbon (SOC) and clay calibrations for 194 Danish top soils. Scanning procedures for the three spectrophotometers where done according to uniform laboratory protocols. SOC and clay calibrations were performed using PLS regression. One third of the data was used as an independent test set. A range...... of spectral preprocessing methods was applied in search for model improvement. Validation for SOC content using an independent data set derived from all three spectrophotometers provided values of RMSEP between 0.45 and 0.52 %, R2=0.44-0.58 and RPD=1.3-1.5. Clay content was predicted with a higher precision...

Mars, clays and the origins of life

Science.gov (United States)

Hartman, Hyman

1989-01-01

To detect life in the Martian soil, tests were designed to look for respiration and photosynthesis. Both tests (labeled release, LR, and pyrolytic release, PR) for life in the Martian soils were positive. However, when the measurement for organic molecules in the soil of Mars was made, none were found. The interpretation given is that the inorganic constituents of the soil of Mars were responsible for these observations. The inorganic analysis of the soil was best fitted by a mixture of minerals: 60 to 80 percent clay, iron oxide, quartz, and soluble salts such as halite (NaCl). The minerals most successful in simulating the PR and LR experiments are iron-rich clays. There is a theory that considers clays as the first organisms capable of replication, mutation, and catalysis, and hence of evolving. Clays are formed when liquid water causes the weathering of rocks. The distribution of ions such as aluminum, magnesium, and iron play the role of bases in the DNA. The information was stored in the distribution of ions in the octahedral and tetrahedral molecules, but that they could, like RNA and DNA, replicate. When the clays replicated, each sheet of clay would be a template for a new sheet. The ion substitutions in one clay sheet would give rise to a complementary or similar pattern on the clay synthesized on its surface. It was theorized that it was on the surface of replicating iron-rich clays that carbon dioxide would be fixed in the light into organic acids such as formic or oxalic acid. If Mars had liquid water during a warm period in its past, clay formation would have been abundant. These clays would have replicated and evolved until the liquid water was removed due to cooling of Mars. It is entirely possible that the Viking mission detected life on Mars, but it was clay life that awaits the return of water to continue its evolution into life based on organic molecules.

Soil water retention curves of remoulded clay on drying and wetting paths

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Xiwei; Zhang Jian

2010-01-01

The present research focuses on the laboratory measurement of the Soil Water Retention Curve (SWRC), that expresses the relationship between water content (gravimetric or volumetric) or degree of saturation and soil suction. The SWRC plays an important role in an unsaturated soil mechanics framework and is required for the numerical modelling of any process of flow and transport in unsaturated soil problems, already as a part of constitutive model of unsaturated soil. Six remoulded London Clay samples were performed SWRC testing on the drying and wetting path, meanwhile measurement the volume change. The effect of initial water content and various drying/wetting paths were considered in the tests. The results of SWRC show that hysteretic characteristic in boundary drying/wetting curve, the water holding capacity was increased due to the increase of the initial water content. The shape of the SWRC strongly depended on the volume change. (authors)

Hyperspectral analysis of clay minerals

Science.gov (United States)

Janaki Rama Suresh, G.; Sreenivas, K.; Sivasamy, R.

2014-11-01

A study was carried out by collecting soil samples from parts of Gwalior and Shivpuri district, Madhya Pradesh in order to assess the dominant clay mineral of these soils using hyperspectral data, as 0.4 to 2.5 μm spectral range provides abundant and unique information about many important earth-surface minerals. Understanding the spectral response along with the soil chemical properties can provide important clues for retrieval of mineralogical soil properties. The soil samples were collected based on stratified random sampling approach and dominant clay minerals were identified through XRD analysis. The absorption feature parameters like depth, width, area and asymmetry of the absorption peaks were derived from spectral profile of soil samples through DISPEC tool. The derived absorption feature parameters were used as inputs for modelling the dominant soil clay mineral present in the unknown samples using Random forest approach which resulted in kappa accuracy of 0.795. Besides, an attempt was made to classify the Hyperion data using Spectral Angle Mapper (SAM) algorithm with an overall accuracy of 68.43 %. Results showed that kaolinite was the dominant mineral present in the soils followed by montmorillonite in the study area.

Comparison studies adsorption of thorium and uranium on pure clay minerals and local Malaysian soil sediments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Syed, H.S.

1999-01-01

Adsorption studies of thorium and uranium radionuclides on 9 different pure clay minerals and 4 local Malaysian soil sediments were conducted. Solution containing dissolved thorium and uranium at pH 4.90 was prepared from concentrate sludges from a long term storage facility at a local mineral processing plant. The sludges are considered as low level radioactive wastes. The results indicated that the 9 clay minerals adsorbed more uranium than thorium at pH ranges from 3.74 to 5.74. Two local Malaysian soils were observed to adsorb relatively high concentration of both radionuclides at pH 3.79 to 3.91. The adsorption value 23.27 to 27.04 ppm for uranium and 33.1 to 50.18 ppm for thorium indicated that both soil sediments can be considered as potential enhanced barrier material for sites disposing conditioned wastes containing uranium and thorium. (author)

Root-Zone Redox Dynamics - In Search for the Cause of Damage to Treated-Wastewater Irrigated Orchards in Clay Soils

Science.gov (United States)

Yalin, David; Shenker, Moshe; Schwartz, Amnon; Assouline, Shmuel; Tarchitzky, Jorge

2016-04-01

Treated wastewater (TW) has become a common source of water for agriculture. However recent findings raise concern regarding its use: a marked decrease (up to 40%) in yield appeared in orchards irrigated with TW compared with fresh water (FW) irrigated orchards. These detrimental effects appeared predominantly in orchards cultivated in clay soils. The association of the damage with clay soils rather than sandy soils led us to hypothesize that the damage is linked to soil aeration problems. We suspected that in clay soils, high sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) and high levels of organic material, both typical of TW, may jointly lead to an extreme decrease in soil oxygen levels, so as to shift soil reduction-oxidation (redox) state down to levels that are known to damage plants. Two-year continuous measurement of redox potential, pH, water tension, and oxygen were conducted in the root-zone (20-35 cm depth) of avocado trees planted in clay soil and irrigated with either TW or FW. Soil solution composition was sampled periodically in-situ and mineral composition was sampled in tree leaves and woody organs biannually. In dry periods the pe+pH values indicated oxic conditions (pe+pH>14), and the fluctuations in redox values were small in both TW and FW plots. Decreases in soil water tension following irrigation or rain were followed by drops in soil oxygen and pe+pH values. TW irrigated plots had significantly lower minimum pe+pH values compared with FW-irrigated plots, the most significant differences occurred during the irrigation season rather than the rain season. A linear correlation appeared between irrigation volume and reduction severity in TW-irrigated plots, but not in the FW plots, indicating a direct link to the irrigation regime in TW-irrigated plots. The minimum pe+pH values measured in the TW plots are indicative of suboxic conditions (9water tension and oxygen concentration levels. The consequences of our findings to plant health will be discussed, and

Determination of essential and toxic elements in clay soil commonly consumed by pregnant women in Tanzania

Science.gov (United States)

Mwalongo, D.; Mohammed, N. K.

2013-10-01

A habit of eating clay soil especially among pregnant women is a common practice in Tanzania. This practice known as geophagy might introduce toxic elements in the consumer's body to endanger the health of the mother and her child. Therefore it is very important to have information on the elemental composition of the eaten soil so as to assess the safety nature of the habit. In this study 100 samples of clay soil, which were reported to be originating from five regions in Tanzania and are consumed by pregnant women were analyzed to determine their levels of essential and toxic elements. The analysis was carried out using energy dispersive X-ray fluorescent technique (EDXRF) of Tanzania Atomic Energy Commission, Arusha. Essential elements Fe, Zn, Cu, Se and Mn and toxic elements As, Pb, Co, Ni, U and Th were detected in concentrations above WHO permissible limits in some of the samples. The results from this study show that the habit of eating soil is exposing the pregnant mothers and their children to metal toxicity which is detrimental to their health. Hence, further actions should be taken to discourage the habit of eating soil at all levels.

Clay content drives carbon stocks in soils under a plantation of Eucalyptus saligna Labill. in southern Brazil

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Tanise Luisa Sausen

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Soil carbon accumulation is largely dependent on net primary productivity. To our knowledge, there have been no studies investigating the dynamics of carbon accumulation in weathered subtropical soils, especially in managed eucalyptus plantations. We quantified the seasonal input of leaf litter, the leaf decomposition rate and soil carbon stocks in an commercial plantation of Eucalyptus saligna Labill. in southern Brazil. Our goal was to evaluate, through multiple linear regression, the influence that certain chemical characteristics of litter, as well as chemical and physical characteristics of soil, have on carbon accumulation in soil organic matter fractions. Variables related to the chemical composition of litter were not associated with the soil carbon stock in the particulate and mineral fractions. However, certain soil characteristics were significantly associated with the carbon stock in both fractions. The concentrations of nutrients associated with plant growth and productivity, such as phosphorus, sulfur, copper and zinc, were associated with variations in the labile carbon pool (particulate fraction. Clay content was strongly associated with the carbon stock in the mineral fraction. The carbon accumulation and stabilization in weathered subtropical Ultisol seems to be mainly associated with the intrinsic characteristics of the soil, particularly clay content, rather than with the quantity, chemical composition or decomposition rate of the litter.

Clay minerals and metal oxides strongly influence the structure of alkane-degrading microbial communities during soil maturation.

Science.gov (United States)

Steinbach, Annelie; Schulz, Stefanie; Giebler, Julia; Schulz, Stephan; Pronk, Geertje J; Kögel-Knabner, Ingrid; Harms, Hauke; Wick, Lukas Y; Schloter, Michael

2015-07-01

Clay minerals, charcoal and metal oxides are essential parts of the soil matrix and strongly influence the formation of biogeochemical interfaces in soil. We investigated the role of these parental materials for the development of functional microbial guilds using the example of alkane-degrading bacteria harbouring the alkane monooxygenase gene (alkB) in artificial mixtures composed of different minerals and charcoal, sterile manure and a microbial inoculum extracted from an agricultural soil. We followed changes in abundance and community structure of alkane-degrading microbial communities after 3 and 12 months of soil maturation and in response to a subsequent 2-week plant litter addition. During maturation we observed an overall increasing divergence in community composition. The impact of metal oxides on alkane-degrading community structure increased during soil maturation, whereas the charcoal impact decreased from 3 to 12 months. Among the clay minerals illite influenced the community structure of alkB-harbouring bacteria significantly, but not montmorillonite. The litter application induced strong community shifts in soils, maturated for 12 months, towards functional guilds typical for younger maturation stages pointing to a resilience of the alkane-degradation function potentially fostered by an extant 'seed bank'.

Simulation of field scale water flow and bromide transport in a cracked clay soil

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dam, van J.C.

2000-01-01

Single domain models may seriously underestimate leaching of nutrients and pesticides to groundwater in clay soils with shrinkage cracks. Various two-domain models have been developed, either empirical or physically based, which take into account the effects of cracks on water flow and solute

Determination of radionuclides and elemental composition of clay soils by gamma and X-ray spectrometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Isinkaye, O. M.; Shitta, O. M. B.; Oderinde, O. M.

2011-01-01

Radiochemical and elemental analysis of clay soils collected from different locations within Ekiti State have been performed in this study using gamma and XRF spectrometric measurements. The results of this study show that the mean concentration of 238 U ranged from 2.2±1.0ppm to 3.2±1.1ppm, 232 Th ranged from 4.0±0.5ppm to 5.7±1.7ppm, while 40 K presented in percent by weight ranged from 0.4±0.2 to 1.3±0.3. The XRF analysis revealed 4 major elements and 11 minor or trace elements present in the clay samples. The distribution of the various major and trace elements in all the sampling sites do not follow any systematic trend but vary from point to point. To assess the level of contamination and the possible anthropogenic impact in the clay soils, the enrichment factor (EF) and the geoaccumulation index (Igeo) were estimated for some potential hazardous elements. The results indicate that Cu, Zn, Ni and Mn have EF<2 indicating minimal or no enrichment while Pb is moderately enriched in all the locations.

Denitrification gene expression in clay-soil bacterial community

Science.gov (United States)

Pastorelli, R.; Landi, S.

2009-04-01

Our contribution in the Italian research project SOILSINK was focused on microbial denitrification gene expression in Mediterranean agricultural soils. In ecosystems with high inputs of nitrogen, such as agricultural soils, denitrification causes a net loss of nitrogen since nitrate is reduced to gaseous forms, which are released into the atmosphere. Moreover, incomplete denitrification can lead to emission of nitrous oxide, a potent greenhouse gas which contributes to global warming and destruction of ozone layer. A critical role in denitrification is played by microorganisms and the ability to denitrify is widespread among a variety of phylogenetically unrelated organisms. Data reported here are referred to wheat cultivation in a clay-rich soil under different environmental impact management (Agugliano, AN, Italy). We analysed the RNA directly extracted from soil to provide information on in situ activities of specific populations. The expression of genes coding for two nitrate reductases (narG and napA), two nitrite reductases (nirS and nirK), two nitric oxide reductases (cnorB and qnorB) and nitrous oxide reductase (nosZ) was analyzed by reverse transcription (RT)-nested PCR. Only napA, nirS, nirK, qnorB and nosZ were detected and fragments sequenced showed high similarity with the corresponding gene sequences deposited in GenBank database. These results suggest the suitability of the method for the qualitative detection of denitrifying bacteria in environmental samples and they offered us the possibility to perform the denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analyzes for denitrification genes.. Earlier conclusions showed nirK gene is more widely distributed in soil environment than nirS gene. The results concerning the nosZ expression indicated that microbial activity was clearly present only in no-tilled and no-fertilized soils.

Smectite clays in Mars soil - Evidence for their presence and role in Viking biology experimental results

Science.gov (United States)

Banin, A.; Rishpon, J.

1979-01-01

Evidence for the presence of smectite clays in Martian soils is reviewed and results of experiments with certain active clays simulating the Viking biology experiments are reported. Analyses of Martian soil composition by means of X-ray fluorescence spectrometry and dust storm spectroscopy and Martian geological history strongly suggest the presence of a mixture of weathered ferro-silicate minerals, mainly nontronite and montmorillonite, accompanied by soluble sulphate salts, as major constituents. Samples of montmorillonite and nontronite incubated with (C-14)-formate or the radioactive nutrient medium solution used in the Viking Labeled Release experiment, were found to produce patterns of release of radioactive gas very similar to those observed in the Viking experiments, indicating the iron-catalyzed decomposition of formate as the reaction responsible for the Viking results. The experimental results of Hubbard (1979) simulating the results of the Viking Pyrolytic Release experiment using iron montmorillonites are pointed out, and it is concluded that many of the results of the Viking biology experiments can be explained in terms of the surface activity of smectite clays in catalysis and adsorption.

Effect of conservation tillage and peat application on weed infestation on a clay soil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. VANHALA

2008-12-01

Full Text Available Amendment of soil with peat is an attempt to avoid crop yield variation in the transition to conservation tillage, as it improves seedbed conditions and crop growth in drought-sensitive clay soils. Weed infestations were compared in 1999-2000 between the original and peat-amended clay (Typic Cryaquept, very fine, illitic or mixed under different autumn tillage systems in an oats-barley rotation. In a field experiment, sphagnum peat (H = 4 had been spread (0.02 m 3 m -2 on the soil surface in August 1995. Tillage treatments included mouldboard ploughing (to 20 cm and stubble cultivations of different working depths (8 or 15 cm and intensity (once or twice. Weed biomass and density were assessed by an area of 1 m 2 per field plot in August 1999-2000 and June 2000. The 1999 season was dry, but soil moisture conditions were more favourable in 2000. Peat application tended to increase the number of volunteer oats and Chenopodium album in 1999, while decreasing Galium spurium biomass. Ploughing significantly increased the abundance of Chenopodium album and Lamium purpureum in barley (Hordeum vulgare in 1999. Weed infestation was much lower in 2000, and tillage effect on Chenopodium album was minor in oats (Avena sativa. Growth of Lamium purpureum and Fumaria officinalis was stimulated in ploughed soils both years. Intensity and working depth of stubble cultivation had no significant effect on weeds.;

Water and solute transport in agricultural soils predicted by volumetric clay and silt contents

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Karup, Dan; Møldrup, Per; Paradelo Pérez, Marcos

2016-01-01

tracer mass could be well fitted to an analytical solution to the classical convection-dispersion equation. Both cumulative tracer mass and concentration as a function of time were hereby reasonable well predicted from the simple inputs of bulk density, clay and silt contents, and applied tracer mass......Solute transport through the soil matrix is heterogeneous and greatly affected by soil texture, soil structure, and macropore networks. This study examined the relationship between tracer breakthrough characteristics, soil hydraulic properties, and basic soil properties. Hundred...... of the soil structure rather than the actual formation of macropores causing preferential flow. The arrival times of 5 % and up to 50 % of the tracer mass were found to be strongly correlated with volumetric fines content. The hereby predicted tracer concentration breakthrough points up to 50% of applied...

Mineral Acquisition from Clay by Budongo Forest Chimpanzees.

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Vernon Reynolds

Full Text Available Chimpanzees of the Sonso community, Budongo Forest, Uganda were observed eating clay and drinking clay-water from waterholes. We show that clay, clay-rich water, and clay obtained with leaf sponges, provide a range of minerals in different concentrations. The presence of aluminium in the clay consumed indicates that it takes the form of kaolinite. We discuss the contribution of clay geophagy to the mineral intake of the Sonso chimpanzees and show that clay eaten using leaf sponges is particularly rich in minerals. We show that termite mound soil, also regularly consumed, is rich in minerals. We discuss the frequency of clay and termite soil geophagy in the context of the disappearance from Budongo Forest of a formerly rich source of minerals, the decaying pith of Raphia farinifera palms.

Mineral Acquisition from Clay by Budongo Forest Chimpanzees.

Science.gov (United States)

Reynolds, Vernon; Lloyd, Andrew W; English, Christopher J; Lyons, Peter; Dodd, Howard; Hobaiter, Catherine; Newton-Fisher, Nicholas; Mullins, Caroline; Lamon, Noemie; Schel, Anne Marijke; Fallon, Brittany

2015-01-01

Chimpanzees of the Sonso community, Budongo Forest, Uganda were observed eating clay and drinking clay-water from waterholes. We show that clay, clay-rich water, and clay obtained with leaf sponges, provide a range of minerals in different concentrations. The presence of aluminium in the clay consumed indicates that it takes the form of kaolinite. We discuss the contribution of clay geophagy to the mineral intake of the Sonso chimpanzees and show that clay eaten using leaf sponges is particularly rich in minerals. We show that termite mound soil, also regularly consumed, is rich in minerals. We discuss the frequency of clay and termite soil geophagy in the context of the disappearance from Budongo Forest of a formerly rich source of minerals, the decaying pith of Raphia farinifera palms.

Strategy for Extracting DNA from Clay Soil and Detecting a Specific Target Sequence via Selective Enrichment and Real-Time (Quantitative) PCR Amplification ▿

Science.gov (United States)

Yankson, Kweku K.; Steck, Todd R.

2009-01-01

We present a simple strategy for isolating and accurately enumerating target DNA from high-clay-content soils: desorption with buffers, an optional magnetic capture hybridization step, and quantitation via real-time PCR. With the developed technique, μg quantities of DNA were extracted from mg samples of pure kaolinite and a field clay soil. PMID:19633108

Stochastic Dynamics of Clay Translocation and Formation of Argillic Horizons

Science.gov (United States)

Calabrese, S.; Richter, D. D., Jr.; Porporato, A. M.

2017-12-01

The formation of argillic horizons in vertical soil profiles is mainly attributed to lessivage, namely the transport of clay from an upper E horizon to a deeper illuviated horizon. Because of the long timescales involved in this phenomenon, quantitative modeling is useful to explore the role of clay lessivage on soil formation and sub-surface clay accumulation. The limitations of detailed models of colloidal transport to short timescales make it necessary to resort to simple models. Here, we present a parsimonious model of clay transport in which lessivage is interpreted stochastically. Clay particles approach the soil surface at a speed equal to the erosion rate and are intermittently transported to deeper soil layers when percolation events occur or removed by erosion. Along with the evolution of clay particles trajectories, the model predicts the vertical clay profile, the depth of the B horizon, and the mean time to erosion. Dimensional analysis reveals the two dimensionless parameters governing the dynamics, leading to a new classification of soil types based on erosion rates and intensity of lessivage.

Spatial variation in herbicide leaching from a marine clay soil via subsurface drains

Science.gov (United States)

Ulén, Barbro M; Larsbo, Mats; Kreuger, Jenny K; Svanbäck, Annika

2013-01-01

Background Subsurface transport via tile drains can significantly contribute to pesticide contamination of surface waters. The spatial variation in subsurface leaching of normally applied herbicides was examined together with phosphorus losses in 24 experimental plots with water sampled flow-proportionally. The study site was a flat, tile-drained area with 60% marine clay in the topsoil in southeast Sweden. The objectives were to quantify the leaching of frequently used herbicides from a tile drained cracking clay soil and to evaluate the variation in leaching within the experimental area and relate this to topsoil management practices (tillage method and structure liming). Results In summer 2009, 0.14, 0.22 and 1.62%, respectively, of simultaneously applied amounts of MCPA, fluroxypyr and clopyralid were leached by heavy rain five days after spraying. In summer 2011, on average 0.70% of applied bentazone was leached by short bursts of intensive rain 12 days after application. Peak flow concentrations for 50% of the treated area for MCPA and 33% for bentazone exceeded the Swedish no-effect guideline values for aquatic ecosystems. Approximately 0.08% of the glyphosate applied was leached in dissolved form in the winters of 2008/2009 and 2010/2011. Based on measurements of glyphosate in particulate form, total glyphosate losses were twice as high (0.16%) in the second winter. The spatial inter-plot variation was large (72–115%) for all five herbicides studied, despite small variations (25%) in water discharge. Conclusions The study shows the importance of local scale soil transport properties for herbicide leaching in cracking clay soils. © 2013 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry. PMID:23658148

Anisotropy effect of the clay soil masses on the stress-strain state of transport tunnels

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Yushkov Boris Semenovich

2014-09-01

Full Text Available The article considers the kinds of clay soil mass anisotropy in the form of the spatial heterogeneity of properties of thawed and frozen soils, ambiguity of the frost heaving values and shrinkage in different directions. The questions of anisotropy of the clay soil properties at the positive temperatures are reported. The dependence of the heterogeneity of the physical and mechanical properties of frozen soils from the cryogenic texture, natural arrangement, different types of stratification and interbedding is considered. Indexes of the strength and strain anisotropy are noted. The accounting possibilities of the basic numerical indexes of heaving phenomena from the standpoint of anisotropy of the properties and processes inherent in the freezing through soil are analyzed by substitution in the heaving strain formula. The unevenness of thawed soil shrinkage in vertical and horizontal directions is noted during the freezing of the top layer. The unevenness of shrinkage in different directions is connected with kind of stress and cryogenic texture. Anisotropy of the frost heaving process is considered in the context of one-dimensional and non-one-dimensional problem depending on the amount of the freezing fronts and their direction. There is summarized the effect of anisotropy appearances on the stress-strain state of the transport tunnel. One can conclude that the resulting non-uniformity of heaving and shrinkage in conjunction with anisotropic properties of frozen soils, is a significant component in the complex of power factors determining the optimal design solution of a transport tunnel.

Modeling selenate adsorption behavior on oxides, clay minerals, and soils using the triple layer model

Science.gov (United States)

Selenate adsorption behavior was investigated on amorphous aluminum oxide, amorphous iron oxide, goethite, clay minerals: kaolinites, montmorillonites, illite, and 18 soil samples from Hawaii, and the Southwestern and the Midwestern regions of the US as a function of solution pH. Selenate adsorpti...

Irrigation with saline-sodic water: effects on two clay soils

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Giovanna Cucci

2013-05-01

Full Text Available The results of a 4-year experiment aimed at evaluating the effect of irrigation with saline-sodic water on the soil are reported. The research was carried out at the Campus of the Agricultural Faculty of Bari University (Italy on 2 clay soils (Bologna – T1 and Locorotondo – T2. The soils were cropped to borlotto bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L., capsicum (Capsicum annuum L., sunflower (Helianthus annuus L., wheat (Triticum durum Desf grown in succession; the crops were irrigated with 9 saline-sodic types of water and subjected to two different leaching fractions (10% and 20% of the watering volume. The 9 solutions were obtained dissolving in de-ionised water weighted amounts of sodium chloride (NaCl and calcium chloride (CaCl2, deriving from the combination of 3 saline concentrations and 3 sodicity levels. The crops were irrigated whenever the water lost by evapotranspiration from the soil contained in the pots was equal to 30% of the soil maximum available water. The results showed that, though the soils were leached during the watering period, they showed a high salt accumulation. Consequently, the saturated soil extract electrical conductivity increased from initial values of 0.65 and 0.68 dS m-1 to 11.24 and 13.61 dS m-1 at the end of the experiment, for the soils T1 and T2, respectively. The saline concentration increase in irrigation water caused in both soils a progressive increase in exchangeable sodium, and a decrease in exchangeable calcium and non-significant variations in exchangeable potassium (K and magnesium (Mg.

Bacillus subtilis biofilm development in the presence of soil clay minerals and iron oxides.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Wenting; Peng, Donghai; Walker, Sharon L; Cao, Bin; Gao, Chun-Hui; Huang, Qiaoyun; Cai, Peng

2017-01-01

Clay minerals and metal oxides, as important parts of the soil matrix, play crucial roles in the development of microbial communities. However, the mechanism underlying such a process, particularly on the formation of soil biofilm, remains poorly understood. Here, we investigated the effects of montmorillonite, kaolinite, and goethite on the biofilm formation of the representative soil bacteria Bacillus subtilis . The bacterial biofilm formation in goethite was found to be impaired in the initial 24 h but burst at 48 h in the liquid-air interface. Confocal laser scanning microscopy showed that the biofilm biomass in goethite was 3-16 times that of the control, montmorillonite, and kaolinite at 48 h. Live/Dead staining showed that cells had the highest death rate of 60% after 4 h of contact with goethite, followed by kaolinite and montmorillonite. Atomic force microscopy showed that the interaction between goethite and bacteria may injure bacterial cells by puncturing cell wall, leading to the swarming of bacteria toward the liquid-air interface. Additionally, the expressions of abrB and sinR , key players in regulating the biofilm formation, were upregulated at 24 h and downregulated at 48 h in goethite, indicating the initial adaptation of the cells to minerals. A model was proposed to describe the effects of goethite on the biofilm formation. Our findings may facilitate a better understanding of the roles of soil clays in biofilm development and the manipulation of bacterial compositions through controlling the biofilm in soils.

ANALYSIS OF EXISTING SCHEMES AND THE OPTIMIZING SETTLEMENT CHOIS OF PILES WORK SCHEMES IN CLAY SOILS

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BOLSHAKOV V. I.

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Summary. It were considered and analyzed the existing schemes of piles work in clay soils. 1. Leningrad scientific school, where the formation of pile bearing capacity use as the basis of the thixotropic clay soils hardening and radial soil pressing around the pile shaft during the piles driving with pile-driving equipment for the exploitation period. 2. Odessa scientific school, in which the uplift soil formation from the edge pile use as the basis of the pile bearing capacity during the piles driving, the formation of the pressed zones (platform in the piles edge plane, the gap formation around the pile shaft during its diving by ground pushed moving with the pile edge. 3. Preconditions of the pile bearing capacity formation of the pile by the thixotropic soil hardening in time and the radial soil pressing around the pile shaft can not give an answer to the following questions: 1 Why during the pile driving is formed the gap around the trunk of dived piles, when by condition there is a radial soil hardening around the trunk? 2 Why in the interpiled space is formed the lune (deflection, not the soil mass swelling (due to the radial hardening? 3 By what is formed the calculated soil resistance under the lower end (edge of the pile? which is about 10 times higher than the calculated soil resistance in the edge plane, according to the Building Code V.2.1-10. 2009? The justified answers on all these and other technical and technological matters give perquisites of the Odessa scientific school with additions and authors developments

The effect of motor vehicle emission towards lead (Pb content of rice field soil with different clay content

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C.C.Wati

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Motor vehicle gas emission contains lead (Pb which is a hazardous and toxic substance. Agricultural land, especially rice field, which is located nearby roads passed by many motor vehicle, are susceptible to the accumulation of Pb. If Pb is permeated by plants cultivated in the rice field, it will be very hazardous for humans as they are the final consumers. Hence, it is essential to identify Pb content of rice-field soil initiated by motor vehicle gas emission. This study was aimed to identify the effects of motor vehicle density, the distance between rice-field and road, and the clay content of soil towards Pb content of soils in Blitar and Ngawi Regencies of East Java. The method used for the study was survey method managed by using three-factor nested design with three replicates. The results of this study showed that motor vehicle density and the distance of rice field to road provide significant affected the total of Pb content of soil. However, the dissemination pattern of Pb in the soil was irregular due to the factors of climate and environment. Before Pb reached soil surface, Pb was spread out in the air due to the effect of temperature, wind velocity, vehicle velocity, size of vehicle, and road density. Consequently, the location with low motor vehicle density and positioned faraway to the road had higher total rate of Pb than the location with high motor vehicle density and positioned nearby the road. Clay content affected the total rate of Pb content as much as 37%, every 1% increase of clay content increased the total rate of Pb as much as 0.08 mg/kg.

Recovery of environmental analytes from clays and soils by supercritical fluid extracting/gas chromatography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Emery, A.P.; Chesler, S.N.; MacCrehan, W.A.

1992-01-01

This paper reports on Supercritical Fluid Extraction (SFE) which promises to provide rapid extractions of organic analytes from environmental sample types without the use of hazardous solvents. In addition, SFE protocols using commercial instrumentation can be automated lowering analysis costs. Because of these benefits, we are investigating SFE as an alternative to the solvent extraction (eg. Soxhlet and sonication) techniques required in many EPA test procedures. SFE, using non-polar carbon dioxide as well as more polar supercritical fluids, was used to determine n-alkane hydrocarbons and polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in solid samples. The extraction behavior of these analyte classes from environmentally-contaminated soil matrices and model soil and clay matrices was investigated using a SFE apparatus in which the extracted analytes were collected on a solid phase trap and then selectively eluted with a solvent. The SFE conditions for quantitative recovery of n-alkane hydrocarbons in diesel fuel from a series of clays and soils were determined using materials prepared at the 0.02% level with diesel fuel oil in order to simplify analyte collection and analysis after extraction. The effect of extraction parameters including temperature, fluid flow rate and modifier addition were investigated by monitoring the amount of diesel fuel extracted as a function of time

Crop uptake and leaching losses of 15N labelled fertilizer nitrogen in relation to waterlogging of clay and sandy loam soils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Webster, C.P.; Belford, R.K.; Cannell, R.Q.

1986-01-01

Ammonium nitrate fertilizer, labelled with 15 N, was applied in spring to winter wheat growing in undisturbed monoliths of clay and sandy loam soil in lysimeters; the rates of application were respectively 95 and 102 kg N ha -1 in the spring of 1976 and 1975. Crops of winter wheat, oilseed rape, peas and barley grown in the following 5 or 6 years were treated with unlabelled nitrogen fertilizer at rates recommended for maximum yields. During each year of the experiments the lysimeters were divided into treatments which were either freely drained or subjected to periods of waterlogging. Another labelled nitrogen application was made in 1980 to a separate group of lysimeters with a clay soil and a winter wheat crop to study further the uptake of nitrogen fertilizer in relation to waterlogging. In the first growing season, shoots of the winter wheater at harvest contained 46 and 58% of the fertilizer nitrogen applied to the clay and sandy loam soils respectively. In the following year the crops contained a further 1-2% of the labelled fertilizer, and after 5 and 6 years the total recoveries of labelled fertilizer in the crops were 49 and 62% on the clay and sandy loam soils respectively. In the first winter after the labelled fertilizer was applied, less than 1% of the fertilizer was lost in the drainage water, and only about 2% of the total nitrogen (mainly nitrate) in the drainage water from both soils was derived from the fertilizer

Mild acid and alkali treated clay minerals enhance bioremediation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in long-term contaminated soil: A 14C-tracer study.

Science.gov (United States)

Biswas, Bhabananda; Sarkar, Binoy; Rusmin, Ruhaida; Naidu, Ravi

2017-04-01

Bioremediation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-contaminated soils requires a higher microbial viability and an increased PAH bioavailability. The clay/modified clay-modulated bacterial degradation could deliver a more efficient removal of PAHs in soils depending on the bioavailability of the compounds. In this study, we modified clay minerals (smectite and palygorskite) with mild acid (HCl) and alkali (NaOH) treatments (0.5-3 M), which increased the surface area and pore volume of the products, and removed the impurities without collapsing the crystalline structure of clay minerals. In soil incubation studies, supplements with the clay products increased bacterial growth in the order: 0.5 M HCl ≥ unmodified ≥ 0.5 M NaOH ≥ 3 M NaOH ≥ 3 M HCl for smectite, and 0.5 M HCl ≥ 3 M NaOH ≥ 0.5 M NaOH ≥ 3 M HCl ≥ unmodified for palygorskite. A 14 C-tracing study showed that the mild acid/alkali-treated clay products increased the PAH biodegradation (5-8%) in the order of 0.5 M HCl ≥ unmodified > 3 M NaOH ≥ 0.5 M NaOH for smectite, and 0.5 M HCl > 0.5 M NaOH ≥ unmodified ≥ 3 M NaOH for palygorskite. The biodegradation was correlated (r = 0.81) with the bioavailable fraction of PAHs and microbial growth as affected particularly by the 0.5 M HCl and 0.5 M NaOH-treated clay minerals. These results could be pivotal in developing a clay-modulated bioremediation technology for cleaning up PAH-contaminated soils and sediments in the field. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Determining the clay/organic carbon ratio by visible near infrared spectroscopy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Knadel, Maria; Peng, Yi; Hermansen, Cecilie

/OC ratio directly would be valuable. Visible near infrared spectroscopy (vis-NIRS) is a cost-effective method for soil analysis and was tested here for the prediction of clay/OC ratio. Soil samples from two agricultural fields in Denmark (N=115) were analyzed. Partial Least Squares regression (full cross......The recently presented Dexter et al. (2008) threshold (ratio of clay to organic carbon (OC) of 10 kg/kg-1) is a good indicator for soil functional properties. However, the conventional analysis of OC and clay are costly and time consuming, thus an alternative method to quantify OC, clay or clay...

A study of the effectiveness of the use of gypsum and volcanic ash against the stability of clay soil in terms of UCT and CBR values

Science.gov (United States)

Roesyanto; Iskandar, R.; Hastuty, IP; Lubis, AIU

2018-02-01

Soil stabilization is an effort to improve engineering properties of soil. The conventional soil stabilization is by adding additives to the soil such as Portland cement, lime, and bitumen. The clay stabilization research was done by adding gypsum and volcanic ash. The research purposes were to find out the value of engineering properties of clay due to the addition of 2% gypsum and 2% - 15% volcanic ash. The soil was classified as Clay - Low Plasticity (CL) based on USCS and was classified as A-7-6 (10) based on AASHTO classification system. The UCT values of original soil and original soil plus 2% gypsum were 1.40 kg/cm2 and 1.66 kg/cm2 respectively. The CBR soaked and unsoaked values of original soil were 4.44% and 6.28% correspondingly. Meanwhile, CBR soaked and CBR unsoaked values of original soil plus 2% gypsum were 6.74% and 8.02% respectively. The research results showed that the additives materials of gypsum and volcanic ash improved the engineering properties of clay. The UCT result from the stabilized soil by 2% gypsum and 10% volcanic ash gave value of 2.79 kg/cm2 (increased 99.28% from original soil). For CBR test, the most effective mixture were in variation of 2% gypsum and 9% volcanic ash which gave value of 9.07% (104.27% increase from original soil) for CBR soaked and 10.29% (63.85% increase from original soil) for CBR unsoaked. The stabilized soil with 2% gypsum and 9% volcanic ash was classified as CL based on USCS and was classified as A-6 (4) based on AASHTO classification system.

Characteristics of soil under variations in clay, water saturation, and water flow rates, and the implications upon soil remediation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aikman, M.; Mirotchnik, K.; Kantzas, A.

1997-01-01

A potential remediation method for hydrocarbon contaminated soils was discussed. The new method was based on the use of proven and economic petroleum reservoir engineering methods for soil remediation. The methods that were applied included water and gas displacement methods together with horizontal boreholes as the flow inlet and outlets. This system could be used in the case of spills that seep beneath a plant or other immovable infrastructure which requires in-situ treatment schemes to decontaminate the soil. A study was conducted to characterize native soils and water samples from industrial plants in central Alberta and Sarnia, Ontario and to determine the variables that impact upon the flow conditions of synthetic test materials. The methods used to characterize the soils included X-Ray computed tomographic analysis, grain size and density measurements, and X-Ray diffraction. Clay content, initial water saturation, and water and gas flow rate were the variables that impacted on the flow conditions

Determination of essential and toxic elements in clay soil commonly consumed by pregnant women in Tanzania

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mwalongo, D.; Mohammed, N.K.

2013-01-01

A habit of eating clay soil especially among pregnant women is a common practice in Tanzania. This practice known as geophagy might introduce toxic elements in the consumer's body to endanger the health of the mother and her child. Therefore it is very important to have information on the elemental composition of the eaten soil so as to assess the safety nature of the habit. In this study 100 samples of clay soil, which were reported to be originating from five regions in Tanzania and are consumed by pregnant women were analyzed to determine their levels of essential and toxic elements. The analysis was carried out using energy dispersive X-ray fluorescent technique (EDXRF) of Tanzania Atomic Energy Commission, Arusha. Essential elements Fe, Zn, Cu, Se and Mn and toxic elements As, Pb, Co, Ni, U and Th were detected in concentrations above WHO permissible limits in some of the samples. The results from this study show that the habit of eating soil is exposing the pregnant mothers and their children to metal toxicity which is detrimental to their health. Hence, further actions should be taken to discourage the habit of eating soil at all levels. - Highlights: • We assessed exposure of heavy metals to pregnant mothers who consume geophagic soil. • We analyzed 100 samples of soil originated in Tanzania. • The technique used was energy dispersive X-ray fluorescent. • Essential and toxic elements were detected in concentrations above WHO limits. • Hence, geophagy is exposing pregnant mothers and their children to metal toxicity

Strength and Deformation Properties of Tertiary Clay at Moesgaard Museum

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kaufmann, Kristine Lee; Nielsen, Benjaminn Nordahl; Augustesen, Anders Hust

The tertiary clay at Moesgaard Museum near Aarhus in the eastern part of Jutland in Denmark is a highly plastic, glacially disturbed nappe of Viborg Clay. The clay is characterised as a swelling soil, which could lead to damaging of the building due to additional heave of the soil. To take...

Clay matrix voltammetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perdicakis, Michel

2012-01-01

Document available in extended abstract form only. In many countries, it is planned that the long life highly radioactive nuclear spent fuel will be stored in deep argillaceous rocks. The sites selected for this purpose are anoxic and satisfy several recommendations as mechanical stability, low permeability and low redox potential. Pyrite (FeS 2 ), iron(II) carbonate, iron(II) bearing clays and organic matter that are present in very small amounts (about 1% w:w) in soils play a major role in their reactivity and are considered today as responsible for the low redox potential values of these sites. In this communication, we describe an electrochemical technique derived from 'Salt matrix voltammetry' and allowing the almost in-situ voltammetric characterization of air-sensitive samples of soils after the only addition of the minimum humidity required for electrolytic conduction. Figure 1 shows the principle of the developed technique. It consists in the entrapment of the clay sample between a graphite working electrode and a silver counter/quasi-reference electrode. The sample was previously humidified by passing a water saturated inert gas through the electrochemical cell. The technique leads to well-defined voltammetric responses of the electro-active components of the clays. Figure 2 shows a typical voltammogram relative to a Callovo-Oxfordian argillite sample from Bure, the French place planned for the underground nuclear waste disposal. During the direct scan, one can clearly distinguish the anodic voltammetric signals for the oxidation of the iron (II) species associated with the clay and the oxidation of pyrite. The reverse scan displays a small cathodic signal for the reduction of iron (III) associated with the clay that demonstrates that the majority of the previously oxidized iron (II) species were transformed into iron (III) oxides reducible at lower potentials. When a second voltammetric cycle is performed, one can notice that the signal for iron (II

Production of biomass/energy crops on phosphatic clay soils in central Florida

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stricker, J.A. [Univ. of Florida, Bartow, FL (United States); Prine, G.M.; Woodard, K.R. [Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, FL (United States); Anderson, D.L. [Univ. of Florida, Belle Glade, FL (United States); Shibles, D.B.; Riddle, T.C. [Mined Lands Agricultural Research/Demonstration Project, Bartow, FL (United States)

1993-12-31

Phosphatic clay is a byproduct of phosphate mining. Presently more than 40,470 ha have been created, most in central Florida, and about 810 ha are being added each year. Phosphatic clays have high fertility and high water holding capacity, reducing fertilization costs and producing high yields without irrigation. Based on 10 years of research, scientists have selected tall annual-regenerating perennial C-4 grasses as having the greatest potential for biomass production in Florida. The purpose of this work was to determine the feasibility of growing these tall perennial grasses for biomass on phosphatic clay. Elephantgrass, sugarcane and energycane, and erianthus were planted in duplicate replications on phosphatic clay soil in late August, 1986. yield was measured by one harvest in December or January each year for four years. Nitrogen fertilization included 112 kg ha{sup {minus}1} the first year followed by 134 kg ha{sup {minus}1} for the next three years. Nitrogen is the only supplemental nutrient needed to grow all tall grass crops on phosphatic clay. The average annual oven dry matter yield over the 4-yr period was 36.3 Mg ha{sup {minus}1} for PI 300086 elephantgrass, 45.2 for N51 elephantgrass, 42.5 for L79-1002 energycane, 49.0 for US72-1153 energycane, 49.7 for US78-1009 sugarcane, 52.2 for US56-9 sugarcane, 56.2 for CP72-1210 sugarcane, and 48.8 for 1K-7647 erianthus. More recent work has utilized domestic sewage sludge as a nitrogen source for the tall grasses. Preliminary sugar yields of selected sugarcane accessions & sweet sorghum were 4.7 Mg ha{sup {minus}1} for CP72-1210, 12.5 for US67-2022, 3.4 for US78-1009 and 1.3 Mg ha{sup {minus}1} for sweet sorghum. The high yields of the tall grasses grown on phosphatic clay with low inputs indicate a great potential for these crops as a source of renewable energy. A sustainable cropping system may be maintained by utilizing municipal sewage sludge as a nitrogen source with tall grasses on phosphatic clay.

Field test of plutonium and thorium contaminated clay soils from the Mound Site using the ACT*DE*CON Process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, J.O.; Swift, N.A.; Church, R.H.; Neff, R.A.

1998-01-01

A treatability test was run during the summer and fall of 1997 to demonstrate the effectiveness of ACT*DE*CON for removing plutonium and thorium from the clay soils around Mound. ACT*DE*CON is a proprietary solution patented by Selentec. The process utilized a highly selective dissolution of the contaminants by the use of a chemical wash. The pilot scale process involved pretreatment of the soil in an attrition scrubber with ACT*DE*CON solution. This blended solution was then passed through a counter-current extraction chamber where additional contact with ACT*DE*CON solution occurred, followed by a rinse cycle. During this process sand was added to aid contact of the solution with the soil particles. The sand is removed during the rinse step and reused. The chelating agent is separated from the contaminant and recycled back into the process, along with the reverse osmosis permeate. The resulting solution can be further treated to concentrate the contaminant. Three different types of environmental soils were tested -- plutonium and thorium contaminated soils with the natural clay content, and plutonium contaminated soils with a high percentage of fine clay particles. The goal of these tests was to reduce the plutonium levels from several hundreds of pCi/g to between 25 and 75 pCi/g and the thorium from a couple hundred pCi/g to less than 5 pCi/g. The results of these four tests are presented along with a discussion of the operating parameters and the lessons learned relating to full scale implementation at Mound as well as other potential applications of this process

Shear Strength of Remoulding Clay Samples Using Different Methods of Moulding

Science.gov (United States)

Norhaliza, W.; Ismail, B.; Azhar, A. T. S.; Nurul, N. J.

2016-07-01

Shear strength for clay soil was required to determine the soil stability. Clay was known as a soil with complex natural formations and very difficult to obtain undisturbed samples at the site. The aim of this paper was to determine the unconfined shear strength of remoulded clay on different methods in moulding samples which were proctor compaction, hand operated soil compacter and miniature mould methods. All the samples were remoulded with the same optimum moisture content (OMC) and density that were 18% and 1880 kg/m3 respectively. The unconfined shear strength results of remoulding clay soils for proctor compaction method was 289.56kPa with the strain 4.8%, hand operated method was 261.66kPa with the strain 4.4% and miniature mould method was 247.52kPa with the strain 3.9%. Based on the proctor compaction method, the reduction percentage of unconfined shear strength of remoulded clay soil of hand operated method was 9.66%, and for miniature mould method was 14.52%. Thus, because there was no significant difference of reduction percentage of unconfined shear strength between three different methods, so it can be concluded that remoulding clay by hand operated method and miniature mould method were accepted and suggested to perform remoulding clay samples by other future researcher. However for comparison, the hand operated method was more suitable to form remoulded clay sample in term of easiness, saving time and less energy for unconfined shear strength determination purposes.

Clay fraction mineralogy of a Cambisol in Brazil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anastacio, A. S.; Fabris, J. D.; Stucki, J. W.; Coelho, F. S.; Pinto, I. V.; Viana, J. H. M.

2005-01-01

Clay minerals having a 2:1 (tetrahedral:octahedral sheet) structure may be found in strongly weathering soils only if the local pedo-climatic environment prevents them from further weathering to other minerals such as iron oxides. The clay minerals impart important chemical properties to soils, in part by virtue of changes in the redox state of iron in their crystal structures. Knowing the chemical nature of soil clays is a first step in evaluating their potential reactivity with other soil constituents and processes, such as the chemical decomposition of organic substrates to be potentially used in environmental remediation. The purpose of this work was to characterize the iron oxides and iron-bearing clay minerals from a B horizon of a Cambisol developed on tuffite in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil, using chemical analysis, powder X-ray diffraction, Moessbauer spectroscopy, and thermal analysis. The iron oxides of this NaOH-treated clay-fraction were found to contain mainly maghemite (γFe 2 O 3 ) and superparamagnetic goethite (αFeOOH). Kaolinite (Al 2 Si 2 O 5 (OH) 4 ), smectite, and minor portions of anatase (TiO 2 ) were identified in the CBD-treated sample.

Oxygen isotope fractionation effects in soil water via interaction with cations (Mg, Ca, K, Na) adsorbed to phyllosilicate clay minerals

Science.gov (United States)

Oerter, Erik; Finstad, Kari; Schaefer, Justin; Goldsmith, Gregory R.; Dawson, Todd; Amundson, Ronald

2014-07-01

In isotope-enabled hydrology, soil and vadose zone sediments have been generally considered to be isotopically inert with respect to the water they host. This is inconsistent with knowledge that clay particles possessing an electronegative surface charge and resulting cation exchange capacity (CEC) interact with a wide range of solutes which, in the absence of clays, have been shown to exhibit δ18O isotope effects that vary in relation to the ionic strength of the solutions. To investigate the isotope effects caused by high CEC clays in mineral-water systems, we created a series of monominerallic-water mixtures at gravimetric water contents ranging from 5% to 32%, consisting of pure deionized water of known isotopic composition with homoionic (Mg, Ca, Na, K) montmorillonite. Similar mixtures were also created with quartz to determine the isotope effect of non-, or very minimally-, charged mineral surfaces. The δ18O value of the water in these monominerallic soil analogs was then measured by isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) after direct headspace CO2 equilibration. Mg- and Ca-exchanged homoionic montmorillonite depleted measured δ18O values up to 1.55‰ relative to pure water at 5% water content, declining to 0.49‰ depletion at 30% water content. K-montmorillonite enriched measured δ18O values up to 0.86‰ at 5% water content, declining to 0.11‰ enrichment at 30% water. Na-montmorillonite produces no measureable isotope effect. The isotope effects observed in these experiments may be present in natural, high-clay soils and sediments. These findings have relevance to the interpretation of results of direct CO2-water equilibration approaches to the measurement of the δ18O value of soil water. The adsorbed cation isotope effect may bear consideration in studies of pedogenic carbonate, plant-soil water use and soil-atmosphere interaction. Finally, the observed isotope effects may prove useful as molecular scale probes of the nature of mineral

Source zone remediation by ZVI-clay soil-mixing: Reduction of tetrachloroethene mass and mass discharge at a Danish DNAPL site

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fjordbøge, Annika Sidelmann; Lange, Ida Vedel; Binning, Philip John

2012-01-01

The presence of chlorinated solvent source zones in the subsurface pose a continuous threat to groundwater quality. The remediation of Dense Non-Aqueous Phase Liquid (DNAPL) sites is especially challenging and the development of innovative remediation technologies is needed. Zero-valent iron (ZVI......) technologies have proven effective for remediation of chlorinated compounds. ZVI-Clay soil-mixing is a new remediation technology, which combines abiotic degradation (via ZVI addition) and immobilization (via soil-mixing and clay addition), whereby a great potential for reduction of both contaminant mass....... The concentrations of chlorinated ethenes were monitored via soil sampling at the source zone and groundwater sampling at a control plane with multilevel samplers covering the entire contaminated plume down-gradient (3 m) of the source zone. The results showed a significant mass depletion of PCE (2-3 orders...

Study of Adsorption of Phenanthrene on Different Types of Clay Minerals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Contreras, M. L.; Escolano, O.; Rodriguez, V.; Diaz, F. J.; Perez, R.; Garcia, S.; Garcia Frutos, F. J.

2003-01-01

The fate and behaviour of non-ionic hydrophobic organic compounds in deep soil is mainly controlled by the mineral fraction present in the soil due to the very low organic carbon content of the deep soil. The mineral fraction that may greatly influence the fate and transport of these compounds due to its presence and properties are the clay minerals. Clay minerals also become increasingly important in low organic matter content soils. There tree, studies of non-ionic hydrophobic organic compounds adsorption on clay minerals without organic matter are necessary lo better understand the fate and transport of these compounds. In this work we used phenanthrene as model compound of non-ionic hydrophobic organic compound and four pure clay minerals: kaolinite, illite, montmorillonite, and vermiculite including muscovite mica. These clays minerals are selected due to its abundance in represents ve Spanish soils and different properties as its structural layers and expanding capacity. Batch experiments were performed using phenanthrene aqueous solutions and the clays selected. Phenanthrene sorption isotherms for all clays, except muscovite mica, were best described by the Freundlich model. Physical sorption on the external surfaces is the most probable adsorption mechanisms. In this sense, the presence of non-polar nano-sites on clay surfaces could determine the adsorption of phenanthrene by hydrophobic interaction on these sites. (Author) 22 refs

Change effects in the land use about the mineral clay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cespedes Payret, C.; Gutierrez, O; Panario, D.; Pineiro, G

2012-01-01

The Pampas land changes during the Quaternary, left their mark on the mineralogy of soil clays. This work is oriented to compare the mineralogical composition of the clays and the value of potassium in an eucalyptus forestation. These results show that the mineralogical illite alteration is the cause of its destruction. This clay is the main reservoir of potassium for the agricultural soils

ADSORPTION OF SURFACTANT ON CLAYS

Science.gov (United States)

Surfactants used to enhance remediation of soils by soil washing are often lost in the process. Neither the amount nor the cause of this loss is known. It is assumed that clays present in the soil are responsible for the loss of the surfactant. In this papere, adsorption prope...

Clay fraction mineralogy of a Cambisol in Brazil

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anastacio, A. S.; Fabris, J. D., E-mail: jdfabris@ufmg.br [Federal University of Minas Gerais, Campus - Pampulha, Department of Chemistry (Brazil); Stucki, J. W. [Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences (United States); Coelho, F. S.; Pinto, I. V. [Federal University of Minas Gerais, Campus - Pampulha, Department of Chemistry (Brazil); Viana, J. H. M. [Embrapa Milho e Sorgo (Brazil)

2005-11-15

Clay minerals having a 2:1 (tetrahedral:octahedral sheet) structure may be found in strongly weathering soils only if the local pedo-climatic environment prevents them from further weathering to other minerals such as iron oxides. The clay minerals impart important chemical properties to soils, in part by virtue of changes in the redox state of iron in their crystal structures. Knowing the chemical nature of soil clays is a first step in evaluating their potential reactivity with other soil constituents and processes, such as the chemical decomposition of organic substrates to be potentially used in environmental remediation. The purpose of this work was to characterize the iron oxides and iron-bearing clay minerals from a B horizon of a Cambisol developed on tuffite in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil, using chemical analysis, powder X-ray diffraction, Moessbauer spectroscopy, and thermal analysis. The iron oxides of this NaOH-treated clay-fraction were found to contain mainly maghemite ({gamma}Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}) and superparamagnetic goethite ({alpha}FeOOH). Kaolinite (Al{sub 2}Si{sub 2}O{sub 5}(OH){sub 4}), smectite, and minor portions of anatase (TiO{sub 2}) were identified in the CBD-treated sample.

Impact of Oriented Clay Particles on X-Ray Spectroscopy Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Lim, A. J. M. S.; Syazwani, R. N.; Wijeyesekera, D. C.

2016-07-01

Understanding the engineering properties of the mineralogy and microfabic of clayey soils is very complex and thus very difficult for soil characterization. Micromechanics of soils recognize that the micro structure and mineralogy of clay have a significant influence on its engineering behaviour. To achieve a more reliable quantitative evaluation of clay mineralogy, a proper sample preparation technique for quantitative clay mineral analysis is necessary. This paper presents the quantitative evaluation of elemental analysis and chemical characterization of oriented and random oriented clay particles using X-ray spectroscopy. Three different types of clays namely marine clay, bentonite and kaolin clay were studied. The oriented samples were prepared by placing the dispersed clay in water and left to settle on porous ceramic tiles by applying a relatively weak suction through a vacuum pump. Images form a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) was also used to show the comparison between the orientation patterns of both the sample preparation techniques. From the quantitative analysis of the X-ray spectroscopy, oriented sampling method showed more accuracy in identifying mineral deposits, because it produced better peak intensity on the spectrum and more mineral content can be identified compared to randomly oriented samples.

Effect of biochar amendment on nitrate retention in a silty clay loam soil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Angela Libutti

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Biochar incorporation into agricultural soils has been proposed as a strategy to decrease nutrient leaching. The present study was designed to assess the effect of biochar on nitrate retention in a silty clay loam soil. Biochar obtained from the pyrogasification of fir wood chips was applied to soil and tested in a range of laboratory sorption experiments. Four soil treatments were considered: soil only (control, soil with 2, 4 and 8% of biochar by mass. The Freundlich sorption isotherm model was used to fit the adsorbed amount of nitrate in the soil-biochar mixtures. The model performed very well in interpreting the experimental data according to a general linear regression (analysis of co-variance statistical approach. Nitrate retention in the soilbiochar mixtures was always higher than control, regardless the NO3 – concentration in the range of 0-400 mg L–1. Different sorption capacities and intensities were detected depending on the biochar application rate. The highest adsorption capacity was observed in the soils added with 2 and 4% of biochar, respectively. From the results obtained is possible to infer that nitrate retention is higher at lower biochar addition rate to soil (2 and 4% and at lower nitrate concentration in the soil water solution. These preliminary laboratory results suggest that biochar addition to a typical Mediterranean agricultural soil could be an effective management option to mitigate nitrate leaching.

Evaluation of Turf-Grass and Prairie-Vegetated Rain Gardens in a Clay and Sand Soil, Madison, Wisconsin, Water Years 2004-08

Science.gov (United States)

Selbig, William R.; Balster, Nicholas

2010-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with a consortium of 19 cities, towns, and villages in Dane County, Wis., undertook a study to compare the capability of rain gardens with different vegetative species and soil types to infiltrate stormwater runoff from the roof of an adjacent structure. Two rain gardens, one planted with turf grass and the other with native prairie species, were constructed side-by-side in 2003 at two locations with different dominant soil types, either sand or clay. Each rain garden was sized to a ratio of approximately 5:1 contributing area to receiving area and to a depth of 0.5 foot. Each rain garden, regardless of vegetation or soil type, was capable of storing and infiltrating most of the runoff over the 5-year study period. Both rain gardens in sand, as well as the prairie rain garden in clay, retained and infiltrated 100 percent of all precipitation and snowmelt events during water years 2004-07. The turf rain garden in clay occasionally had runoff exceed its confining boundaries, but was still able to retain 96 percent of all precipitation and snowmelt events during the same time period. Precipitation intensity and number of antecedent dry days were important variables that influenced when the storage capacity of underlying soils would become saturated, which resulted in pooled water in the rain gardens. Because the rooftop area that drained runoff to each rain garden was approximately five times larger than the area of the rain garden itself, evapotranspiration was a small percentage of the annual water budget. For example, during water year 2005, the maximum evapotranspiration of total influent volume ranged from 21 percent for the turf rain garden in clay to 25 percent for the turf rain garden in sand, and the minimum ranged from 12 percent for the prairie rain garden in clay to 19 percent for the prairie rain garden in sand. Little to no runoff left each rain garden as effluent and a small percentage of runoff returned to the

Comprehensive review of geosynthetic clay liner and compacted clay liner

Science.gov (United States)

Shankar, M. Uma; Muthukumar, M.

2017-11-01

Human activity inevitably produces waste materials that must be managed. Some waste can be reused. However many wastes that cannot be used beneficially must be disposed of ensuring environmental safety. One of the common methods of disposal is landfilling. The most common problems of the landfill site are environmental degradation and groundwater contamination caused by leachate produced during the decomposition process of organic material and rainfall. Liner in a landfill is an important component which prevent leachate migration and prevent groundwater contamination. Earthen liners have been widely used to contain waste materials in landfill. Liners and covers for municipal and hazardous waste containment facilities are often constructed with the use of fine-grained, low plasticity soils. Because of low permeability geosynthetic clay liners and compacted clay liners are the main materials used in waste disposal landfills. This paper summaries the important geotechnical characteristics such as hydraulic conductivity, liquid limit and free swell index of geosynthetic clay liner and compacted clay liner based on research findings. This paper also compares geosynthetic clay liner and compacted clay liner based on certain criteria such as thickness, availability of materials, vulnerability to damage etc.

Thermoregulatory value of cracking-clay soil shelters for small vertebrates during extreme desert conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Waudby, Helen P; Petit, Sophie

2017-05-01

Deserts exhibit extreme climatic conditions. Small desert-dwelling vertebrates have physiological and behavioral adaptations to cope with these conditions, including the ability to seek shelter. We investigated the temperature (T) and relative humidity (RH) regulating properties of the soil cracks that characterize the extensive cracking-clay landscapes of arid Australia, and the extent of their use by 2 small marsupial species: fat-tailed and stripe-faced dunnarts (Sminthopsis crassicaudata and Sminthopsis macroura). We measured hourly (over 24-h periods) the T and RH of randomly-selected soil cracks compared to outside conditions, during 2 summers and 2 winters. We tracked 17 dunnarts (8 Sminthopsis crassicaudata and 9 Sminthopsis macroura) to quantify their use of cracks. Cracks consistently moderated microclimate, providing more stable conditions than available from non-crack points, which often displayed comparatively dramatic fluctuations in T and RH. Both dunnart species used crack shelters extensively. Cracks constitute important shelter for small animals during extreme conditions by providing a stable microclimate, which is typically cooler than outside conditions in summer and warmer in winter. Cracks likely play a fundamental sheltering role by sustaining the physiological needs of small mammal populations. Globally, cracking-clay areas are dominated by agricultural land uses, including livestock grazing. Management of these systems should focus not only on vegetation condition, but also on soil integrity, to maintain shelter resources for ground-dwelling fauna. © 2016 International Society of Zoological Sciences, Institute of Zoology/Chinese Academy of Sciences and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Electrokinetic-enhanced bioaugmentation for remediation of chlorinated solvents contaminated clay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mao, Xuhui; Wang, James; Ciblak, Ali; Cox, Evan E.; Riis, Charlotte; Terkelsen, Mads; Gent, David B.; Alshawabkeh, Akram N.

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Simultaneous delivery of electron donors and bacteria into low permeability clays. ► Bacteria injection, growth and consequent transformation of contaminants are viable. ► EK injection is more effective than advection-based injection for clay soil. ► Electroosmosis appears to be the driving mechanism for bacteria injection. ► Both EK transport and biodegradation contribute the removal of VOCs in clay. - Abstract: Successful bioremediation of contaminated soils is controlled by the ability to deliver bioremediation additives, such as bacteria and/or nutrients, to the contaminated zone. Because hydraulic advection is not practical for delivery in clays, electrokinetic (EK) injection is an alternative for efficient and uniform delivery of bioremediation additive into low-permeability soil and heterogeneous deposits. EK-enhanced bioaugmentation for remediation of clays contaminated with chlorinated solvents is evaluated. Dehalococcoides (Dhc) bacterial strain and lactate ions are uniformly injected in contaminated clay and complete dechlorination of chlorinated ethene is observed in laboratory experiments. The injected bacteria can survive, grow, and promote effective dechlorination under EK conditions and after EK application. The distribution of Dhc within the clay suggests that electrokinetic transport of Dhc is primarily driven by electroosmosis. In addition to biodegradation due to bioaugmentation of Dhc, an EK-driven transport of chlorinated ethenes is observed in the clay, which accelerates cleanup of chlorinated ethenes from the anode side. Compared with conventional advection-based delivery, EK injection is significantly more effective for establishing microbial reductive dechlorination capacity in low-permeability soils.

Depth distribution of 137Cs adsorption property of clay minerals influenced by mineral weathering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakao, Atsushi; Funakawa, Shinya; Kosaki, Takashi

2007-01-01

Radiocesium adsorption potential of mica clay mineral can increase as it is weathered, because K depletion in mica interlayer sites generates new Cs selective sites. However, in soils weathered under field conditions, the increase in 137 Cs adsorption potential associated with mineral weathering has not been observed extensively. We investigated four soil profiles from Japan and Thailand with different soil pH ranges (3.3-4.0, 4.2-4.3, 5.0-5.7, and 5.5-7.3). The solid/liquid distribution coefficients of Cs ( Cs Kd) in clay ( 137 Cs adsorption potential of mica clay minerals. In three soil profiles, Cs Kd value in clay was the largest at a surface horizon and was decreased with depth, whereas in the most acidic of Podzolic soil profile, it was the largest at B horizon. The large Cs Kd value in surface clays relative to deeper horizons were well associated with that of 2.0-1.0 μm clay fraction. We assumed that the 137 Cs adsorption potential increased at surface horizons mainly because coarser clay micas were weathered and generated Cs selective sites. The exceptional result obtained in Podzolic soil profile suggests that too intensive weathering destruct mica structure and may decrease in Cs adsorption potential of mica clay minerals. (author)

Atrazine biodegradation modulated by clays and clay/humic acid complexes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Besse-Hoggan, Pascale; Alekseeva, Tatiana; Sancelme, Martine; Delort, Anne-Marie; Forano, Claude

2009-01-01

The fate of pesticides in the environment is strongly related to the soil sorption processes that control not only their transfer but also their bioavailability. Cationic (Ca-bentonite) and anionic (Layered Double Hydroxide) clays behave towards the ionisable pesticide atrazine (AT) sorption with opposite tendencies: a noticeable sorption capacity for the first whereas the highly hydrophilic LDH showed no interactions with AT. These clays were modified with different humic acid (HA) contents. HA sorbed on the clay surface and increased AT interactions. The sorption effect on AT biodegradation and on its metabolite formation was studied with Pseudomonas sp. ADP. The biodegradation rate was greatly modulated by the material's sorption capacity and was clearly limited by the desorption rate. More surprisingly, it increased dramatically with LDH. Adsorption of bacterial cells on clay particles facilitates the degradation of non-sorbed chemical, and should be considered for predicting pesticide fate in the environment. - The biodegradation rate of atrazine was greatly modulated by adsorption of the pesticide and also bacterial cells on clay particles.

Use of x-ray radiographic methods in the study of clay liners

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Malone, P.G.; May, J.H.; Brown, K.W.; Thomas, J.C.

1986-01-01

X-ray radiography has been widely used in soil investigation to study the distribution of layers in soil cores and the effects of changing conditions (loading or impact) on soil structure. X-ray radiographic techniques also can be useful in studying clays or clay soils used in liners. Laboratory investigations were undertaken to demonstrate that X-ray radiographic techniques could be used to detect density and soil structure changes that usually accompany variations in hydraulic conductivity of clay liners. An example of a real-time test of a simulated bentonite and sand, liner attacked with acid lead nitrate and examples of radiographic examination of clay soil (non-calcareous smectite) samples that have been permeated by lead acetate or lead nitrate are presented. The changes in density and structure can be related to changes observed in hydraulic conductivity during permeation. X-ray radiography easily can be applied to field samples of soil or clay liner materials to detect density and structural changes that occur as the liner and permeating fluid interact. X-ray techniques have applications in both understanding failure mechanisms and forecasting liner performance

Probabilistic Description of a Clay Site using CPTU tests

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Sarah; Lauridsen, Kristoffer; Nielsen, Benjaminn Nordahl

2012-01-01

A clay site at the harbour of Aarhus, where numerous cone penetration tests have been conducted, is assessed. The upper part of the soil deposit is disregarded, and only the clay sections are investigated. The thickness of the clay deposit varies from 5 to 6 meters, and is sliced into sections of...... a geotechnical assessment of a site, using both the method for classifying soil behaviour types and applying statistics, yield a new level of information, and certainty about the estimates of the strength parameters which are the important outcome of such a site description.......A clay site at the harbour of Aarhus, where numerous cone penetration tests have been conducted, is assessed. The upper part of the soil deposit is disregarded, and only the clay sections are investigated. The thickness of the clay deposit varies from 5 to 6 meters, and is sliced into sections of 1...... meter in thickness. For each slice, a map of the variation of the undrained shear strength is created through Kriging and the probability of finding weak zones in the deposit is calculated. This results in a description of the spatial variation of the undrained shear strength at the site. Making...

Clay-to-carbon ratio controls the effect of herbicide application on soil bacterial richness and diversity in a loamy field

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Herath, H M Lasantha I; Møldrup, Per; de Jonge, Lis Wollesen

2017-01-01

Soil texture and soil organic carbon (OC) influence the bacterial microenvironment and also control herbicide sorption. A field-scale exploratory study was conducted to investigate the potential interaction between soil texture parameters, herbicides, and soil bacterial richness and diversity......-based coverage (ACE), Shannon diversity index, and phylogenetic diversity. In general, bacterial richness and diversity increased after bentazon application and decreased after glyphosate application. There was no significant effect for field locations with Dexter n (the ratio between clay and OC) values below 4...

Mineralogy and geotechnical characteristics of some pottery clay

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Mujib Olamide ADEAGBO

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The physical properties of soils, which are tremendously influenced by the active clay minerals in soil, are of great importance in geotechnical engineering. This paper investigates the clay-sized particles of the Igbara-Odo pottery clay, and compares results obtained with available data on the bulk sample, to determine their correlation and underline the dependence of the geotechnical properties of the bulk clay material on the clay-sized particles. The bulk clay sample consists of 52% sand-size particles, 21% silt and 27% clay. Analysis of the clay-sized particles and the bulk materials shows: specific gravity of 2.07 and 2.66, liquid limit of 91.0% and 33.0%, plastic limit of 27.5% and 14.3%, plasticity index of 63.5% and 18.7% and a linear shrinkage of 7.9% and 5.4%, for both clay-sized particles and bulk clay respectively. The activity value of the clay material (0.64 suggests the presence of Kaolinite and Ilite; and these were confirmed with X-Ray diffraction on the bulk sample and clay-sized particles. X-Ray diffraction patterns shows distinctive peaks which highlight the dominance of Kaolinite (with 8 peaks in the pottery clay sample for both clay-sized particles and bulk material; while traces of other clay minerals like Illite and Halloysite and rock minerals like Mica, Feldspar and Chrysotile were also found. These results suggest that the clay possesses high viability in the manufacturing of ceramics, refractory bricks, paper, fertilizer and paint. The clay material can be used as a subgrade in road construction, since it possesses low swelling characteristics.

Feasibility of using overburden clays for sealing purposes and laboratory testing of the clays

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mann, J. (Vyzkumny Ustav pro Hnede Uhli, Most (Czechoslovakia))

1992-03-01

Studies properties of overburden clay from North Bohemian surface coal mines for use as sealants of industrial and household waste that will be dumped at Czechoslovak surface mine sites. Basic requirements of sealing layers are optimum compressibility and impermeability by suitable compacting. Laboratory soil mechanical tests of different clay samples were carried out using the Proctor standard tests (PCS) and the Norwegian Geonor A/S - m 45 instrument. Laboratory tests were used to select the best available clay types with optimum density and moisture content. Experimental results of laboratory tests are provided.

Properties of a clay soil from 1.5 to 3.5 years after biochar application and the impact on rice yield

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Carvalho, M.T.M.; Madari, B.E.; Bastiaans, L.; Oort, van P.A.J.; Leal, W.G.O.; Heinemann, A.B.; Silva, da M.A.S.; Maia, A.H.N.; Parsons, D.; Meinke, H.

2016-01-01

We assessed the impact of a single application of wood biochar on soil chemical and physical properties and aerobic rice grain yield on an irrigated kaolinitic clay Ferralsol in a tropical Savannah. We used linear mixed models to analyse the response of soil and plant variables to application

Impact of monovalent cations on soil structure. Part II. Results of two Swiss soils

Science.gov (United States)

Farahani, Elham; Emami, Hojat; Keller, Thomas

2018-01-01

In this study, we investigated the impact of adding solutions with different potassium and sodium concentrations on dispersible clay, water retention characteristics, air permeability, and soil shrinkage behaviour using two agricultural soils from Switzerland with different clay content but similar organic carbon to clay ratio. Three different solutions (including only Na, only K, and the combination of both) were added to soil samples at three different cation ratio of soil structural stability levels, and the soil samples were incubated for one month. Our findings showed that the amount of readily dispersible clay increased with increasing Na concentrations and with increasing cation ratio of soil structural stability. The treatment with the maximum Na concentration resulted in the highest water retention and in the lowest shrinkage capacity. This was was associated with high amounts of readily dispersible clay. Air permeability generally increased during incubation due to moderate wetting and drying cycles, but the increase was negatively correlated with readily dispersible clay. Readily dispersible clay decreased with increasing K, while readily dispersible clay increased with increasing K in Iranian soil (Part I of our study). This can be attributed to the different clay mineralogy of the studied soils (muscovite in Part I and illite in Part II).

The effect of freeze-thaw cycles on the hydraulic conductivity of compacted clay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Waite, D.; Anderson, L.; Caliendo, J.; McFarland, M.

1994-01-01

A study was conducted to investigate the detrimental effects of freeze-thaw on the hydraulic conductivity of compacted clay. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect that molding water content has on the hydraulic conductivity of a compacted clay soil that is subjected to freeze-thaw cycles, and to determine the relationship between the number of freeze-thaw cycles and the hydraulic conductivity of the compacted clay soil. Clay soils compacted and frozen wet of optimum experienced an increase in hydraulic conductivity of approximately 140 fold. The hydraulic conductivity of clay compacted dry of optimum increased ten fold. These results are consistent with recent research which suggests that clay compacted wet of optimum experiences large increases in hydraulic conductivity while the hydraulic conductivity of clay compacted dry of optimum increases to a lesser extent. 12 refs., 9 figs

Clay mineralogy and geochemistry of the soils derived from metamorphic and mafic igneous parent rocks in Lahijan area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramezanpour, H.; Hesami, R.; Zanjanchi, M. A.

2007-01-01

The mineralogical and geochemical composition of the soils of three representative pedons formed on basaltic andesite, andesitic basalt and phyllite were investigated. Results by x-ray diffraction showed that progressive weathering of rocks have been marked by gradual accumulation of Al, Fe, Ti, Mg, H 3 O + and depletion of Na, K, Ca and Si in the soil; although, predominant clay, loss and gain trend of elements was different on the various rocks. Based on x-ray diffraction analysis, minerals in basaltic andesite and andesitic basalt were similar but, the intensity of mica to smectite or vermiculite transformation for latter was relatively higher than the former. This process revealed the degradation mineral because of two reasons: (i) - smectite and vermiculite increased whereas mica decreased in surface horizons. (i i)-Irregular mixed layer of mica-smectite or vermiculite was present in deeper part (170 cm) of the soils from andesitic basalt but shallower depth (75 em) of the soils from basaltic andesite. Clay minerals in phyllite were mica and chlorite that stratified with vermiculite. However, the absence of smectite in phyllite might be attributed to more acidic condition or position of the Fe ion in the mineral lattice of chlorite (higher Fe in the interlayer hydroxide sheet)

Developments in modelling of thermohydro-geomechanical behaviour of Boom clay and clay-based buffer materials (Volume 1)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baldi, G.; Hueckel, T.; Peano, A.; Pellegrini, R.

1991-01-01

The results of two years of research on thermomechanics of clays performed within CEC contract Fl1W/0150 are described herein. Previous studies (research contracts with CEC/WAS/380.83.7 l) performed by ISMES have evidenced the need for an improved modelling of the volumetric response of natural clays. In a coupled approach, this leads to an improved prediction of pore-pressure development and dissipation. This is crucial for assessing conditions of a possible local thermal failure as verified in laboratory tests done at ISMES. The first part of the study lays the foundations of a comprehensive theoretical treatment of the interaction between water and soil skeleton. It consists in: (a) developing a framework for inclusion of water/soil particle thermally induced interaction into a thermodynamically consistent mixture theory approach (Section 2); (b) studying possible modelling approaches of considering the effective thermal expansion coefficient of pore water dependency on pore water status (Section 2); (c) testing artificial clays to assess pore water thermal expansion dependence on temperature in the presence of different amounts of active clay minerals and also Boom clay (Section 3); (d) performing a laboratory test campaign on Boom clay with special attention to the response in the overconsolidated domain (Section 4). 89 figs., 18 tabs., 102 refs

Effect of manure, clay, charcoal, zeolite, and calcium oxide on some properties of soil contaminated with cobalt

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kosiorek Milena

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The study has been undertaken in order to determine the influence of different substances (manure, clay, charcoal, zeolite and calcium oxide on soil pH, hydrolytic acidity, total exchangeable bases, cation exchange capacity, the base saturation of soil contaminated with cobalt (0, 20, 40, 80, 160, 320 mg·kg−1 of soil. The analysed properties of soil proved to be dependent on the cobalt contamination and the kind of substances. In the series without substances soil contamination with the highest doses of cobalt raised the soil’s hydrolytic acidity but depressed its pH, total exchangeable bases and base saturation. Among the substances applied to soil in order to neutralize the effect of contamination with cobalt, calcium oxide had the strongest influence on the soil’s properties. In the series with calcium oxide application the hydrolytic acidity was decreased and other soil properties were increased. Manure addition to soil had positive but weaker effect on analysed soil properties.

EFFECT OF IRRIGATION INTERVAL AND SOIL AMENDMENTS ON SOIL ORGANIC C, NITROGEN AND POTASSIUM OF SANDY SOIL AND GROWTH OF Jatropha curcas L.

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Djajadi

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Inherently, sandy soil is the unfertile soil with low in all aspects of soil fertility and has a low capacity to retain water applied nutrients. To improve the fertility of sandy soil as media growth of Jatropha curcas, clay and organic matter may have important role when they are incorporated to the sandy soil. This study investigated the effect of irrigation interval and incorporation of clay together with organic matter to sandy soil on soil organic C, N, and K and growth of J. curcas. The rates of clay and organic matter incorporated to top sandy soil were 5% clay + 0.8% organic matter and 10% clay + 1.6% organic matter. Two irrigation intervals tested were 10 day and 20 day. The results found that incorporation of 10% clay + 1.6% organic matter to sandy soil increased soil C organic, N total and exchangeable K which in turn increased number of leaves and number of lateral branches of J curcas. Irrigation intervals had no effect on all parameters observed.

Molecular Mechanisms of Enhanced Bacterial Growth on Hexadecane with Red Clay.

Science.gov (United States)

Jung, Jaejoon; Jang, In-Ae; Ahn, Sungeun; Shin, Bora; Kim, Jisun; Park, Chulwoo; Jee, Seung Cheol; Sung, Jung-Suk; Park, Woojun

2015-11-01

Red clay was previously used to enhance bioremediation of diesel-contaminated soil. It was speculated that the enhanced degradation of diesel was due to increased bacterial growth. In this study, we selected Acinetobacter oleivorans DR1, a soil-borne degrader of diesel and alkanes, as a model bacterium and performed transcriptional analysis using RNA sequencing to investigate the cellular response during hexadecane utilization and the mechanism by which red clay promotes hexadecane degradation. We confirmed that red clay promotes the growth of A. oleivorans DR1 on hexadecane, a major component of diesel, as a sole carbon source. Addition of red clay to hexadecane-utilizing DR1 cells highly upregulated β-oxidation, while genes related to alkane oxidation were highly expressed with and without red clay. Red clay also upregulated genes related to oxidative stress defense, such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutaredoxin genes, suggesting that red clay supports the response of DR1 cells to oxidative stress generated during hexadecane utilization. Increased membrane fluidity in the presence of red clay was confirmed by fatty acid methyl ester analysis at different growth phases, suggesting that enhanced growth on hexadecane could be due to increased uptake of hexadecane coupled with upregulation of downstream metabolism and oxidative stress defense. The monitoring of the bacterial community in soil with red clay for a year revealed that red clay stabilized the community structure.

Predicting radiocaesium sorption characteristics with soil chemical properties for Japanese soils.

Science.gov (United States)

Uematsu, Shinichiro; Smolders, Erik; Sweeck, Lieve; Wannijn, Jean; Van Hees, May; Vandenhove, Hildegarde

2015-08-15

The high variability of the soil-to-plant transfer factor of radiocaesium (RCs) compels a detailed analysis of the radiocaesium interception potential (RIP) of soil, which is one of the specific factors ruling the RCs transfer. The range of the RIP values for agricultural soils in the Fukushima accident affected area has not yet been fully surveyed. Here, the RIP and other major soil chemical properties were characterised for 51 representative topsoils collected in the vicinity of the Fukushima contaminated area. The RIP ranged a factor of 50 among the soils and RIP values were lower for Andosols compared to other soils, suggesting a role of soil mineralogy. Correlation analysis revealed that the RIP was most strongly and negatively correlated to soil organic matter content and oxalate extractable aluminium. The RIP correlated weakly but positively to soil clay content. The slope of the correlation between RIP and clay content showed that the RIP per unit clay was only 4.8 mmol g(-1) clay, about threefold lower than that for clays of European soils, suggesting more amorphous minerals and less micaceous minerals in the clay fraction of Japanese soils. The negative correlation between RIP and soil organic matter may indicate that organic matter can mask highly selective sorption sites to RCs. Multiple regression analysis with soil organic matter and cation exchange capacity explained the soil RIP (R(2)=0.64), allowing us to map soil RIP based on existing soil map information. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Olive mill wastewater stabilization in open-air ponds: impact on clay-sandy soil.

Science.gov (United States)

Jarboui, Raja; Sellami, Fatma; Kharroubi, Adel; Gharsallah, Néji; Ammar, Emna

2008-11-01

The aim of this work was to study the natural biodegradation of the stored olive mill wastewater (OMW) in ponds and the infiltration as well as the impact on soil of the effluent in the evaporation pond used for the storage over the past eight years. For this, two approaches were considered. First, a laboratory-scale column was used for the infiltration of OMW through soil (clay and sand) to predict the effect of the clayey soil in reducing OMW pollution. Second, the ponds including the effluent annually stored and having this clayey structure were investigated. At the laboratory-scale, a modification of OMW contents was noticed, with the elimination of 95% of total suspended solids (TSS), 60% of chemical oxygen demand (COD), 40% of total organic carbon (TOC), 50% of total P, 50% of phenols and 40% of minerals (K+, Mg++ and Na+). The experimented soil was able to restrain the considerable effects of OMW pollution. In the ponds, the granulometric characteristics, the physico-chemical and the biological parameters of the soil profile from the contaminated pond were compared to those of a control soil, located near the contaminated pond. Property modifications of the contaminated soil were noted, especially pH, electrical conductivity, COD and microflora. These changes can be explained by the infiltration of OMW constituents, which were noticed in the soil layers, especially phenolic compounds that have a negative effect on the ground water.

Influence of Long-term Application of Feedlot Manure Amendments on Water Repellency of a Clay Loam Soil.

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Jim J; Beasley, Bruce W; Hazendonk, Paul; Drury, Craig F; Chanasyk, David S

2017-05-01

Long-term application of feedlot manure to cropland may increase the quantity of soil organic carbon (C) and change its quality, which may influence soil water repellency. The objective was to determine the influence of feedlot manure type (stockpiled vs. composted), bedding material (straw [ST] vs. woodchips [WD]), and application rate (13, 39, or 77 Mg ha) on repellency of a clay loam soil after 17 annual applications. The repellency was determined on all 14 treatments using the water repellency index ( index), the water drop penetration time (WDPT) method, and molarity of ethanol (MED) test. The C composition of particulate organic matter in soil of five selected treatments after 16 annual applications was also determined using C nuclear magnetic resonance-direct polarization with magic-angle spinning (NMR-DPMAS). Manure type had no significant ( > 0.05) effect on index and WDPT, and MED classification was similar. Mean index and WDPT values were significantly greater and MED classification more hydrophobic for WD than ST. Application rate had no effect on the index, but WDPT was significantly greater and MED classification more hydrophobic with increasing application rate. Strong ( > 0.7) but nonsignificant positive correlations were found between index and WDPT versus hydrophobic (alkyl + aromatic) C, lignin at 74 ppm (O-alkyl), and unspecified aromatic compounds at 144 ppm. Specific aromatic compounds also contributed more to repellency than alkyl, O-alkyl, and carbonyl compounds. Overall, all three methods consistently showed that repellency was greater for WD- than ST-amended clay loam soil, but manure type had no effect. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

California Bearing Ratio (CBR) test on stabilization of clay with lime addition

Science.gov (United States)

Hastuty, I. P.; Roesyanto; Limbong, M. N.; Oberlyn, S. J.

2018-02-01

Clay is a type of soil with particles of certain minerals giving plastic properties when mixed with water. Soil has an important role in a construction, besides as a building material in a wide variety of civil engineering works, soil is also used as supporting foundation of the building. Basic properties of clay are rock-solid in dry and plastic with medium water content. In high water content, clay becomes sticky like (cohesive) and soften. Therefore, clay stabilization is necessary to repair soil’s mechanical properties. In this research, lime is use as a stabilizer that contains the Ca+ element to bond bigger particles. Lime used is slaked lime Ca(OH)2. Clay used has liquid limitation (LL) value of 47.33%, plasticity index of 29.88% and CBR value 6.29. The results explain about 10% lime mixture variation gives the optimum stabilized clay with CBR value of 8.75%.

Microwave Acid Extraction to Analyze K and Mg Reserves in the Clay Fraction of Soils

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Araína Hulmann Batista

Full Text Available ABSTRACT: Extraction of K and Mg with boiling 1 mol L-1 HNO3 in an open system for predicting K and Mg uptake by plants is a method of low reproducibility. The aim of this study was to compare the extraction capacity of different acid methods relative to hydrofluoric acid extraction for K and Mg. A further objective was to develop a chemical extraction method using a closed system (microwave for nonexchangeable and structural forms of these nutrients in order to replace the traditional method of extraction with boiling HNO3 on a hot plate (open system. The EPA 3051A method can be used to estimate the total content of K in the clay fraction of soils developed from carbonate and phyllite/mica schist rocks. In the clay fraction of soils developed from basalt, recoveries of K by the EPA 3051A (pseudo-total method were higher than for the EPA 3052 (total hydrofluoric extraction method. The relative abundance of K and Mg for soils in carbonate rocks, phyllite/mica schist, granite/gneiss, and basalt determined by aqua regia digestion is unreliable. The method using 1 mol L-1 HNO3 in an closed system (microwave showed potential for replacing the classical method of extraction of nonexchangeable forms of K (boiling 1 mol L-1 HNO3 in an open system - hot plate and reduced the loss of Si by volatilization.

Effects of different fertilizers on the abundance and community structure of ammonia oxidizers in a yellow clay soil.

Science.gov (United States)

Yao, Huaiying; Huang, Sha; Qiu, Qiongfen; Li, Yaying; Wu, Lianghuan; Mi, Wenhai; Dai, Feng

2016-08-01

Yellow clay paddy soil (Oxisols) is a typical soil with low productivity in southern China. Nitrification inhibitors and slow release fertilizers have been used to improve nitrogen fertilizer utilization and reduce environmental impaction of the paddy soil. However, their effects on ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) in paddy soil have rarely been investigated. In the present work, we compared the influences of several slow release fertilizers and nitrification inhibitors on the community structure and activities of the ammonia oxidizers in yellow clay soil. The abundances and community compositions of AOA and AOB were determined with qPCR, terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP), and clone library approaches. Our results indicated that the potential nitrification rate (PNR) of the soil was significantly related to the abundances of both AOA and AOB. Nitrogen fertilizer application stimulated the growth of AOA and AOB, and the combinations of nitrapyrin with urea (NPU) and urea-formaldehyde (UF) inhibited the growth of AOA and AOB, respectively. Compared with other treatments, the applications of NPU and UF also led to significant shifts in the community compositions of AOA and AOB, respectively. NPU showed an inhibitory effect on AOA T-RF 166 bp that belonged to Nitrosotalea. UF had a negative effect on AOB T-RF 62 bp that was assigned to Nitrosospira. These results suggested that NPU inhibited PNR and increased nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) by inhibiting the growth of AOA and altering AOA community. UF showed no effect on NUE but decreased AOB abundance and shifted AOB community.

Study of Usage Areas of Clay Samples of Asphaltite Quarries in Sirnak, Turkey

Science.gov (United States)

Bilgin, Oyku

2017-12-01

The asphaltite of Sirnak, Turkey are in the form of 12 veins and their total reserves are anticipated to be approximately 200 million tons in a field of 25.000 hectares. The asphaltites at the Sirnak region are in the form of fault and crack fillings and take place together with clay minerals at their side rock. The main raw materials used in the production of cement are limestone, clay and marn known as sedimentary rocks. Limestone for CaO and clay minerals for SiO2, Al2O3, and Fe2O3, which are the main compounds of clinker production, are the main raw materials. Other materials containing these four oxides like marn are also used as cement raw material. Conformity levels of the raw materials to be used in cement production vary according to their chemical compounds. The rocks to be used as clay mineral are evaluated by taking the rate of silicate and alumina into consideration. The soils suitable for brick-tile productions are named as sandy clay. Their difference from the ceramic clays is that they are richer in terms of iron, silica and carbonate. These soils are also known under the names such as clay, arid, alluvium, silt, loam and argil. Inside these soils, minerals such as quartz, montmorillonite, kaolinite, calcite, limonite, hidromika, sericite, illite, and chlorite are available. Some parts of the soils consist of clays in amorphous structure. Limestone parts, gypsums, organic substances and bulky rock residuals spoil the quality. The soils suitable for brick production may not be suitable for tile production. In this case, their sandy soils should be mixed up with the clays with fine granule structure which is high in plasticity. During asphaltite mining in Sirnak region, clays forming side rock are gathered at dump sites. In this study; SQX analyses of the clay samples taken from Avgamasya, Seridahli and Segürük asphaltite veins run in Sirnak region are carried out and their usage areas are searched.

The effect of soil type on the bioremediation of petroleum contaminated soils.

Science.gov (United States)

Haghollahi, Ali; Fazaelipoor, Mohammad Hassan; Schaffie, Mahin

2016-09-15

In this research the bioremediation of four different types of contaminated soils was monitored as a function of time and moisture content. The soils were categorized as sandy soil containing 100% sand (type I), clay soil containing more than 95% clay (type II), coarse grained soil containing 68% gravel and 32% sand (type III), and coarse grained with high clay content containing 40% gravel, 20% sand, and 40% clay (type IV). The initially clean soils were contaminated with gasoil to the concentration of 100 g/kg, and left on the floor for the evaporation of light hydrocarbons. A full factorial experimental design with soil type (four levels), and moisture content (10 and 20%) as the factors was employed. The soils were inoculated with petroleum degrading microorganisms. Soil samples were taken on days 90, 180, and 270, and the residual total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) was extracted using soxhlet apparatus. The moisture content of the soils was kept almost constant during the process by intermittent addition of water. The results showed that the efficiency of bioremediation was affected significantly by the soil type (Pvalue soil with the initial TPH content of 69.62 g/kg, and the lowest for the clay soil (23.5%) with the initial TPH content of 69.70 g/kg. The effect of moisture content on bioremediation was not statistically significant for the investigated levels. The removal percentage in the clay soil was improved to 57% (within a month) in a separate experiment by more frequent mixing of the soil, indicating low availability of oxygen as a reason for low degradation of hydrocarbons in the clay soil. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mineralogical analysis of clays in hardsetting soil horizons, by X-ray fluorescence and X-ray diffraction using Rietveld method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prandel, L.V.; Saab, S.C.; Brinatti, A.M.; Giarola, N.F.B.; Leite, W.C.; Cassaro, F.A.M.

2014-01-01

Diffraction and spectroscopic techniques have been shown to be suitable for obtaining physical and mineralogical properties in polycrystalline soil samples, and also in their precursor compounds. For instance, the X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy allows obtaining the elemental composition of an investigated sample, while the X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique permits obtaining qualitative and quantitative composition of the soil minerals through the Rietveld method (RM). In this study Yellow Latosol (Oxisol), Yellow Argisol (Ultisol) and Gray Argisol (Ultisol) soil samples, classified as “hardsetting soils”, extracted from areas located at Northeast and Southeast of Brazilian coast were investigated. The soils and their fractions were analyzed in an EDX-700 and an XRD-6000 (Cu K α radiation). XRF results indicate high percentages of Si and Al, and small percentage of Fe and Ti in the investigated samples. The DRX data and RM indicate that there was a predominance of kaolinite and halloysite minerals (kaolin group minerals) in the clay fractions, which are presumably responsible for the formation of kaolinitic plasma in these soils. Also, the obtained results showed that the XRF, XRD techniques and RM were very helpful for investigating the mineralogical composition of a hardsetting soil. - Highlights: ► Elemental composition of soil samples through X-Ray fluorescence. ► Mineralogical quantification through X-ray diffraction and Rietveld method. ► Oxisol and Ultisol, Brazil ‘Barreiras’ formation. ► High amounts of Si and Al oxides and low amounts of Fe and Ti oxides. ► Predominance of kaolinite in the clay fraction

Role of soil texture, clay mineralogy, location, and temperature in coarse wood decomposition - a mesocosm experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Cinzia Fissore; Martin F. Jurgensen; James Pickens; Chris Miller; Deborah Page-Dumroese; Christian P. Giardina

2016-01-01

Of all the major pools of terrestrial carbon (C), the dynamics of coarse woody debris (CWD) are the least understood. In contrast to soils and living vegetation, the study of CWD has rarely relied on ex situ methods for elaborating controls on decomposition rates. In this study, we report on a mesocosm incubation experiment examining how clay amount (8%, 16%,...

Size and Persistence of the Microbial Biomass Formed during the Humification of Glucose Hemicellulose Cellulose, and Straw in Soils Containing Different Amounts of Clay

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Lasse Holst

1983-01-01

14C-labelled substrates were incubated at 20°C in 4 soils with clay contents ranging from 6 to 34%. Glucose was most readily decomposed, followed in order by hemicellulose, cellulose, maize straw, and barley straw. After the first 10 days of incubation, about 60% of the glucose-C had left the soils...... as CO2, compared with only 23% of the barley-C.The humified matter that remained in the soils after 3 months decayed at almost the same rate whether the origin of the matter was glucose, hemicellulose, cellulose or straw; this rate was, on the whole, independent of the caly content of the soils. Half......-C percentages increased with the clay content of the soils.The biomass was determined by fumigation with CHCl3 according to Jenkinson. After 3 months an average of 17% of the residual labelled C was in biomass; the values ranged from 37% when the labelled C was added as glucose to 2–9% when added as barley...

Production of CO2 in crude oil bioremediation in clay soil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sandro José Baptista

2005-06-01

Full Text Available The aim of the present work was to evaluate the biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons in clay soil a 45-days experiment. The experiment was conducted using an aerobic fixed bed reactor, containing 300g of contaminated soil at room temperature with an air rate of 6 L/h. The growth medium was supplemented with 2.5% (w/w (NH42SO4 and 0.035% (w/w KH2PO4. Biodegradation of the crude oil in the contaminated clay soil was monitored by measuring CO2 production and removal of organic matter (OM, oil and grease (OandG, and total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH, measured before and after the 45-days experiment, together with total heterotrophic and hydrocarbon-degrading bacterial count. The best removals of OM (50%, OandG (37% and TPH (45% were obtained in the bioreactors in which the highest CO2 production was achieved.O objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar a biodegradação de petróleo em solo argiloso durante 45 dias de ensaios. Os ensaios de biodegradação foram conduzidos em biorreatores aeróbios de leito fixo, com 300 g de solo contaminado, à temperatura ambiente e com uma vazão de ar de 6 L/h. As deficiências nutricionais foram corrigidas com 2,5% (p/p (NH42SO4 e com 0,035% (p/p KH2PO4. O monitoramento foi realizado em função da produção de CO2, da remoção de matéria orgânica (OM, de óleos e graxas (OandG e de hidrocarbonetos totais de petróleo (TPH, além bactérias heterotróficas totais (BHT e hidrocarbonoclásticas (BHc, no início e após 45 dias. Nos biorreatores onde houve maior crescimento de bactérias hidrocarbonoclásticas e maior produção de CO2, obteve-se os melhores percentuais de remoções de MO (50%, OandG (37% e TPH (45%.

Thermal Properties of Soils

Science.gov (United States)

1981-12-01

plagio - clase feldspar and pyroxene. The tine fraction may Surface area and its effects contain the clay "sheet" minerals (i.e. kaolinite. illite...Pyroxene, Kaoliniwe Unified By By Ortho. Plagio . amphibole, Basic clay min. Hematite Soil Soil soil petrogr. X.ray clase clase and Igneous and clay and no

Stabilization Of Marine Clay Using Biomass Silica-Rubber Chips Mixture

Science.gov (United States)

Marto, Aminaton; Ridzuan Jahidin, Mohammed; Aziz, Norazirah Abdul; Kasim, Fauziah; Zurairahetty Mohd. Yunus, Nor

2016-11-01

Marine clay is found widely along the coastal area and had caused expensive solutions in the construction of coastal highways. Hence, soil stabilization was suggested by some consultant to increase the strength of this soil in order to meet the highway construction requirement and also to achieve the specification for the development. Biomass Silica (BS), particularly the SH85 as a non-traditional stabilisation method, has been gaining more interest from the engineers recently. Rubber chips (RC), derived from waste rubber tyres, are considered ‘green’ element and had been used previously in some geotechnical engineering works. This paper presents the effect of using BS and RC as a mixture (BS-RC mixture), to increase the strength of marine clay for highway construction. Samples of marine clay, obtained from the West Coast Expressway project at Teluk Intan, Perak, were oven dried and grind to fine-grained sized. The marine clay was mixed with 9 % by weight proportion of BS- RC; that were 8%-l% and 7%-2%, respectively. For comparison purposes the result of BS-RC was compared to the result of stabilization by using 9% BS only. Laboratory tests were then carried out to determine the Atterberg limits and compaction characteristics of the untreated and treated marine clay. The Unconfined Compressive Strength (UCS) of the untreated and treated marine clays, compacted at the optimum moisture content was later obtained. The treated marine clay was tested at 0, 3 and 7 days curing periods. The results show that the Plasticity Index of BS-RC treated marine clay was lower than the untreated marine clay. From the UCS test results, it is shown that BS-RC mixtures had significantly improved the strength of marine clay. With the same percentage of 9% BS-RC, the increased of BS from 7% to 8% increased the UCS further to about six times more than untreated marine clay soils in 7 days curing period. The strength gained by using BS-RC at 8%-1% is slightly below the strength by

Organic waste treatment with organically modified clays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Evans, J.C.; Pancoski, S.E.; Alther, G.

1989-01-01

The use of organically modified clays in hazardous waste management applications offers a significant new and untapped potential. These clays may be used in the stabilization of organic wastes and organically contaminated soils, for waste water treatment, for oil spill control, for liner systems beneath fuel oil storage tanks, and as a component within liner systems of hazardous waste storage treatment and disposal facilities. Organically modified clays (organophilic clays) may be employed in each of these systems to adsorb organic waste constituents, enhancing the performance of the applications

Laboratory study of the Flandres clay swelling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khaddaj, Said

1992-01-01

The first chapter contains a survey about the swelling of soils, and about the experimental methods used to characterize this phenomenon. A classification of soils in function of their swelling potential is proposed. The second chapter deals with the properties of Flandres clay. Chemical and mineralogical compositions, mechanical properties and free swell index are given. The third chapter contains a presentation of the study of the swelling potential of Flandres clay using the oedometer. Four methods are described and used (free-swell, different pressures, pre-swell and direct-swell). A numerical simulation of free-swell tests is also given. The fourth chapter includes a presentation of the study of the swelling behaviour of Flandres clay using a triaxial cell. Three methods are used: free-swell, pre-swell and different-pressures. The last chapter contains a parametric study of the swelling behaviour of Flandres clay. The influence of some parameters such as sample thickness, initial water content, vertical load and load history is presented. (author) [fr

Clay-cement suspensions - rheological and functional properties

Science.gov (United States)

Wojcik, L.; Izak, P.; Mastalska-Poplawska, J.; Gajek, M.

2017-01-01

The piping erosion in soil is highly unexpected in civil engineering. Elimination of such damages is difficult, expensive and time-consuming. One of the possibility is the grouting method. This method is still developed into direction of process automation as well as other useful properties of suspensions. Main way of modernization of the grouting method is connected it with rheology of injection and eventuality of fitting them to specific problems conditions. Very popular and useful became binders based on modified clays (clay-cement suspensions). Important principle of efficiency of the grouting method is using of time-dependent pseudothixotropic properties of the clay-cement suspensions. The pseudo-rheounstability aspect of the suspensions properties should be dedicated and fitted to dynamic changes of soil conditions destructions. Whole process of the modification of the suspension rheology is stimulated by the specific agents. This article contains a description of practical aspects of the rheological parameters managing of the clay-cement suspensions, dedicated to the building damages, hydrotechnic constructions etc.

"Clay grounds” in Denmark: from soil to canvas

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Buti, David; Vila, Anna; Haack Christensen, Anne

decorative scheme showed that at least two grounds from those paintings consist mainly of clay mixed with iron and magnesium-containing compounds. Furthermore, both SEM-EDX and µRaman measurements clearly highlighted the presence of a large amount of quartz particles. It is well known that clay is a sheet...

Water storage change estimation from in situ shrinkage measurements of clay soils

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B. te Brake

2013-05-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study is to assess the applicability of clay soil elevation change measurements to estimate soil water storage changes, using a simplified approach. We measured moisture contents in aggregates by EC-5 sensors, and in multiple aggregate and inter-aggregate spaces (bulk soil by CS616 sensors. In a long dry period, the assumption of constant isotropic shrinkage proved invalid and a soil moisture dependant geometry factor was applied. The relative overestimation made by assuming constant isotropic shrinkage in the linear (basic shrinkage phase was 26.4% (17.5 mm for the actively shrinking layer between 0 and 60 cm. Aggregate-scale water storage and volume change revealed a linear relation for layers ≥ 30 cm depth. The range of basic shrinkage in the bulk soil was limited by delayed drying of deep soil layers, and maximum water loss in the structural shrinkage phase was 40% of total water loss in the 0–60 cm layer, and over 60% in deeper layers. In the dry period, fitted slopes of the ΔV–ΔW relationship ranged from 0.41 to 0.56 (EC-5 and 0.42 to 0.55 (CS616. Under a dynamic drying and wetting regime, slopes ranged from 0.21 to 0.38 (EC-5 and 0.22 to 0.36 (CS616. Alternating shrinkage and incomplete swelling resulted in limited volume change relative to water storage change. The slope of the ΔV–ΔW relationship depended on the drying regime, measurement scale and combined effect of different soil layers. Therefore, solely relying on surface level elevation changes to infer soil water storage changes will lead to large underestimations. Recent and future developments might provide a basis for application of shrinkage relations to field situations, but in situ observations will be required to do so.

Simulation of water movement and isoproturon behaviour in a heavy clay soil using the MACRO model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T. J. Besien

1997-01-01

Full Text Available In this paper, the dual-porosity MACRO model has been used to investigate methods of reducing leaching of isoproturon from a structured heavy clay soil. The MACRO model was applied to a pesticide leaching data-set generated from a plot scale experiment on a heavy clay soil at the Oxford University Farm, Wytham, England. The field drain was found to be the most important outflow from the plot in terms of pesticide removal. Therefore, this modelling exercise concentrated on simulating field drain flow. With calibration of field-saturated and micropore saturated hydraulic conductivity, the drain flow hydrographs were simulated during extended periods of above average rainfall, with both the hydrograph shape and peak flows agreeing well. Over the whole field season, the observed drain flow water budget was well simulated. However, the first and second drain flow events after pesticide application were not simulated satisfactorily. This is believed to be due to a poor simulation of evapotranspiration during a period of low rainfall around the pesticide application day. Apart from an initial rapid drop in the observed isoproturon soil residue, the model simulated isoproturon residues during the 100 days after pesticide application reasonably well. Finally, the calibrated model was used to show that changes in agricultural practice (deep ploughing, creating fine consolidated seed beds and organic matter applications could potentially reduce pesticide leaching to surface waters by up to 60%.

Using vis-NIR to predict soil organic carbon and clay at national scale: validation of geographically closest resampling strategy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Peng, Yi; Knadel, Maria; Greve, Mette Balslev

2016-01-01

geographically closest sampling points. The SOC prediction resulted in R2: 0.76; RMSE: 4.02 %; RPD: 1.59; RPIQ: 0.35. The results for clay prediction were also successful (R2: 0.84; RMSE: 2.36 %; RPD: 2.35; RPIQ: 2.88). For SOC predictions, over 90% of soil samples were well predicted compared...... samples) for soils from each 7-km grid sampling point in the country. In the resampling and modelling process, each target sample was predicted by a specific model which was calibrated using geographically closest soil spectra. The geographically closest 20, 30, 40, and 50 sampling points (profiles) were...

Soil dynamics of the origination of soil tare during sugar beet lifting

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vermeulen, G.D.; Koolen, A.J.

2002-01-01

High soil tare of sugar beet on wet clay soil after uprooting with share lifters is usually attributed to the fact that the soil becomes sticky due to mechanical impact during uprooting. Results of field experiments have shown good potential for obtaining low soil tare of sugar beet on wet clay soil

Immobilization of soil cadmium using combined amendments of illite/smectite clay with bone chars.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Hong; Ou, Jieyong; Wang, Xuedong; Yan, Zengguang; Zhou, Youya

2018-05-12

The widespread use of cadmium (Cd)-containing organic fertilizers is a source of heavy metal inputs to agricultural soils in suburban areas. Therefore, the research and development of new materials and technologies for the remediation of Cd-contaminated soil is of great significance and has the potential to guarantee the safety of agricultural products and the protection of human health. We performed pot experiments to determine the potential of combined amendments of illite/smectite (I/S) clay with bone chars for the remediation of Cd-contaminated agricultural soils in a suburban area of Beijing, China. The results showed that both diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA)-extractable Cd in soil and the Cd in Brassica chinensis were significantly decreased by the application of 1, 2, or 5% combined amendments with various I/S and bone char (BC) ratios. The higher proportions of BC used in the combined amendments resulted in a better immobilization of soil Cd. The application of the 5% amendment that combined I/S with either pig or cattle BC resulted in the best immobilization. All of the combined amendments, regardless of the composition and ratio of the components, had no negative effects on the growth of B. chinensis. Therefore, it was concluded that combined amendments of I/S and BC have a good potential for remediating Cd-contaminated soils.

Effect of bovine manure on fecal coliform attachment to soil and soil particles of different sizes.

Science.gov (United States)

Guber, Andrey K; Pachepsky, Yakov A; Shelton, Daniel R; Yu, Olivia

2007-05-01

Manure-borne bacteria can be transported in runoff as free cells, cells attached to soil particles, and cells attached to manure particles. The objectives of this work were to compare the attachment of fecal coliforms (FC) to different soils and soil fractions and to assess the effect of bovine manure on FC attachment to soil and soil fractions. Three sand fractions of different sizes, the silt fraction, and the clay fraction of loam and sandy clay loam soils were separated and used along with soil samples in batch attachment experiments with water-FC suspensions and water-manure-FC suspensions. In the absence of manure colloids, bacterial attachment to soil, silt, and clay particles was much higher than the attachment to sand particles having no organic coating. The attachment to the coated sand particles was similar to the attachment to silt and clay. Manure colloids in suspensions decreased bacterial attachment to soils, clay and silt fractions, and coated sand fractions, but did not decrease the attachment to sand fractions without the coating. The low attachment of bacteria to silt and clay particles in the presence of manure colloids may cause predominantly free-cell transport of manure-borne FC in runoff.

Impacts of soil conditioners and water table management on phosphorus loss in tile drainage from a clay loam soil.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, T Q; Tan, C S; Zheng, Z M; Welacky, T W; Reynolds, W D

2015-03-01

Adoption of waste-derived soil conditioners and refined water management can improve soil physical quality and crop productivity of fine-textured soils. However, the impacts of these practices on water quality must be assessed to ensure environmental sustainability. We conducted a study to determine phosphorus (P) loss in tile drainage as affected by two types of soil conditioners (yard waste compost and swine manure compost) and water table management (free drainage and controlled drainage with subirrigation) in a clay loam soil under corn-soybean rotation in a 4-yr period from 1999 to 2003. Tile drainage flows were monitored and sampled on a year-round continuous basis using on-site auto-sampling systems. Water samples were analyzed for dissolved reactive P (DRP), particulate P (PP), and total P (TP). Substantially greater concentrations and losses of DRP, PP, and TP occurred with swine manure compost than with control and yard waste compost regardless of water table management. Compared with free drainage, controlled drainage with subirrigation was an effective way to reduce annual and cumulative losses of DRP, PP, and TP in tile drainage through reductions in flow volume and P concentration with control and yard waste compost but not with swine manure compost. Both DRP and TP concentrations in tile drainage were well above the water quality guideline for P, affirming that subsurface loss of P from fine-textured soils can be one critical source for freshwater eutrophication. Swine manure compost applied as a soil conditioner must be optimized by taking water quality impacts into consideration. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

Enhanced degradation of 14C-HCB in two tropical clay soils using multiple anaerobic–aerobic cycles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Orori Kengara, Fredrick; Doerfler, Ulrike; Welzl, Gerhard; Ruth, Bernhard; Munch, Jean Charles; Schroll, Reiner

2013-01-01

The aim of the study was to induce and enhance the degradation of hexachlorobenzene (HCB), a highly-chlorinated persistent organic pollutant, in two ecologically different tropical soils: a paddy soil (PS) and a non-paddy soil (FS). The degradation of HCB was enhanced using two anaerobic–aerobic cycles in model laboratory experiments. There was greater degradation of HCB in the PS (half-life of 224 days) relative to the FS (half-life of 286 days). It was further shown that soils amended with compost had higher metabolite concentrations relative to the non-amended soils. In the first cycle, there was little degradation of HCB in both soils. However, in the second cycle, there was enhanced mineralization in the PS under aerobic conditions, with the compost-treated samples showing higher mineralization. There was also extensive volatilization in both soils. The metabolite pattern revealed that the increased mineralization and volatilization was due to the formation of lower chlorinated benzenes. - Highlights: ► Two anaerobic–aerobic cycles enhanced the dissipation of HCB in two tropical soils – a paddy and non-paddy soil. ► The paddy soil was more effective in degrading HCB. ► The non-paddy soil adapted and degraded HCB in the second anaerobic–aerobic cycle. ► An additional carbon source enhanced degradation and mineralisation of HCB in both soils. - Two anaerobic–aerobic cycles enhance the degradation of HCB in two ecologically different tropical clay soils.

Effects of biochar on hydraulic conductivity of compacted kaolin clay.

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, James Tsz Fung; Chen, Zhongkui; Wong, Annie Yan Yan; Ng, Charles Wang Wai; Wong, Ming Hung

2018-03-01

Compacted clay is widely used as capillary barriers in landfill final cover system. Recently, biochar amended clay (BAC) has been proposed as a sustainable alternative cover material. However, the effects of biochar on saturated hydraulic conductivity (k sat ) of clay with high degree of compaction is not yet understood. The present study aims to investigate the effects of biochar on k sat of compacted kaolin clay. Soil specimens were prepared by amending kaolin clay with biochar derived from peanut-shell at 0, 5 and 20% (w/w). The k sat of soil specimens was measured using a flexible water permeameter. The effects of biochar on the microstructure of the compacted clay was also investigated using MIP. Adding 5% and 20% of biochar increased the k sat of compacted kaolin clay from 1.2 × 10 -9 to 2.1 × 10 -9 and 1.3 × 10 -8 ms -1 , respectively. The increase in k sat of clay was due to the shift in pore size distribution of compacted biochar-amended clay (BAC). MIP results revealed that adding 20% of biochar shifted the dominant pore diameter of clay from 0.01-0.1 μm (meso- and macropores) to 0.1-4 μm (macropores). Results reported in this communication revealed that biochar application increased the k sat of compacted clay, and the increment was positively correlated to the biochar percentage. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Characterization of clay deposits from Egypt and assessment of their potential application for waste water treatment: How dissolved organic matter determines the interaction of heavy metals and clay minerals

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Refaey Mohammed, Y.B.

2016-01-01

The main aim of this study was to investigate the potential of using clay minerals abundant in local soils in Egypt as low cost materials to reduce Cu, Ni and Zn pollution of soil and groundwater originating from polluted wastewater; specifically focusing on the influence of the interaction of clay

Assessment of the Swelling Pressure of the Green Clay of Tangier (Morocco Compared with the Soil-Moisture Conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

El Bahlouli Tarik

2014-04-01

Full Text Available The swelling phenomenon appears seriously when changing the soil-moisture conditions. The swelling pressure induced by the expansive soil can causes unfavourable problems or instability for the civil structures. So, understanding the soil behavior is considered a valuable work for engineers and consultants in the geotechnical and civil engineering sectors. In reality, the assessment of the swelling pressure of expansive soil depends, first of all, of test conditions related to the change of soil-moisture, as it happens, the influence of the combination “loading-start wetting” and also the unloading process after saturation. To this end, we establish an experimental study on the green clay of Tangier to evaluate the swelling pressure by using oedometer apparatus. Secondly, attention is bore to the combination “initial water content-dry density”, another factor related to the change of the soil-moisture, to show the influence of initial state condition on the swelling pressure.

Chlordecone retention in the fractal structure of volcanic clay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Woignier, Thierry; Clostre, Florence; Macarie, Hervé; Jannoyer, Magalie

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Allophanic soils are highly polluted but less contaminant for cultivated vegetables. ► SAXS and TEM show the fractal structure of allophane aggregates at the nanoscale. ► Allophane aggregates play the role of a labyrinth which fixes and traps chlordecone. ► Allophane physical properties contribute to chlordecone retention in andosols. - Abstract: Chlordecone (CHLD), a soil and foodstuff pollutant, as well as an environmentally persistent organochlorine insecticide, was used intensively in banana fields. The chlordecone uptake of three crops was measured for two types of polluted soils: allophanic and non-allophanic. The uptake is lower for allophanic soils even if their chlordecone content is higher than with non-allophanic soils. The fractal structure of the allophane aggregates was characterized at the nanoscale by small angle X-rays scattering, pore size distribution and transmission electron microscopy. We showed that clay microstructures should be an important physico-chemical factor governing the fate of chlordecone in the environment. Allophanic clays result in two counterintuitive findings: higher contaminant trappings yet lower contaminant availability. We propose that this specific, tortuous structure, along with its associated low accessibility, partly explains the low availability of chlordecone confined in allophanic soils. Capsule The fractal and tortuous microstructure of allophane clay favours the chlordecone retention in soils and disfavours the crop uptake.

Sedimentos arcillosos en un suelo del valle inferior del río Colorado (Argentina Clay sediments in a soil of the lower Colorado river valley (Argentina

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Norman Peinemann

2008-12-01

Full Text Available Se describe la presencia de capas sedimentarias ricas en minerales de arcilla en un subsuelo del valle inferior del río Colorado por su importancia para el régimen hídrico de suelos bajo riego. Difractogramas de rayos X efectuados sobre la fracción arcilla fina de estos sedimentos revelaron que está compuesta por smectitas con muy buena cristalización. La caracterización fisicoquímica del perfil de suelo mostró que el fuerte incremento de minerales de arcilla en el subsuelo estuvo vinculado con un aumento de pH y PSI y en consecuencia una marcada disminución en la conductividad hidráulica, motivo por el cual la eventual presencia de estas capas sedimentarias debe ser muy tenida en cuenta en la programación de las prácticas de riego para evitar el posible deterioro de los suelos.The presence of sedimentary clay layers in subsoils of the lower Colorado river valley are described due to their impact on the water balance of soils under irrigation. X-ray difractograms of the fine clay fraction of these sediments show that they are composed of smectites with a very good crystallization. The physicochemical characterization of the soil profile indicates that the abrupt increase of clay minerals was associated with high pH and ESP values as well as a sharp decrease in hydraulic conductivity. Therefore, the presence of sedimentary clay layers in soils has to be considered when planning irrigation practices to avoid soil degradation.

Let's Break it Down: A Study of Organic Decomposition Rates in Clay Soil

Science.gov (United States)

Weiss, E.

2016-12-01

In this experiment I will be testing if temperature affects the organic decomposition rates in clay soil. I will need to be able to clean and weigh each filter paper without disrupting my data damaging or brushing off additional paper material. From there I need to be able to analyze and interpret my data to factor anything else that may affect the decomposition rates in the soil. Soil decomposers include bacteria and fungi. They obtain energy from plant and animal detritus through aerobic decomposition, which is similar to how humans break down sugar. The formula is: C6H12O6 + O2 → CO2 + H2O + energy. Besides oxygen and sugar the organisms need nutrients such as water and sustainable temperatures. Decomposition is important to us because it helps regulate soil structure, moisture, temperature, and provides nutrients to soil organisms. This matters on a global scale since decomposers release a large amount of carbon when breaking down matter, which contributes to greenhouse gasses such as carbon dioxide and methane. These greenhouse gasses affect the earth's climate. People who care about decomposition are farmers and those in agriculture, as well as environmental scientists. Even national parks might care because decomposition may affect park safety, how the park looks, and the amount of plants and wildlife. Things that can affect decomposition are the decomposers in the soil, temperature, and water or moisture. My secondary research also showed that PH and chemical composition of the soil affect the rate of decomposition.Cold or freezing temperatures can help preserve organic material in soil because it freezes the soil and moisture, making it too dense for the organic decomposers to break down the organic matter. Soil also can be preserved by drying out and being stored at 4º Celsius (or 39º Fahrenheit) for 28 days. However, soil can degrade slowly in these conditions because it is not frozen and can be oxidized.

Pyrolysis of attapulgite clay blended with yak dung enhances pasture growth and soil health: Characterization and initial field trials.

Science.gov (United States)

Rafiq, Muhammad Khalid; Joseph, Stephen D; Li, Fei; Bai, Yanfu; Shang, Zhanhuan; Rawal, Aditya; Hook, James M; Munroe, Paul R; Donne, Scott; Taherymoosavi, Sara; Mitchell, David R G; Pace, Ben; Mohammed, Mohanad; Horvat, Joseph; Marjo, Christopher E; Wagner, Avital; Wang, Yanlong; Ye, Jun; Long, Rui-Jun

2017-12-31

Recent studies have shown that the pyrolysis of biomass combined with clay can result in both lower cost and increase in plant yields. One of the major sources of nutrients for pasture growth, as well as fuel and building materials in Tibet is yak dung. This paper reports on the initial field testing in a pasture setting in Tibet using yak dung, biochar, and attapulgite clay/yak dung biochars produced at ratios of 10/90 and 50/50 clay to dung. We found that the treatment with attapulgite clay/yak dung (50/50) biochar resulted in the highest pasture yields and grass nutrition quality. We also measured the properties and yields of mixtures of clay/yak dung biochar used in the field trials produced at 400°C and 500°C to help determine a possible optimum final pyrolysis temperature and dung/clay ratio. It was observed that increasing clay content increased carbon stability, overall biochar yield, pore size, carboxyl and ketone/aldehyde functional groups, hematite and ferrous/ferric sulphate/thiosulphate concentration, surface area and magnetic moment. Decreasing clay content resulted in higher pH, CEC, N content and an enhanced ability to accept and donate electrons. The resulting properties were a complex function of both processing temperature and the percentage of clay for the biochars processed at both 400°C and 500°C. It is possible that the increase in yield and nutrient uptake in the field trial is related to the higher concentration of C/O functional groups, higher surface area and pore volume and higher content of Fe/O/S nanoparticles of multiple oxidation state in the 50/50 clay/dung. These properties have been found to significantly increase the abundance of beneficial microorganisms and hence improve the nutrient cycling and availability in soil. Further field trials are required to determine the optimum pyrolysis production conditions and application rate on the abundance of beneficial microorganisms, yields and nutrient quality. Copyright © 2017

Mineralogical composition and functionality of clays used for pottery ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Mineralogical composition and functionality of clays used for pottery education by physically challenged learners at the Ikwezi-Lokusa Educational Centre, Eastern Cape, South Africa. ... The clays were mineralogically characterised using Munsell Soil Color Chart, X-ray powder diffractometry (XRPD) and optical microscopy.

Centrifuge modelling of rigid piles in soft clay

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Klinkvort, R.T.; Poder, M.; Truong, P.

2016-01-01

of this study is to employ centrifuge modelling in order to derive experimental p-y curves for rigid piles embedded in over-consolidated soft clay. A kaolin clay sample was prepared and pre-consolidated by applying a constant pressure at the soil surface, while different over-consolidation ratios were achieved...

Assessment of the mechanical properties of sisal fiber-reinforced silty clay using triaxial shear tests.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Yankai; Li, Yanbin; Niu, Bin

2014-01-01

Fiber reinforcement is widely used in construction engineering to improve the mechanical properties of soil because it increases the soil's strength and improves the soil's mechanical properties. However, the mechanical properties of fiber-reinforced soils remain controversial. The present study investigated the mechanical properties of silty clay reinforced with discrete, randomly distributed sisal fibers using triaxial shear tests. The sisal fibers were cut to different lengths, randomly mixed with silty clay in varying percentages, and compacted to the maximum dry density at the optimum moisture content. The results indicate that with a fiber length of 10 mm and content of 1.0%, sisal fiber-reinforced silty clay is 20% stronger than nonreinforced silty clay. The fiber-reinforced silty clay exhibited crack fracture and surface shear fracture failure modes, implying that sisal fiber is a good earth reinforcement material with potential applications in civil engineering, dam foundation, roadbed engineering, and ground treatment.

Organic Control of Dioctahedral and Trioctahedral Clay Formation in an Alkaline Soil System in the Pantanal Wetland of Nhecolândia, Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Barbiero, Laurent; Berger, Gilles; Rezende Filho, Ary T; Meunier, Jean-François; Martins-Silva, Elisângela R; Furian, Sonia

2016-01-01

Recent studies have focused on the formation of authigenic clays in an alkaline soil system surrounding lakes of the Nhecolândia region, Pantanal wetland. The presence of trioctahedral Mg-smectites (stevensite and saponite types), which requires low Al and Fe contents in the soil solution for its formation, contrasts with the neoformation of dioctahedral Fe-mica (glauconite, and Fe-illite), which instead requires solutions relatively enriched in Al and Fe. This study aims to understand the conditions of co-existence of both, Mg-smectite and Fe-mica a common clay association in former or modern alkaline soil systems and sediments. The study was carried out along an alkaline soil catena representative of the region. The soil organization revealed that Mg-smectite occur in top soil close to the lake, whereas Fe-mica dominate in the clay fraction of deeper greenish horizons a few meters apart. We propose here that this spatial distribution is controlled by the lateral transfer of Fe and Al with organic ligands. Alkaline organic rich solutions (DOC up to 738 mg L-1) collected in the watertable were centrifuged and filtered through membranes of decreasing pore size (0.45 μm, 0.2 μm, 30 KDa, 10 KDa, 3 KDa) to separate colloidal and dissolved fractions. Fe, Al, Si, Mg and K were analysed for each fraction. Although the filtration had no influence on Si and K contents, almost 90% of Fe (up to 2.3 mg L-1) and Al (up to 7 mg L-1) are retained at the first cutoff threshold of 0.45μm. The treatment of the same solutions by oxygen peroxide before filtration shows that a large proportion of Fe and Al were bonded to organic colloids in alkaline soil solution at the immediate lake border, allowing Mg-smectite precipitation. The fast mineralization of the organic matter a few meters apart from the lake favors the release of Fe and Al necessary for Fe-mica neoformation. In comparison with chemical and mineralogical characteristics of alkaline environments described in the

Organic Control of Dioctahedral and Trioctahedral Clay Formation in an Alkaline Soil System in the Pantanal Wetland of Nhecolândia, Brazil

Science.gov (United States)

Meunier, Jean-François; Martins-Silva, Elisângela R.; Furian, Sonia

2016-01-01

Recent studies have focused on the formation of authigenic clays in an alkaline soil system surrounding lakes of the Nhecolândia region, Pantanal wetland. The presence of trioctahedral Mg-smectites (stevensite and saponite types), which requires low Al and Fe contents in the soil solution for its formation, contrasts with the neoformation of dioctahedral Fe-mica (glauconite, and Fe-illite), which instead requires solutions relatively enriched in Al and Fe. This study aims to understand the conditions of co-existence of both, Mg-smectite and Fe-mica a common clay association in former or modern alkaline soil systems and sediments. The study was carried out along an alkaline soil catena representative of the region. The soil organization revealed that Mg-smectite occur in top soil close to the lake, whereas Fe-mica dominate in the clay fraction of deeper greenish horizons a few meters apart. We propose here that this spatial distribution is controlled by the lateral transfer of Fe and Al with organic ligands. Alkaline organic rich solutions (DOC up to 738 mg L-1) collected in the watertable were centrifuged and filtered through membranes of decreasing pore size (0.45 μm, 0.2 μm, 30 KDa, 10 KDa, 3 KDa) to separate colloidal and dissolved fractions. Fe, Al, Si, Mg and K were analysed for each fraction. Although the filtration had no influence on Si and K contents, almost 90% of Fe (up to 2.3 mg L-1) and Al (up to 7 mg L-1) are retained at the first cutoff threshold of 0.45μm. The treatment of the same solutions by oxygen peroxide before filtration shows that a large proportion of Fe and Al were bonded to organic colloids in alkaline soil solution at the immediate lake border, allowing Mg-smectite precipitation. The fast mineralization of the organic matter a few meters apart from the lake favors the release of Fe and Al necessary for Fe-mica neoformation. In comparison with chemical and mineralogical characteristics of alkaline environments described in the

Organic Control of Dioctahedral and Trioctahedral Clay Formation in an Alkaline Soil System in the Pantanal Wetland of Nhecolândia, Brazil.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laurent Barbiero

Full Text Available Recent studies have focused on the formation of authigenic clays in an alkaline soil system surrounding lakes of the Nhecolândia region, Pantanal wetland. The presence of trioctahedral Mg-smectites (stevensite and saponite types, which requires low Al and Fe contents in the soil solution for its formation, contrasts with the neoformation of dioctahedral Fe-mica (glauconite, and Fe-illite, which instead requires solutions relatively enriched in Al and Fe. This study aims to understand the conditions of co-existence of both, Mg-smectite and Fe-mica a common clay association in former or modern alkaline soil systems and sediments. The study was carried out along an alkaline soil catena representative of the region. The soil organization revealed that Mg-smectite occur in top soil close to the lake, whereas Fe-mica dominate in the clay fraction of deeper greenish horizons a few meters apart. We propose here that this spatial distribution is controlled by the lateral transfer of Fe and Al with organic ligands. Alkaline organic rich solutions (DOC up to 738 mg L-1 collected in the watertable were centrifuged and filtered through membranes of decreasing pore size (0.45 μm, 0.2 μm, 30 KDa, 10 KDa, 3 KDa to separate colloidal and dissolved fractions. Fe, Al, Si, Mg and K were analysed for each fraction. Although the filtration had no influence on Si and K contents, almost 90% of Fe (up to 2.3 mg L-1 and Al (up to 7 mg L-1 are retained at the first cutoff threshold of 0.45μm. The treatment of the same solutions by oxygen peroxide before filtration shows that a large proportion of Fe and Al were bonded to organic colloids in alkaline soil solution at the immediate lake border, allowing Mg-smectite precipitation. The fast mineralization of the organic matter a few meters apart from the lake favors the release of Fe and Al necessary for Fe-mica neoformation. In comparison with chemical and mineralogical characteristics of alkaline environments described

How do changes in bulk soil organic carbon content affect carbon concentrations in individual soil particle fractions?

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, X. M.; Drury, C. F.; Reynolds, W. D.; Yang, J. Y.

2016-06-01

We test the common assumption that organic carbon (OC) storage occurs on sand-sized soil particles only after the OC storage capacity on silt- and clay-sized particles is saturated. Soil samples from a Brookston clay loam in Southwestern Ontario were analysed for the OC concentrations in bulk soil, and on the clay (<2 μm), silt (2-53 μm) and sand (53-2000 μm) particle size fractions. The OC concentrations in bulk soil ranged from 4.7 to 70.8 g C kg-1 soil. The OC concentrations on all three particle size fractions were significantly related to the OC concentration of bulk soil. However, OC concentration increased slowly toward an apparent maximum on silt and clay, but this maximum was far greater than the maximum predicted by established C sequestration models. In addition, significant increases in OC associated with sand occurred when the bulk soil OC concentration exceeded 30 g C kg-1, but this increase occurred when the OC concentration on silt + clay was still far below the predicted storage capacity for silt and clay fractions. Since the OC concentrations in all fractions of Brookston clay loam soil continued to increase with increasing C (bulk soil OC content) input, we concluded that the concept of OC storage capacity requires further investigation.

The use of clays as sorbents and catalysts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McCabe, R.W.

1998-01-01

The paper attempts to show the structural, physical and chemical properties of clay minerals relate to their laboratory, industrial and environmental uses as sorbents and catalysts. A brief review of the formulae and structures of clays and their relationship to their chemical and physical properties follows. Clay minerals are also useful in environmental protection as they can adsorb crude oils from spills and they are used, sometimes mixed into concrete, as containment barriers for radionuclides caesium 137 and strontium 90. Clay soils can also act as natural barriers to the migration of radionuclides in the environment

Microbial assimilation of ¹⁴C of ground and unground plant materials decomposing in a loamy sand and a clay soil

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, P.; Ladd, J.N.; Amato, M.

1996-01-01

The influence of grinding plant materials on the microbial decomposition and the distribution of plant-derived carbon in soil was measured. Ground and unground, C-14-labelled subclover leaves (Trifolium subterraneum) were added to a loamy sand and clay soil and incubated for 42 d at 25 degrees C....

Studies on Tagged Clay Migration Due to Water Movement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scharpenseel, H.W.; Kerpen, W.

1967-01-01

55 Fe-tagged clay minerals, produced by hydrothermal synthesis, serve to clarify the question whether clay migration or clay formation in situ is the predominating mechanism in the B t -development of Parabraunerde (sol brun lessive, grey brown podsolic, hapludalf, dernopodsol). They further indicate the possibilities of clay transportation caused by water percolation. Suitable experimental approaches, such as thin-layer chromatography and autoradiography, translocation tests in columns filled with monotypical textural fractions or with undisturbed soil profiles, and synchronous hydrothermal treatment of 55 Fe-con raining material from different horizons of Parabraunerde, to reveal the specific readiness of the different profile zones for 55 Fe-clay production, are described. The possibilities of clay percolation are discussed. (author)

Availability of potassium in biomass combustion ashes and gasification biochars after application to soils with variable pH and clay content

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Li, Xiaoxi; Rubæk, Gitte Holton; Sørensen, Peter

2017-01-01

.8–7.8) and clay contents (3–17%). Exchangeable K in the product-soil mixture was determined, and the K recovery rate from the applied products varied from 31 to 86%. The relative recovery compared to applied KCl was used to indicate K availability and was 50–86% across all soils, but lower for two sewage sludge....... The objective of this study was to evaluate the potassium (K) availability in various types of biomass ashes and gasification biochars (GBs) derived from straw, wood, sewage sludge and poultry manure when mixed with soil. A 16-week incubation study was conducted with three contrasting soils of variable pH (5...

Influence of salinity on bioremediation of oil in soil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rhykerd, R.L.; Weaver, R.W.; McInnes, K.J.

1995-01-01

Spills from oil production and processing result in soils being contaminated with oil and salt. The effect of NaCl on degradation of oil in a sandy-clay loam and a clay loam soil was determined. Soils were treated with 50 g kg -1 non-detergent motor oil (30 SAE). Salt treatments included NaCl amendments to adjust the soil solution electrical conductivities to 40, 120, and 200 dS m -1 . Soils were amended with nutrients and incubated at 25 o C. Oil degradation was estimated from the quantities of CO 2 evolved and from gravimetric determinations of remaining oil. Salt concentrations of 200 dS m -1 in oil amended soils resulted in a decrease in oil mineralized by 44% for a clay loam and 20% for a sandy-clay loam soil. A salt concentration of 40 dS m -1 reduced oil mineralization by about 10% in both soils. Oil mineralized in the oil amended clay-loam soil was 2-3 times greater than for comparable treatments of the sandy-clay loam soil. Amending the sandy-clay loam soil with 5% by weight of the clay-loam soil enhanced oil mineralization by 40%. Removal of salts from oil and salt contaminated soils before undertaking bioremediation may reduce the time required for bioremediation. (author)

On the thermal behaviour of Boom clay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Delage, P.; Cui Yu Jun; Sultan, N.

2004-01-01

When temperature is increased, the various phenomena that occur in a saturated natural potential host clay for nuclear waste disposal (Boom clay from SCK-CEN in Mol, Belgium) were experimentally investigated in a temperature controlled high stress triaxial cell. Firstly, the pore pressure build-up due to the difference in thermal dilation of both water and minerals was investigated through thermal consolidation tests. Interesting information was obtained about the dissipation of thermally induced pore pressure in Boom clay, based on the standard Terzaghi consolidation theory. Secondly, the volume change behaviour in drained conditions (i.e. under a very slow temperature increase) confirmed that the clay overconsolidation ratio (OCR) controlled the nature of the volume changes. Whereas overconsolidated soils use to dilate as any material when temperature is elevated, normally consolidated soils present a decrease in volume, which is less common. The principles of a coupled thermo-elasto-plastic model that was specifically developed to model this particular behaviour are finally presented. Obviously, it appears necessary to account in detail for these thermal phenomena in order to properly understand the response of the geological barrier in the near field once nuclear waste has been stored. (orig.)

Quality evaluation of processed clay soil samples | Steiner-Asiedu ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Introduction: This study assessed the microbial quality of clay samples sold on two of the major Ghanaian markets. Methods: The study was a cross-sectional assessing the evaluation of processed clay and effects it has on the nutrition of the consumers in the political capital town of Ghana. The items for the examination was ...

Methodical comparison of neutron depth probes and long-term soil moisture measurements on loess, sandy loess, and boulder clay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Neue, H.U.

1980-01-01

Three measuring instruments were tested: 0.05 mCi Cf-252, 100 mCi Am-241/Be, 500 mCi Am-241/Be. The advantages - measurement in undisturbed soil profiles, large depths of measurement, reproducibility of measurements in the same place over several years - and the disadvantages - radiation protection, resolution, variations of measured volume in dependence of moisture, background influences etc. - have been critically checked by experiment. In addition, annual soil moisture curves have been measured over two years by parallel use of the free probes on a loess, sandy loess, and boulder clay site. The results were compared and discussed with a view to the soil water dynamics of these sites. (orig./HP) [de

Feasibility of classification of clay minerals by using PAS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Honda, Y; Yoshida, Y; Akiyama, Y; Nishijima, S

2015-01-01

After the nuclear power plant disaster, the evaluation of radioactive Cs kept in soil, especially in clay minerals and the elucidation of its movement are urgent subjects to promote decontamination. It is known that the extractable level of Cs depends on the sort of clay minerals. We tried to find the characteristics of clay minerals belonging to phillosilicate group using positron annihilation spectroscopy (PAS) and the relationship between the results of PAS and the amounts of substantially extracted Cs from the clay minerals. The results showed that each clay mineral was found to be distinguishable from other clay minerals by PAS and the extraction rate of Cs was different among those clay minerals, however the direct correlation between the results of PAS and the extraction rates of Cs was not found. (paper)

Studies on Tagged Clay Migration Due to Water Movement

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Scharpenseel, H. W. [Institut fuer Bodenkunde der Universitaet Bonn, Federal Republic of Germany (Germany); Kerpen, W. [Arbeitsgruppe, Institut fuer Landwirtschaft der KFA Juelich, Bonn, Federal Republic of Germany (Germany)

1967-11-15

{sup 55}Fe-tagged clay minerals, produced by hydrothermal synthesis, serve to clarify the question whether clay migration or clay formation in situ is the predominating mechanism in the B{sub t}-development of Parabraunerde (sol brun lessive, grey brown podsolic, hapludalf, dernopodsol). They further indicate the possibilities of clay transportation caused by water percolation. Suitable experimental approaches, such as thin-layer chromatography and autoradiography, translocation tests in columns filled with monotypical textural fractions or with undisturbed soil profiles, and synchronous hydrothermal treatment of {sup 55}Fe-con raining material from different horizons of Parabraunerde, to reveal the specific readiness of the different profile zones for {sup 55}Fe-clay production, are described. The possibilities of clay percolation are discussed. (author)

The Ecological Perspective of Landslides at Soils with High Clay Content in the Middle Bogowonto Watershed, Central Java, Indonesia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Junun Sartohadi

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The clay layers at hilly regions in the study area were very thick. The presence of very thick clay caused several difficulties in terms of environmental management, particularly in reducing georisk due to landslide. However, initial observations proved that areas of active landslides had better vegetation cover. The objective of this study was to find out ecological roles of landslides in livelihood in the Middle Bogowonto Watershed. The ecological roles of landslide were examined through field empirical evidences. Texture, bulk density, permeability, structure, and index plasticity were conducted for analyses of soil physical properties. Stepwise interpretation was made using 1 : 100,000–1 : 25,000 Indonesian topographic maps and remote sensing images of 30 m–<10 m spatial resolution. The results showed that landslides formed three landform zones: residual, erosional, and depositional zones. The area that did not slid, the residual zone, had massive soil structure and very hard consistency. Crops cultivated in this zone did not grow well. In the areas of active landslide, the environmental conditions seemed to be more favorable for living creatures. The landslides resulted in depositional zones with gentle slopes (4° to 15°, higher water availability, and easier soil management. The landslides also acted as the rearrangement process of landforms for better living environment.

Effect of seawater on consistency, infiltration rate and swelling characteristics of montmorillonite clay

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohie Eldin Elmashad

2016-08-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the results of an experimental investigation performed to quantify the effect of mixing clayey soils with saltwater on consistency and swelling characteristics of clays. Massive natural clay deposits and compacted clay backfills either exist or are used in certain important and sensitive applications such as dams, liners, barriers and buffers in waste disposal facilities. In many cases, the clay deposits in these applications are subjected to saltwater. However, in standard laboratory classification tests, distilled or potable water are usually used in mixing test samples. This may lead to faulty interpretation of the actual in-situ consistency and volume change behaviors. In this research, an attempt is made to quantify the changes in consistency and swelling of clay soils from various locations around the Nile valley and possessing a wide range of consistency, when mixed with natural seawater with different salt concentrations. The results showed that the increase of the salt concentration of the mixing water may result in major decrease in the liquid limit and swelling characteristics of high plasticity montmorillonite clays. The reduction in the swelling of the clay soils is also proportional to the rate of saltwater infiltration. In an attempt to correlate the swelling of clays to the rate of water infiltration, a new simplified laboratory apparatus is proposed where swelling and infiltration are measured in one simple test “the swelling infiltrometer”.

The effect of kauri (Agathis australis) on grain size distribution and clay mineralogy of andesitic soils in the Waitakere Ranges, New Zealand

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jongkind, A.G.; Buurman, P.

2006-01-01

Kauri (Agathis australis) is generally associated with intense podzolisation, but little research has been carried out to substantiate this. We studied soil profiles, grain size distribution patterns and clay mineralogy under kauri and broadleaf/tree fern vegetation in the Waitakere Ranges, North

Geological and geotechnical characteristics of Metro Manila volcanic soils and their suitability for landfill soil liner

Science.gov (United States)

Mendoza, Edna Patricia; Catane, Sandra; Pascua, Chelo; Zarco, Mark Albert

2010-05-01

Due to the Philippines's island-arc setting, andesitic tuff and volcanic ash constitute two-thirds of the country's agricultural land. In situ weathering of these volcanic sediments produces volcanic soils. Metro Manila volcanic soils were studied to determine their suitability for landfill soil liner. The soils were analyzed using XRD and XRF, and were tested for geotechnical properties. The results show the presence of the smectite group, a swelling variety of clay. The smectite-type clays are weathering products of volcanic glasses which are dominant components of the parental rocks. The high amounts of Al2O3 indicate an Al-rich type of soil. The clay species is either di- or tri-octahedral type, which points to montmorillonite as the main clay species. Swelling clay lowers the permeability of soils and reduces the infiltration and lateral movement of leachates in the ground. Also, geotechnical tests revealed moderate to high plasticity indices and low hydraulic conductivity values. The study shows that the physicochemical characteristics of volcanic soils meet the criteria for a soil liner for future sanitary landfill projects as mandated by RA 9003, a recently ratified solid waste management act of the Philippines. Being widespread, volcanic soils can be viewed as an important resource of the country.

Relationship between soil texture and soil organic matter content on mined-out lands in Berau, East Kalimantan, Indonesia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

WAHJUNI HARTATI

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract. Hartati, Sudarmadji T. 2016. Relationship between soil texture and soil organic matter content on mined-out lands in Berau, East Kalimantan, Indonesia. Nusantara Bioscience 8: 83-88. Post open pit mining may in most cases leave unarable and degraded lands due to heavy soil disturbances and therefore reclamation efforts of such area should be addressed on the revitalization of the soil functions for plant growth. The capability of tropical humid soils, including post open pit mining soils, to support plant growth is largely determined by their organic matter content-nutrient pool, soil aggregation, microbial activity, etc. However, soil organic matter content is, to large extent, governed by the soil clay content which is most likely permanent. This may imply that the soil texture couple with soil organic matter content could be a sound measurement to assess the recovery stages of the mined-out lands in term of soil functions for plant growth. This research was conducted in three sites of reclamation area in Berau, East Kalimantan. Soil texture varied from moderately fine (35-40% clay to fine (40-50% clay and very fine (>50% clay for the BMO, SMO and LMO sites respectively. Soil clay eluviations were found in both of SMO (8 years old revegetation and BMO (>12 years old revegetation sites but not in LMO site. Soil organic matter content ranged from very low (12 and 8 years old revegetation when the organic matter content reaching its maximum. The very fine soil texture does not show clay eluviations process until > 12 years old revegetation even containing the highest organic C content and reaches its maximum at 8-10 years old revegetation.

Hydration Phase Diagram of Clay Particles from Molecular Simulations.

Science.gov (United States)

Honorio, Tulio; Brochard, Laurent; Vandamme, Matthieu

2017-11-07

Adsorption plays a fundamental role in the behavior of clays. Because of the confinement between solid clay layers on the nanoscale, adsorbed water is structured in layers, which can occupy a specific volume. The transition between these states is intimately related to key features of clay thermo-hydro-mechanical behavior. In this article, we consider the hydration states of clays as phases and the transition between these states as phase changes. The thermodynamic formulation supporting this idea is presented. Then, the results from grand canonical Monte Carlo simulations of sodium montmorillonite are used to derive hydration phase diagrams. The stability analysis presented here explains the coexistence of different hydration states at clay particle scale and improves our understanding of the irreversibilities of clay thermo-hydro-mechanical behavior. Our results provide insights into the mechanics of the elementary constituents of clays, which is crucial for a better understanding of the macroscopic behavior of clay-rich rocks and soils.

Water-soluble organo-building blocks of aminoclay as a soil-flushing agent for heavy metal contaminated soil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Young-Chul; Kim, Eun Jung; Ko, Dong Ah; Yang, Ji-Won

2011-01-01

Highlights: ► Aminoclays have synthesized using centered metals with aminopropyl silane. ► Developed aminoclay has unique nano-sized and water-soluble properties. ► Aminoclay showed high heavy metal capacity with metal ions and its less toxicity. ► Aminoclay could be used to remediate heavy metals from soils an alternative soil-flushing agent. - Abstract: We demonstrated that water-soluble aminopropyl magnesium functionalized phyllosilicate could be used as a soil-flushing agent for heavy metal contaminated soils. Soil flushing has been an attractive means to remediate heavy metal contamination because it is less disruptive to the soil environment after the treatment was performed. However, development of efficient and non-toxic soil-flushing agents is still required. We have synthesized aminoclays with three different central metal ions such as magnesium, aluminum, and ferric ions and investigated applicability of aminoclays as soil flushing agents. Among them, magnesium (Mg)-centered aminoclay showed the smallest size distribution and superior water solubility, up to 100 mg/mL. Mg aminoclay exhibited cadmium and lead binding capacity of 26.50 and 91.31 mg/g of Mg clay, respectively, at near neutral pH, but it showed negligible binding affinity to metals in acidic conditions. For soil flushing with Mg clay at neutral pH showed cadmium and lead were efficiently extracted from soils by Mg clay, suggesting strong binding ability of Mg clay with cadmium and lead. As the organic matter and clay compositions increased in the soil, the removal efficiency by Mg clay decreased and the operation time increased.

Thermo-mechanical constitutive modeling of unsaturated clays based on the critical state concepts

OpenAIRE

Tourchi, Saeed; Hamidi, Amir

2015-01-01

A thermo-mechanical constitutive model for unsaturated clays is constructed based on the existing model for saturated clays originally proposed by the authors. The saturated clays model was formulated in the framework of critical state soil mechanics and modified Cam-clay model. The existing model has been generalized to simulate the experimentally observed behavior of unsaturated clays by introducing Bishop's stress and suction as independent stress parameters and modifying the hardening rul...

Adsorption and desorption of cadmium by synthetic and natural organo-clay complexes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Levy, R.; Francis, C.W.; Oak Ridge National Lab., Tenn.

1976-01-01

Tracer levels of 109 Cd were used to study the adsorption and desorption of Cd by synthetic and natural organo-clay complexes. Synthetic organo-clay complexes were made by adsorbing humic acid extracted from soil to various forms of 3 ) 2 showed that Cd was adsorbed more tenaciously to the sesquioxides than organo-clay fractions

Modelling desiccation cracking in a homogenous soil clay layer: comparison between different hypotheses on constitutive behaviour

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jommi Cristina

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Desiccation cracks are usually thought to start from the surface of an evaporating soil layer, and the available simplified models for crack initiation and propagation are based on this hypothesis. On the contrary, experimental results on a Dutch river clay showed that cracks in an evaporating soil layer may start and propagate below the surface, confirming earlier findings by other researchers. A simple one-dimensional model was set up to analyse the consequences of different hypotheses about the material behaviour on the crack onset in a homogenous soil layer undergoing surface drying. The results of the model show that dependence of the material behaviour on the rate of water content change is a necessary requirement for cracks to initiate below the surface. The conclusion suggests that, to properly understand cracking in an evaporating soil layer, an intrinsic time scale for the mechanical response must be accounted for, among all the other factors which were previously highlighted by other researchers. The key factor to predict crack onset below the surface is the dependence of the drying branch of the water retention curve of the compressible soil on the rate of drying, which would be justified by a rate dependent fabric evolution.

Significance of mineralogy in soil mechanics

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Bojana Dolinar

2002-12-01

Full Text Available The research of consistency limits according to Atterberg is of key importance in soil mechanics because it determines, in a simple way, results of interactions between solid and liquid phases in soils, and thus provides possibility to classify them in groups withsimilar mechanic properties. In most cases, the results of these investigations provide a good basis for predicting other properties such as deformability, expansion, hydraulic conductivity and strength of soils. This proves that basis factors influencing the valuesof consistency limits and other mechanic properties are the same. It is known that the values of consistency limits primarily depend on the type and quantity of clay minerals in soils. The article focuses on experimental evidence of dependence between the quantityof water at the liquid limit for soils and type, portion and specific surface of clay grains.Experiments were performed with monomineral soils, their mixtures and composed samples of clay- and non-clay components. It was established that in parallel orientation of clay particles the quantity of water between grains at liquid limit is dependent on their external specific surface.

Discrete analysis of clay layer tensile strength

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Le, T.N.H.; Ple, O.; Villard, P.; Gourc, J.P.

2010-01-01

The Discrete Element Method is used to investigate the tensile behaviour and cracks mechanisms of a clay material submitted to bending loading. It is the case of compacted clay liners in landfill cap cover application. Such as the soil tested in this study is plastic clay, the distinct elements model was calibrated with previous data results by taking into account cohesive properties. Various contact and cohesion laws are tested to show that the numerical model is able to reproduce the failure mechanism. Numerical results are extending to simulate a landfill cap cover and comparing to experimental large scale field bending tests achieved in a real site of storage. (authors)

Variability of the soil-to-plant radiocaesium transfer factor for Japanese soils predicted with soil and plant properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Uematsu, Shinichiro; Vandenhove, Hildegarde; Sweeck, Lieve; Van Hees, May; Wannijn, Jean; Smolders, Erik

2016-03-01

Food chain contamination with radiocaesium (RCs) in the aftermath of the Fukushima accident calls for an analysis of the specific factors that control the RCs transfer. Here, soil-to-plant transfer factors (TF) of RCs for grass were predicted from the potassium concentration in soil solution (mK) and the Radiocaesium Interception Potential (RIP) of the soil using existing mechanistic models. The mK and RIP were (a) either measured for 37 topsoils collected from the Fukushima accident affected area or (b) predicted from the soil clay content and the soil exchangeable potassium content using the models that had been calibrated for European soils. An average ammonium concentration was used throughout in the prediction. The measured RIP ranged 14-fold and measured mK varied 37-fold among the soils. The measured RIP was lower than the RIP predicted from the soil clay content likely due to the lower content of weathered micas in the clay fraction of Japanese soils. Also the measured mK was lower than that predicted. As a result, the predicted TFs relying on the measured RIP and mK were, on average, about 22-fold larger than the TFs predicted using the European calibrated models. The geometric mean of the measured TFs for grass in the affected area (N = 82) was in the middle of both. The TFs were poorly related to soil classification classes, likely because soil fertility (mK) was obscuring the effects of the soil classification related to the soil mineralogy (RIP). This study suggests that, on average, Japanese soils are more vulnerable than European soils at equal soil clay and exchangeable K content. The affected regions will be targeted for refined model validation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Testosterone sorption and desorption: Effects of soil particle size

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Qi, Yong, E-mail: yqi01@unomaha.edu [Civil Engineering Dept., University of Nebraska-Lincoln at Omaha Campus, Omaha, NE 68182 (United States); Zhang, Tian C. [Civil Engineering Dept., University of Nebraska-Lincoln at Omaha Campus, Omaha, NE 68182 (United States); Ren, Yongzheng [School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074 (China)

2014-08-30

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Smaller soil particles have higher sorption and lower desorption rates. • The sorption capacity ranks as clay > silt > sand. • Small particles like clays have less potential for desorption. • Colloids (clays) have high potential to facilitate the transport of hormones in soil–water environments. - Abstract: Soils contain a wide range of particles of different diameters with different mobility during rainfall events. Effects of soil particles on sorption and desorption behaviors of steroid hormones have not been investigated. In this study, wet sieve washing and repeated sedimentation methods were used to fractionate the soils into five ranges. The sorption and desorption properties and related mechanisms of testosterone in batch reactors filled with fractionated soil particles were evaluated. Results of sorption and desorption kinetics indicate that small soil particles have higher sorption and lower desorption rates than that of big ones. Thermodynamic results show the sorption processes are spontaneous and exothermal. The sorption capacity ranks as clay > silt > sand, depending mainly on specific surface area and surface functional groups. The urea control test shows that hydrogen bonding contributes to testosterone sorption onto clay and silt but not on sand. Desorption tests indicate sorption is 36–65% irreversible from clay to sand. Clays have highest desorption hysteresis among these five soil fractions, indicating small particles like clays have less potential for desorption. The results provide indirect evidence on the colloid (clay)-facilitated transport of hormones (micro-pollutants) in soil environments.

Engineered clay-shredded tyre mixtures as barrier materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al-Tabbaa, A.; Aravinthan, T.

1997-01-01

An engineered clay consisting of kaolin and bentonite was mixed with shredded tyre in various weight percentages and examined for use as a constituent in a landfill liner. The clay-tyre mixtures properties in terms of compaction, unconfined compressive strength, permeability to water and paraffin, leachability, stress-strain behaviour, free swell behaviour and swelling pressure were investigated. The results show that the dry density and strength reduced with the addition of tyre and also with increased tyre content but that good interaction was developed between the clay and tyre. The strain at failure increased showing reinforcing effect of the tyre. The permeability to paraffin was considerably reduced compared to that to water due to the presence of the tyre which caused high swelling pressures to develop. The leachability results indicate initial high concentrations leaching out of the soil-tyre mixtures which will be subjected to dilution in the environment. This work adds evidence to the potential advantages of using soil-tyre mixtures as a landfill liner material

The effect of intrinsic soil properties on soil quality assessments

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Alessandro Samuel-Rosa

2013-10-01

Full Text Available The assessment of soil quality is based on indicators and indices derived from soil properties. However, intrinsic soil properties may interfere with other soil properties that vary under different land uses and are used to calculate the indices. The aim of this study was to assess the extent to which intrinsic soil properties (clay and iron oxide contents explain variable soil properties (sum of bases, potential acidity, organic carbon, total porosity, and bulk density under different land uses (native forest, no-tillage and conventional agriculture on small family farms in Southern Brazil. The results showed that the five properties evaluated can be included in soil quality assessments and are not influenced by the clay and iron oxide contents. It was concluded that for little weathered 1:1 and 2:1 phyllosilicate rich-soils, if the difference between the maximum and the minimum clay content under the different land uses is less than about 200 g kg-1 and the iron oxide content less than about 15 g kg-1, the physico-chemical soil properties in the surface layer are determined mostly by the land use.

Woody plant roots fail to penetrate a clay-lined landfill: Managment implications

Science.gov (United States)

Robinson, George R.; Handel, Steven N.

1995-01-01

In many locations, regulatory agencies do not permit tree planting above landfills that are sealed with a capping clay, because roots might penetrate the clay barrier and expose landfill contents to leaching. We find, however, no empirical or theoretical basis for this restriction, and instead hypothesize that plant roots of any kind are incapable of penetrating the dense clays used to seal landfills. As a test, we excavated 30 trees and shrubs, of 12 species, growing over a clay-lined municipal sanitary landfill on Staten Island, New York. The landfill had been closed for seven years, and featured a very shallow (10 to 30-cm) soil layer over a 45-cm layer of compacted grey marl (Woodbury series) clay. The test plants had invaded naturally from nearby forests. All plants examined—including trees as tall as 6 m—had extremely shallow root plates, with deformed tap roots that grew entirely above and parallel to the clay layer. Only occasional stubby feeder roots were found in the top 1 cm of clay, and in clay cracks at depths to 6 cm, indicating that the primary impediment to root growth was physical, although both clay and the overlying soil were highly acidic. These results, if confirmed by experimental research should lead to increased options for the end use of many closed sanitary landfills.

Study of Various Techniques for Improving Weak and Compressible Clay Soil under a High Earth Embankment

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Zein A.K. M.

2014-04-01

Full Text Available This paper investigates the suitability of three soil improvement techniques for the construction of a high earth embankment on thick weak and highly compressible clay soil. The eastern approach embankment of Alhalfaya Bridge on the River Nile linking Khartoum North and Omdurman cities was chosen as a case study and a comprehensive site investigation program was carried out to determine the properties the subsurface soils. The study results showed that unless the subsurface soils have been improved they may fail or undergo excessively large settlements due to the embankment construction. Three ground improvement techniques based on the principles of the “staged construction method, SCM”, “vertical sand drain, VSD” and “sand compaction piles, SCP” of embankment foundation soil treatment are discussed and evaluated. Embankment design options based on applications of the above methods have been proposed for foundation treatment to adequately support embankment loads. A method performance evaluation based on the improvement of soil properties achieved; the time required for construction and compared estimated costs criteria was made to assess the effectiveness and expected overall performance. Adoption of any of the soil improvement techniques considered depends mainly on the most critical and decisive factor governing the embankment design. Based on the overall performance for the embankment case studied, the sand drains is considered as the most appropriate improvement method followed by the sand compaction piles technique whereas the staged construction method showed the poorest overall performance.

Evolution of the soil humus status on the calcareous Neogene clay dumps of the Sokolov quarry complex in the Czech Republic

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Abakumov, E.V.; Frouz, Jan

2009-01-01

Roč. 42, č. 7 (2009), s. 718-724 ISSN 1064-2293 Grant - others:Russian Foundation for Basic Research(XE) 08-04-01128 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60660521 Keywords : soil humus status * calcareous Neogene clay dumps * Sokolov quarry complex Subject RIV: EH - Ecology, Behaviour Impact factor: 0.222, year: 2009

Water-soluble organo-building blocks of aminoclay as a soil-flushing agent for heavy metal contaminated soil

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Young-Chul [Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (BK21 program), KAIST, 335 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-701 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Eun Jung [Advanced Biomass R and D Center, KAIST, 291 Daehakno, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-701 (Korea, Republic of); Ko, Dong Ah [Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (BK21 program), KAIST, 335 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-701 (Korea, Republic of); Yang, Ji-Won, E-mail: jiwonyang@kaist.ac.kr [Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (BK21 program), KAIST, 335 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-701 (Korea, Republic of); Advanced Biomass R and D Center, KAIST, 291 Daehakno, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-701 (Korea, Republic of)

2011-11-30

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Aminoclays have synthesized using centered metals with aminopropyl silane. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Developed aminoclay has unique nano-sized and water-soluble properties. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Aminoclay showed high heavy metal capacity with metal ions and its less toxicity. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Aminoclay could be used to remediate heavy metals from soils an alternative soil-flushing agent. - Abstract: We demonstrated that water-soluble aminopropyl magnesium functionalized phyllosilicate could be used as a soil-flushing agent for heavy metal contaminated soils. Soil flushing has been an attractive means to remediate heavy metal contamination because it is less disruptive to the soil environment after the treatment was performed. However, development of efficient and non-toxic soil-flushing agents is still required. We have synthesized aminoclays with three different central metal ions such as magnesium, aluminum, and ferric ions and investigated applicability of aminoclays as soil flushing agents. Among them, magnesium (Mg)-centered aminoclay showed the smallest size distribution and superior water solubility, up to 100 mg/mL. Mg aminoclay exhibited cadmium and lead binding capacity of 26.50 and 91.31 mg/g of Mg clay, respectively, at near neutral pH, but it showed negligible binding affinity to metals in acidic conditions. For soil flushing with Mg clay at neutral pH showed cadmium and lead were efficiently extracted from soils by Mg clay, suggesting strong binding ability of Mg clay with cadmium and lead. As the organic matter and clay compositions increased in the soil, the removal efficiency by Mg clay decreased and the operation time increased.

Fixation of Selenium by Clay Minerals and Iron Oxides

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hamdy, A. A.; Nielsen, Gunnar Gissel

1977-01-01

In studying Se fixation, soil components capable of retaining Se were investigated. The importance of Fe hydrous oxides in the fixation of Se was established. The clay minerals common to soils, such as kaolinite, montmorillonite and vermiculite, all exhibited Se fixation, but greater fixation occ...

Effects of Soil-Vegetation-Atmosphere Interaction on the Stability of a Clay Slope: A Case Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pedone Giuseppe

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Deep and slow landslide processes are frequently observed in clay slopes located along the Southern Apennines (Italy. A case study representative of these processes, named Pisciolo case study, is discussed in the paper. The geo-hydro-mechanical characteristics of the materials involved in the instability phenomena are initially discussed. Pluviometric, piezometric, inclinometric and GPS monitoring data are subsequently presented, suggesting that rainfall infiltration constitutes the main factor inducing slope movements. The connection between formation of landslide bodies and slope-atmosphere interaction has been demonstrated through a hydro-mechanical finite element analysis, whose results are finally reported in the work. This analysis has been conducted employing a constitutive model that is capable of simulating both saturated and unsaturated soil behaviour, as well as a boundary condition able to simulate the effects of the soil-vegetation-atmosphere interaction.

Adsorption and desorption study of 14C-Chloropyrifos in two Malaysian agricultural soils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Halimah Muhammad; Nashriyah Mat; Tan Yew Ai; Ismail, B.S.

2004-01-01

The adsorption equilibrium time and effects of pH and concentration of 14 C-labeled chloropyrifos 0,0-diethyl 0-(3, 5, 6 tricloro-2-pyridyl)-phosphorothiote in soil were investigated. Two types of Malaysian soil under oil palm were used in this study; namely clay loam and clay soil obtained from the Sungai Sedu and Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Estates, respectively. Equilibrium studies of chloropyrifos between the agricultural soil and the pesticide solution were conducted. Adsorption equilibrium time was achieved within 6 and 24 hours for clay loam and clay soil, respectively. It was found that chloropyrifos adsorbed by the soil samples was characterized by an initial rapid adsorption after which adsorption remained approximately constant. The percentage of 14 C-labeled chloropyrifos adsorption on soil was found to be higher in clay loam than in clay soils. Results of the study demonstrated that pH affected the adsorption of chloropyrifos on both clay loam and clay soils. The adsorption of chloropyrifos on both types of soil was higher at low pH with the adsorption reduced as the pH increased. Results also suggest that chloropyrifos sorption by soil is concentration dependent. (Author)

Influence of Nanolime and Curing Period on Unconfined Compressive Strength of Soil

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Panbarasi Govindasamy

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the improvement of the unconfined compressive strength (UCS of soil by mixing different percentages of nanolime and 5% lime with soil. The UCS of treated soil increased significantly over curing time with increasing percentage of nanolime. The optimum results were reached at only 0.5% nanolime admixtures which were much higher than 5% lime admixture. This may be due to higher ability of nanolime to flocculate and agglomerate the soil particles compared with the lime. In addition, the lime could fill only the micropores while nanolime could fill the micro- and nanopores as well. The strength gain is inversely proportional to the remolded moisture content and curing period. However, when the content of nanolime used is larger than 0.5%, nanolime particles are not uniformly dispersed. Therefore, a weak area in the form of voids is created, consequently the homogeneous hydrated microstructure cannot be formed, and finally the strength will decrease.

Study on Soil Mobility of Two Neonicotinoid Insecticides

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Mária Mörtl

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Movement of two neonicotinoid insecticide active ingredients, clothianidin (CLO and thiamethoxam (TMX, was investigated in different soil types (sand, clay, or loam and in pumice. Elution profiles were determined to explore differences in binding capacity. Soil characterized by high organic matter content retained the ingredients, whereas high clay content resulted in long release of compounds. Decrease in concentration was strongly influenced by soil types: both CLO and TMX were retained in loam and clay soils and showed ready elution through sandy soil and pumice. Elution capability of the active ingredients in sandy soil correlated with their water solubility, indicating approximately 30% higher rapidity for TMX than for CLO. Soil organic carbon-water partitioning coefficients (Koc determined were in good agreement with literature values with somewhat lower value for CLO in sandy soil and substantially higher values for TMX in clay soil. High mobility of these neonicotinoid active ingredients in given soil types urges stronger precautionary approach taken during their application.

Role of interlayer hydration in lincomycin sorption by smectite clays.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Cuiping; Ding, Yunjie; Teppen, Brian J; Boyd, Stephen A; Song, Cunyi; Li, Hui

2009-08-15

Lincomycin, an antibiotic widely administered as a veterinary medicine, is frequently detected in water. Little is known about the soil-water distribution of lincomycin despite the fact that this is a major determinant of its environmental fate and potential for exposure. Cation exchange was found to be the primary mechanism responsible for lincomycin sorption by soil clay minerals. This was evidenced by pH-dependent sorption, and competition with inorganic cations for sorptive sites. As solution pH increased, lincomycin sorption decreased. The extent of reduction was consistent with the decrease in cationic lincomycin species in solution. The presence of Ca2+ in solution diminished lincomycin sorption. Clay interlayer hydration status strongly influenced lincomycin adsorption. Smectites with the charge deficit from isomorphic substitution in tetrahedral layers (i.e., saponite) manifest a less hydrated interlayer environment resulting in greater sorption than that by octahedrally substituted clays (i.e., montmorillonite). Strongly hydrated exchangeable cations resulted in a more hydrated clay interlayer environment reducing sorption in the order of Ca- smectite. X-ray diffraction revealed that lincomycin was intercalated in smectite clay interlayers. Sorption capacity was limited by clay surface area rather than by cation exchange capacity. Smectite interlayer hydration was shown to be a major, yet previously unrecognized, factor influencing the cation exchange process of lincomycin on aluminosilicate mineral surfaces.

An experimental study on stabilization of Pekan clay using polyethylene and polypropylene

Science.gov (United States)

Zukri, Azhani; Nazir, Ramli; Mender, Fatin Nabilah

2017-10-01

Many countries are expressing concern over the growing issues of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles and polypropylene (PP) products made by the household sector. The rapid increase in the generation of plastic waste all around the world is due to the economic development and population growth. PP is the world's second-most widely produced synthetic plastic, after polyethylene. Statistics show that nearly 50% of the municipal solid waste in Malaysia comes from the institutional, industrial, residential, and construction waste. This paper presents the results of an investigation on the utilisation of fibres as products of PET bottles and PP products in order to improve the engineering properties of clay soil in Pekan. The soil samples were taken from Kampung Tanjung Medang, Pekan, Pahang. The basic properties of the clay soil were determined as follows; optimum moisture content: 32.5%, maximum dry density: 13.43 kN/m3, specific gravity: 2.51, liquid limit: 74.67%, plastic limit: 45.98%, and plasticity index: 28.69%. This investigation concentrates on the shear strength of the reinforced clay soils with PET and PP in random orientation. The reinforced soil samples were subjected to unconfined compression test (UCT) to differentiate their shear strength with that of the unreinforced soil. The tests found that the waste fibres (PET and PP) improved the strength properties of the Pekan clayey soils. The unconfined compressive strength (UCS) value increased with the increasing percentage of PET fibre and reached the optimum content at 10% reinforcement, where it showed the highest improvement of 365 kN/m2 from 325 kN/m2 and depleted when the optimum content reached 20% reinforcement. For PP fibre, the reinforced soil showed the highest UCS at 20% reinforcement with the improvement of 367 kN/m2. The study concluded that the PET and PP fibres can be utilised successfully as reinforcement materials for the stabilisation of clayey soils. The use of these waste compounds

Developments in modelling of thermohydro-geomechanical behaviour of Boom clay and clay-based buffer materials (volume 2)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baldi, G.; Hueckel, T.; Peano, A.; Pellegrini, R.

1991-01-01

This study is composed of two parts: The first part (Volume 1) lays the foundations of a comprehensive theoretical treatment of the interaction between water and soil skeleton during thermal dilatation. The second part (volume 2) is devoted to the development and the application of advance constitutive modelling of mechanical behaviour of clays taking into account the extensive tests of Boom clay reported in the first volume. The development concentrated on the improvement of prediction of the volumetric response of clay skeleton: (a) improving the dilatancy prediction at low to high overconsolidation ratios (Section 2). An elasto-plastic constitutive model has been developed to account for this effect (Section 3.2.); (b) modelling of swelling effects (Section 2.5). A preliminary interpretative model for swelling prediction has been developed (Section 2.5). The application part consisted in interpreting the experimental results obtained for Boom clay to calibrate a set of constants (Section 3) for performing numerical analyses (Section 4) for the thermomechanical model already calibrated for Boom clay (Appendix). Interpretation of the tests required an assessment of influence of the strong anisotropy effects revealed by Boom clay on the basis of an interpretative model characterized by a kinematic hardening plasticity and coupled elasticity (section 3)

Application of short-wave infrared (SWIR) spectroscopy in quantitative estimation of clay mineral contents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

You, Jinfeng; Xing, Lixin; Pan, Jun; Meng, Tao; Liang, Liheng

2014-01-01

Clay minerals are significant constituents of soil which are necessary for life. This paper studied three types of clay minerals, kaolinite, illite, and montmorillonite, for they are not only the most common soil forming materials, but also important indicators of soil expansion and shrinkage potential. These clay minerals showed diagnostic absorption bands resulting from vibrations of hydroxyl groups and structural water molecules in the SWIR wavelength region. The short-wave infrared reflectance spectra of the soil was obtained from a Portable Near Infrared Spectrometer (PNIS, spectrum range: 1300∼2500 nm, interval: 2 nm). Due to the simplicity, quickness, and the non-destructiveness analysis, SWIR spectroscopy has been widely used in geological prospecting, chemical engineering and many other fields. The aim of this study was to use multiple linear regression (MLR) and partial least squares (PLS) regression to establish the optimizing quantitative estimation models of the kaolinite, illite and montmorillonite contents from soil reflectance spectra. Here, the soil reflectance spectra mainly refers to the spectral reflectivity of soil (SRS) corresponding to the absorption-band position (AP) of kaolinite, illite, and montmorillonite representative spectra from USGS spectral library, the SRS corresponding to the AP of soil spectral and soil overall spectrum reflectance values. The optimal estimation models of three kinds of clay mineral contents showed that the retrieval accuracy was satisfactory (Kaolinite content: a Root Mean Square Error of Calibration (RMSEC) of 1.671 with a coefficient of determination (R 2 ) of 0.791; Illite content: a RMSEC of 1.126 with a R 2 of 0.616; Montmorillonite content: a RMSEC of 1.814 with a R 2 of 0.707). Thus, the reflectance spectra of soil obtained form PNIS could be used for quantitative estimation of kaolinite, illite and montmorillonite contents in soil

Geotechnical and mineralological Konyaalti (Antalya, Turkey) clays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Acar, Mustafa Hilami; Uzer, A.U.; Altunsoy, M.

2008-01-01

Geotechnical and mineralogical characteristics of blue-green clays of the Harbour District existing inside the boundaries of Antalya Konyaalti Municipality were investigated with comprehensive field and laboratory tests. Today, building construction in this district is carried out without any prior qualified geotechnical investigations taking place. Undisturbed and disturbed soil specimens were taken from 12 drilled boreholes at 1.5 m intervals and down 30 m deep. Shelby tubes samples were retrieved and SPT were carried out in order to determine soil profile and geotechnical properties. After comparing the laboratory and field test results, it was observed that they were in agreement. Strength and compressibility characteristics of the soil were defined with the correlations using laboratory and field test results. Since the region has been formed of lagoon-sedimented clays, rock analysis was done on two specimens achieved from various depths along the soil profile. XRD analyses on eleven specimens were also conducted. Unconfined compressive strength (qu), undrained cohesion (Cu) and compression index (Cc) varies between 40 kN/m2, 7.0 kN/m2 and 90 kN/m2, 0.095 and 0.38, respectively. (author)

Geotechnical studies of Jaitapur marine clay

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Bhat, S.T.; Nayak, B.U.

characterisEd. by high water content and high Atterberg limits. Undrained shear strength varied from 1.8 to 6 KPa. These were moderately sensitive clays. Carbonate content which varied from 3 to 27%, was found to influence engineering properties of the soil...

Performance evaluation of cement-stabilized pond ash-rice husk ash-clay mixture as a highway construction material

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Deepak Gupta

2017-02-01

Full Text Available This paper reports the results of an investigation carried out on clay soil stabilized with pond ash (PA, rice husk ash (RHA and cement. Modified Proctor compaction tests were performed in order to investigate the compaction behavior of clay, and California bearing ratio (CBR tests were performed to determine the strength characteristics of clay. For evaluation purpose, the specimens containing different amounts of admixtures were prepared. Clay was replaced with PA and RHA at a dosage of 30%–45% and 5%–20%, respectively. The influence of stabilizer types and dosages on mechanical properties of clay was evaluated. In order to study the surface morphology and crystallization characteristics of the soil samples, scanning electron microscopy (SEM and X-ray diffraction (XRD analyses were carried out, respectively. The results obtained indicated a decrease in the maximum dry density (MDD and a simultaneous increase in the optimum moisture content (OMC with the addition of PA and RHA. Multiple linear regression analysis (MLRA showed that the predicted values of CBR tests are in good agreement with the experimental values. Developed stabilized soil mixtures showed satisfactory strength and can be used for construction of embankments and stabilization of sub-grade soil. The use of locally available soils, PA, RHA, and cement in the production of stabilized soils for such applications can provide sustainability for the local construction industry.

CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW HIGHWAY EMBANKMENT ON THE SOFT CLAY SOIL TREATMENT BY STONE COLUMNS IN MALAYSIA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

QASIM A. ALJANABI

2013-08-01

Full Text Available To continue of the second phase of the East Coast Expressway between Kuantan and Kula Terengganu in Malaysia system innovative solution are required. In this new phase there are embankment region has been subjected to extensive soft clay soil. These comprise typically of clayey silts of very high water content and undrained shear strengths in the range of 8 to 11 kPa to depths of up to 8m. To support an embankment height of up to 12 m, were filled and thereafter Vibro Replacement treatment was carried out to treat the very soft soil. Extensive instrumentation using rod settlement gauges, inclinometers and piezometers were installed to monitor the performance of the Vibro Replacement treatment. This paper reports on aspects of design, installation and the measured results from the instrumentation scheme.

The use of stable isotopes for Cr(VI) determination in silty-clay soil solution.

Science.gov (United States)

Zuliani, Tea; Sčančar, Janez; Milačič, Radmila

2013-09-01

In assessing the environmental hazard of Cr(VI) present in soil, exchangeable Cr(VI) is important, since it can be easily washed out from the upper part of the soil into subsurface soil, surface and ground water, and taken up by plants. The aim of this study was to evaluate the degree of species interconversion that may occur during the extraction of exchangeable Cr(VI) from silty-clay soil with phosphate buffer in order to establish an extraction method that would be effective, accurate and with minimal or no species interconversions. The Cr(VI) concentration in soil extracts was determined by speciated isotope dilution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (SID-ICP-MS). The study was performed on soil samples from a field treated with tannery waste for 17 years. Samples were spiked by enriched stable isotopic solutions of (50)Cr(VI) and (53)Cr(III) that were added to phosphate buffers (0.1 M KH2PO4-K2HPO4 (pH 7.2) and/or 0.1 M K2HPO4 (pH 8)). To optimize extraction, mechanical shaking and/or ultrasound-assisted extraction were compared. The separation and detection of Cr species was performed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) ICP-MS. When mechanical shaking was applied, 90 % reduction of Cr(VI) was induced by extraction with 0.1 M KH2PO4-K2HPO4, while with 0.1 M K2HPO4 reduction was around 40 %. To shorten the extraction time and the possibility of species interconversions, ultrasound-assisted extraction was further applied only with 0.1 M K2HPO4. For total extraction of exchangeable Cr(VI) with a maximum 10 % reduction of Cr(VI), five consecutive ultrasound-assisted extractions were needed.

Use of clays as liners in solar ponds

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Silva, Gerardo [Facultad de Ingenieria, Universidad Anahuac Mexico Norte, Huixquilucan, Edo. de Mexico 52786 (Mexico); Almanza, Rafael [Instituto de Ingenieria, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Ciudad Universitaria, Mexico D.F. 04510 (Mexico)

2009-06-15

An alternative to synthetic materials for use in solar pond liners is to select clayey soils as hydraulic barriers. This option reduces the cost of construction and the risk of contamination of subsoil and groundwater by hot brines. This paper deals with the physical, chemical and hydraulic properties of different soils tested mainly as compacted clay liners. The underdeveloped nations have the option to use this type of liner, but before doing so several tests are recommended, including those for soil and water composition, permeability, plasticity and X-ray diffraction analysis. In this investigation the following samples are analyzed: native clayey soils with illite, montmorillonite and halloysite, treated and non-treated bentonites in powder and granulated form, a mixture of zeolite and sodium bentonite, and industrial minerals composed largely of halloysite, kaolinite and attapulgite selected clays. Neutral salt aqueous solutions (NaCl and KCl) at different concentrations and under temperature gradients were used for compatibility testing conducted on these specimens. Experiment setup and particular testing procedures are also discussed. (author)

Study of adsorption of Phenanthrene on Different Types of Clay Minerals; Estudio de Adsorcion de Fenentreno en Diferentes Tipos de Arcillas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Contreras, M L; Escolano, O; Rodriguez, V; Diaz, F J; Perez, R; Garcia, S; Garcia Frutos, F J

2003-07-01

The fate and behaviour of non-ionic hydrophobic organic compounds in deep soil is mainly controlled by the mineral fraction present in the soil due to the very low organic carbon content of the deep soil. The mineral fraction that may greatly influence the fate and transport of these compounds due to its presence and properties are the clay minerals. Clay mineral also become increasingly important in low organic matter content soils. There tree, studies of non-ionic hydrophobic organic compounds adsorption on clay minerals without organic matter are necessary lo better understand the fate and transport of these compounds. In this work we used phenanthrene as model compound of non-ionic hydrophobic organic compound and four pure clay minerals: kaolinite, illite, montmorillonite, and vermiculite including muscovite mica. These clays minerals are selected due to its abundance in represent ve Spanish soils and different properties as its structural layers and expanding capacity. Batch experiments were performed using phenanthrene aqueous solutions and the clays selected. Phenanthrene sorption isotherms for all clays, except muscovite mica, were best described by the Freundlich model. Physical sorption on the external surfaces is the most probable adsorption mechanisms. In this sense, the presence of non-polar nano-sites on clay surfaces could determine the adsorption of phenanthrene by hydrophobic interaction on these sites. (Author) 22 refs.

Transport of water, bromide ion, nutrients and the pesticides bentazone and imidacloprid in a cracking, tile drained clay soil at Andelst, the Netherlands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Smelt, J.H.; Hendriks, R.F.A.; Pas, van der L.J.T.; Matser, A.M.; Toorn, van den A.; Oostindie, K.; Dijk-Hooijer, van O.M.; Boesten, J.J.T.I.; Scorza Júnior, R.P.

2003-01-01

The aim of this study was to perform a field experiment to collect a high quality data set suitable for validating and improving pesticide leaching models and nutrient leaching models for drained and cracking clay soils. The transport of water, bromide, nutrients and the pesticides bentazone and

Bioremediation of a tropical clay soil contaminated with diesel oil.

Science.gov (United States)

Chagas-Spinelli, Alessandra C O; Kato, Mario T; de Lima, Edmilson S; Gavazza, Savia

2012-12-30

The removal of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in tropical clay soil contaminated with diesel oil was evaluated. Three bioremediation treatments were used: landfarming (LF), biostimulation (BS) and biostimulation with bioaugmentation (BSBA). The treatment removal efficiency for the total PAHs differed from the efficiencies for the removal of individual PAH compounds. In the case of total PAHs, the removal values obtained at the end of the 129-day experimental period were 87%, 89% and 87% for LF, BS and BSBA, respectively. Thus, the efficiency was not improved by the addition of nutrients and microorganisms. Typically, two distinct phases were observed. A higher removal rate occurred in the first 17 days (P-I) and a lower rate occurred in the last 112 days (P-II). In phase P-I, the zero-order kinetic parameter (μg PAH g(-1) soil d(-1)) values were similar (about 4.6) for all the three treatments. In P-II, values were also similar but much lower (about 0.14). P-I was characterized by a sharp pH decrease to less than 5.0 for the BS and BSBA treatments, while the pH remained near 6.5 for LF. Concerning the 16 individual priority PAH compounds, the results varied depending on the bioremediation treatment used and on the PAH species of interest. In general, compounds with fewer aromatic rings were better removed by BS or BSBA, while those with 4 or more rings were most effectively removed by LF. The biphasic removal behavior was observed only for some compounds. In the case of naphthalene, pyrene, chrysene, benzo[k]fluoranthene and benzo[a]pyrene, removal occurred mostly in the P-I phase. Therefore, the best degradation process for total or individual PAHs should be selected considering the target compounds and the local conditions, such as native microbiota and soil type. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessment of degradation potential of aliphatic hydrocarbons by autochthonous filamentous fungi from a historically polluted clay soil.

Science.gov (United States)

Covino, Stefano; D'Annibale, Alessandro; Stazi, Silvia Rita; Cajthaml, Tomas; Čvančarová, Monika; Stella, Tatiana; Petruccioli, Maurizio

2015-02-01

The present work was aimed at isolating and identifying the main members of the mycobiota of a clay soil historically contaminated by mid- and long-chain aliphatic hydrocarbons (AH) and to subsequently assess their hydrocarbon-degrading ability. All the isolates were Ascomycetes and, among them, the most interesting was Pseudoallescheria sp. 18A, which displayed both the ability to use AH as the sole carbon source and to profusely colonize a wheat straw:poplar wood chip (70:30, w/w) lignocellulosic mixture (LM) selected as the amendment for subsequent soil remediation microcosms. After a 60 d mycoaugmentation with Pseudoallescheria sp. of the aforementioned soil, mixed with the sterile LM (5:1 mass ratio), a 79.7% AH reduction and a significant detoxification, inferred by a drop in mortality of Folsomia candida from 90 to 24%, were observed. However, similar degradation and detoxification outcomes were found in the non-inoculated incubation control soil that had been amended with the sterile LM. This was due to the biostimulation exerted by the amendment on the resident microbiota, fungi in particular, the activity and density of which were low, instead, in the non-amended incubation control soil. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Impact of monovalent cations on soil structure. Part I. Results of an Iranian soil

Science.gov (United States)

Farahani, Elham; Emami, Hojat; Keller, Thomas; Fotovat, Amir; Khorassani, Reza

2018-01-01

This study investigated the impact of monovalent cations on clay dispersion, aggregate stability, soil pore size distribution, and saturated hydraulic conductivity on agricultural soil in Iran. The soil was incubated with treatment solutions containing different concentrations (0-54.4 mmol l-1) of potassium and sodium cations. The treatment solutions included two levels of electrical conductivity (EC=3 or 6 dS m-1) and six K:Na ratios per electrical conductivity level. At both electrical conductivity levels, spontaneously dispersible clay increased with increasing K concentration, and with increasing K:Na ratio. A negative linear relationship between percentage of water-stable aggregates and spontaneously dispersible clay was observed. Clay dispersion generally reduced the mean pore size, presumably due to clogging of pores, resulting in increased water retention. At both electrical conductivity levels, hydraulic conductivity increased with increasing exchangeable potassium percentage at low exchangeable potassium percentage values, but decreased with further increases in exchangeable potassium percentage at higher exchangeable potassium percentage. This is in agreement with earlier studies, but seems in conflict with our data showing increasing spontaneously dispersible clay with increasing exchangeable potassium percentage. Our findings show that clay dispersion increased with increasing K concentration and increasing K:Na ratio, demonstrating that K can have negative impacts on soil structure.

Strength and Stiffness Development in Soft Soils: A FESEM aided Soil Microstructure Viewpoint

Science.gov (United States)

Wijeyesekera, D. C.; Ho, M. H.; Bai, X.; Bakar, I.

2016-07-01

This paper opens with an overview of the debatable definition of soft soil that goes beyond a (CH) organic / inorganic clay and OH peat to include weakly cemented periglacial deposits of loess and alike. It then outlines the findings obtained from stiffness test on cement-stabilised soft clay. The findings are complemented with a microstructure viewpoint obtained using field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM). Research also comprised of making cylindrical stabilised clay samples, prepared in the laboratory with various rubber chips contents and cement, and then aged for 28 days. The samples were then subjected to unconfined compressive strength (UCS) test and observations were also made of its microstructure using the FESEM. The impact of the soil microstructure on the stiffness result was studied both with the stabilized soil and also of some of the natural undisturbed loess soils. Sustainability aspect and the potential of the use of rubber chips and sand as additives to cement stabilisation are also discussed. The overall test results indicated that rubber chips and sand contributed to the improvement in unconfined compressive strength (qu). The derogatory influence of moisture on the stiffness of the stabilised clay was studied simultaneously. SEM micrographs are presented that show bonding of cement, rubber chips/ sand and soft clay, granular units and aggregated / agglomerated units in loess. The paper concludes with observations on the dependence of soil microstructure on the soil strength and deformability and even collapsibility of the loess. Current practices adopted as engineering solutions to these challenging soils are outlined.

Apparent soil electrical conductivity in two different soil types

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wilker Nunes Medeiros

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Mapping the apparent soil electrical conductivity (ECa has become important for the characterization of the soil variability in precision agriculture systems. Could the ECa be used to locate the soil sampling points for mapping the chemical and physical soil attributes? The objective of this work was to examine the relations between ECa and soil attributes in two fields presenting different soil textures. In each field, 50 sampling points were chosen using a path that presented a high variability of ECa obtained from a preliminary ECa map. At each sampling point, the ECa was measured in soil depths of 0-20, 0-40 and 0-60 cm. In addition, at each point, soil samples were collected for the determination of physical and chemical attributes in the laboratory. The ECa data obtained for different soil depths was very similar. A large number of significant correlations between ECa and the soil attributes were found. In the sandy clay loam texture field there was no correlation between ECa and organic matter or between ECa and soil clay and sand content. However, a significant positive correlation was shown for the remaining phosphorus. In the sandy loam texture field the ECa had a significant positive correlation with clay content and a significant negative correlation with sand content. The results suggest that the mapping of apparent soil electrical conductivity does not replace traditional soil sampling, however, it can be used as information to delimit regions in a field that have similar soil attributes.

Clay stabilization by using gypsum and paddy husk ash with reference to UCT and CBR value

Science.gov (United States)

Roesyanto; Iskandar, R.; Hastuty, I. P.; Dianty, W. O.

2018-02-01

Clays that have low shear strength need to be stabilized in order to meet the technical requirements to serve as a subgrade material. One of the usual soil stabilization methods is by adding chemicals such as Portland cement, lime, and bitumen. The clay stabilization research was done by adding gypsum and paddy husk ash. The research goals were to find out the value of engineering properties of clay due to the addition of 2% gypsum and 2% - 15% paddy husk ash. The soil was classified as Clay - Low Plasticity (CL) based on USCS and was classified as A-7-6 (10) based on AASHTO classification system. The UCT value of original soil was 1.41 kg/cm2. While the CBR soaked and unsoaked values of original soil were 4.41% and 6.23% respectively. The research results showed the addition of paddy husk ash decreased the value of unconfined compressive strength as well as CBR. The stabilized soil by 2% gypsum and 0% paddy husk ash gave maximum UCT value of 1.67 kg/cm2, while the maximum value of CBR were found 6.71% for CBR soaked and 8.00% for CBR unsoaked. The addition of paddy husk ash did not alter the soil classification according to AASHTO or USCS, even degrade the engineering properties of original soil.

Comparative evaluation of clays from Abakaliki Formation with ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Okeey Aghamelu

Department of Geology, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria. ... classified as inorganic clays of high plasticity (CH) according to Unified Soil Classification System .... movement through the outcrop locations and sample.

Thermo-mechanical constitutive modeling of unsaturated clays based on the critical state concepts

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Saeed Tourchi

2015-04-01

Full Text Available A thermo-mechanical constitutive model for unsaturated clays is constructed based on the existing model for saturated clays originally proposed by the authors. The saturated clays model was formulated in the framework of critical state soil mechanics and modified Cam-clay model. The existing model has been generalized to simulate the experimentally observed behavior of unsaturated clays by introducing Bishop's stress and suction as independent stress parameters and modifying the hardening rule and yield criterion to take into account the role of suction. Also, according to previous studies, an increase in temperature causes a reduction in specific volume. A reduction in suction (wetting for a given confining stress may induce an irreversible volumetric compression (collapse. Thus an increase in suction (drying raises a specific volume i.e. the movement of normal consolidation line (NCL to higher values of void ratio. However, some experimental data confirm the assumption that this reduction is dependent on the stress level of soil element. A generalized approach considering the effect of stress level on the magnitude of clays thermal dependency in compression plane is proposed in this study. The number of modeling parameters is kept to a minimum, and they all have clear physical interpretations, to facilitate the usefulness of model for practical applications. A step-by-step procedure used for parameter calibration is also described. The model is finally evaluated using a comprehensive set of experimental data for the thermo-mechanical behavior of unsaturated soils.

Remediation in clay using two-phase vacuum extraction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lindhult, E.C.; Tarsavage, J.M.; Foukaris, K.A.

1995-01-01

Soil and groundwater contamination in a tight clay usually requires costly and/or time consuming remediation, due to the inherently low hydraulic conductivity of the soil. However, Dames and Moore is successfully using an innovative, cost-effective two-phase vacuum extraction (VE) technology at a former gasoline service station. Dramatic decreases in BTEX concentrations in onsite and downgradient monitoring wells are apparent

Adjustment of the expedite method for clay content determination in Rondônia soils Ajuste de método expedito para determinação de teor de argila em solos de Rondônia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jairo André Schlindwein

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Soil clay content is an important soil attribute and has been used to classification of phosphorus status in the soil in order to determinate the needing of phosphorus amounts to be applied to crops production. The aim of this research was to adjust the method for soil clay content determination, adopted by the laboratories of Southern Brazil (ROLAS-RS/SC, for soil clay content evaluation in Rondônia soils. The study was conducted using 50 soil samples from Rondônia State with wide range clay content. It was tested shaking periods (1.5, 2.0 and 2.5h associated with periods for soil particles decantation (1.5 and 2.0h to correlate with the standard method for soil texture testing, known as the pipette method. Clay content determined through this method was significantly correlated with pipette method. The better treatment was the combination of 2.0h of shaking and 1.5h of decantation, resulted in total period of 3.5h, which reduced the period to determine the soil clay content without loss of accuracy.O teor de argila é um importante atributo de solo e é utilizado na determinação de faixas de teores de fósforo para fins de recomendação de adubação. O objetivo deste trabalho foi ajustar o método de determinação de argila utilizado pelos laboratórios da ROLAS-RS/SC para avaliar os teores de argila dos solos de Rondônia. O estudo foi conduzido com 50 amostras de solos do Estado de Rondônia, com diferentes teores de argila. O teor de argila foi determinado utilizando-se o método da ROLAS-RS/SC, com diferentes períodos de agitação (1,5; 2,0 e 2,5h e de decantação das partículas do solo (1,5 e 2,0h e o método da pipeta, considerado padrão para essa determinação. Os teores de argila determinados nas combinações de períodos de agitação e de decantação se correlacionaram significativamente com os teores determinados pelo método da pipeta. O melhor tratamento foi a combinação de 2,0h de agitação e 1,5h de decanta

Soil texture analysis revisited: Removal of organic matter matters more than ever

Science.gov (United States)

Schjønning, Per; Watts, Christopher W.; Christensen, Bent T.; Munkholm, Lars J.

2017-01-01

Exact estimates of soil clay (<2 μm) and silt (2–20 μm) contents are crucial as these size fractions impact key soil functions, and as pedotransfer concepts based on clay and silt contents are becoming increasingly abundant. We examined the effect of removing soil organic matter (SOM) by H2O2 before soil dispersion and determination of clay and silt. Soil samples with gradients in SOM were retrieved from three long-term field experiments each with uniform soil mineralogy and texture. For soils with less than 2 g C 100 g-1 minerals, clay estimates were little affected by SOM. Above this threshold, underestimation of clay increased dramatically with increasing SOM content. Silt contents were systematically overestimated when SOM was not removed; no lower SOM threshold was found for silt, but the overestimation was more pronounced for finer textured soils. When exact estimates of soil particles <20 μm are needed, SOM should always be removed before soil dispersion. PMID:28542416

The Physical Behavior of Stabilised Soft Clay by Electrokinetic Stabilisation Technology

Science.gov (United States)

Azhar, A. T. S.; Nordin, N. S.; Azmi, M. A. M.; Embong, Z.; Sunar, N.; Hazreek, Z. A. M.; Aziman, M.

2018-04-01

Electrokinetic Stabilisation (EKS) technology is the combination processes of electroosmosis and chemical grouting. This technique is most effective in silty and clayey soils where the hydraulic conductivity is very low. Stabilising agents will assist the EKS treatment by inducing it into soil under direct current. The movement of stabilising agents into soil is governed by the principle of electrokinetics. The aim of this study is to evaluate the physical behavior of soft soil using the EKS technology as an effective method to strengthen soft clay soils with calcium chloride (CaCl2) as the stabilising agent. Stainless steel plates were used as the electrodes, while 1.0 mol/l of CaCl2 was used as the electrolyte that fed at the anode compartment. Soft marine clay at Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia was used as the soil sample. The EKS treatment was developed at Research Centre for Soft Soil (RECESS), UTHM with a constant voltage gradient (50 V/m) in 21 days. The result shows that the shear strength of treated soil was increased across the soil sample. The treated soil near the cathode showed the highest value of shear strength (24.5 – 33 kPa) compared with the anode and in the middle of the soil sample.

Soil crusting regulator characteristics of some allic humid tropical soils from Colombia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arias, Dora M; Madero E E; Amezquita E

2001-01-01

It was collected soil samples within 5 cm of the surface from Amazonia soils in Caqueta (Macagual); Orinoquia in Meta (Carimagua), Casanare (Matazul) and Vichada (La Primavera); and in Andean region in Cauca (San Isidro) and Valle (CIAT, Palmira). In each of those sites, the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) has many experiments to know the impact of land husbandry, leguminous associations and rotations and mulches on natural system. After evaluating weighed particle size, sand particle size, soil organic matter, iron, aluminum and silicon oxides, and fertility, it could cluster in three groups according to those characteristics and their importance in governing soil hazard crusting: la Primavera and Carimagua (high organic matter, oxides and fine sand but low in clay); Matazul and Macagual (low in organic matter, oxides and clay but variable sand values); and San Isidro (the greatest in Al 2 O 3 concentrations, high in Fe 2 O 3 clay and fine sand but the poorest in soil organic matter). Soil organic matter contents were significantly associated with the kind of management

Bioavailability of radiocaesium in soil: parameterization using soil characteristics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Syssoeva, A.A.; Konopleva, I.V. [Russian Institute of Agricultural Radiology and Agroecology, Obninsk (Russian Federation)

2004-07-01

It has been shown that radiocaesium availability to plants strongly influenced by soil properties. For the best evaluation of TFs it necessary to use mechanistic models that predict radionuclide uptake by plants based on consideration of sorption-desorption and fixation-remobilization of the radionuclide in the soil as well as root uptake processes controlled by the plant. The aim of the research was to characterise typical Russian soils on the basis of the radiocaesium availability. The parameter of the radiocaesium availability in soils (A) has been developed which consist on radiocaesium exchangeability; CF -concentration factor which is the ratio of the radiocaesium in plant to that in soil solution; K{sub Dex} - exchangeable solid-liquid distribution coefficient of radiocaesium. The approach was tested for a wide range of Russian soils using radiocaesium uptake data from a barley pot trial and parameters of the radiocaesium bioavailability. Soils were collected from the arable horizons in different soil climatic zones of Russia and artificially contaminated by {sup 137}Cs. The classification of soils in terms of the radiocaesium availability corresponds quite well to observed linear relationship between {sup 137}Cs TF for barley and A. K{sub Dex} is related to the soil radiocaesium interception potential (RIP), which was found to be positively and strongly related to clay and physical clay (<0,01 mm) content. The {sup 137}Cs exchangeability were found to be in close relation to the soil vermiculite content, which was estimated by the method of Cs{sup +} fixation. It's shown radiocaesium availability to plants in soils under study can be parameterized through mineralogical soil characteristics: % clay and the soil vermiculite content. (author)

Water-dispersible clay in soils treated with sewage sludge Argila dispersa em água em solos tratados com lodo de esgoto

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

João Tavares Filho

2010-10-01

Full Text Available A by-product of Wastewater Treatment Stations is sewage sludge. By treatment and processing, the sludge is made suitable for rational and environmentally safe use in agriculture. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of different doses of limed sewage sludge (50 % on clay dispersion in soil samples with different textures (clayey and medium. The study was conducted with soil samples collected from native forest, on a Red Latosol (Brazilian classification: Latossolo Vermelho distroférrico loamy soil in Londrina (PR and a Red-Yellow Latosol (BC: Latossolo Vermelho-Amarelo distrófico medium texture soil in Jaguapitã (PR. Pots were filled with 3 kg of air-dried fine earth and kept in greenhouse. The experiment was arranged in a randomized block design with six treatments: T1 control, and treatments with limed sewage sludge (50 % as follows: T2 (3 t ha-1, T3 (6 t ha-1, T4 (12 t ha-1, T5 (24 t ha-1 and T6 (48 t ha-1 and five replications. The incubation time was 180 days. At the end of this period, the pots were opened and two sub-samples per treatment collected to determine pH-H2O, pH KCl (1 mol L-1, organic matter content, water-dispersible clay, ΔpH (pH KCl - pH-H2O and estimated PZC (point of zero charge: PZC = 2 pH KCl - pH-H2O, as well as the mineralogy of the clay fraction, determined by X ray diffraction. The results showed no significant difference in the average values for water-dispersible clay between the control and the other treatments for the two soil samples studied and ΔpH was the variable that correlated best with water-dispersible clay in both soils.As Estações de Tratamento de Esgoto Sanitário (ETES geram um subproduto (lodo de esgoto que, quando tratado e processado, adquire características que permitem sua utilização agrícola de maneira racional e ambientalmente segura. Este trabalho objetivou avaliar a influência de diferentes doses de lodo de esgoto caleado (50 % na dispersão de argilas em amostras de

Factors mediating the restoration of structurally degraded soils

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Arthur, Emmanuel; Moldrup, Per; Schjønning, Per

with the ability of soils to perform these functions. The present study examines the roles of clay mineralogy, native organic matter, and exogenous organic material on the restoration of structurally degraded soils. Totally seven soils from Denmark and Ghana - five soils dominated by illites, one kaolinitic soil...... the incubation period, structural stability estimated as the amount of water-dispersible clay decreased with prevailing moisture content, and native organic matter. Also, microbial activity significantly increased with addition of exogenous organic matter. At the end of incubation, there was significant...... macroaggregation, decreased bulk density, and increased equivalent pore diameter and tortuosity (derived from measurements of soil-gas diffusivity and soil-air permeability) for all soils. Although aggregate friability was not affected by clay type, aggregate workability was highest for the kaolinitic soil...

Finite Element Investigations on the Interaction between a Pile and Swelling Clay

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kaufmann, Kristine Lee; Nielsen, Benjaminn Nordahl; Augustesen, Anders Hust

of Little Belt Clay. The case study involves a circular concrete pile installed in clay immediately after an excavation. The influence of the swelling soil on the soil–pile interaction and the internal pile forces are analysed by solely observing the upper pile part positioned in the swelling zone...... of the surrounding soil implies upward shear stresses at the soil–pile interface leading to tensile vertical stresses in the pile. In the current case, they exceed the tensile strength of concrete. The tensile vertical stresses peak after 35-50 years. However, the heave of the soil continues for additional 300 years....... It appears that the development of plastic interface implies the shrinkage of the pile....

Potentials for the Modified Cam-Clay model

OpenAIRE

Zouain , Nestor; Pontes , Ivaldo; Vaunat , Jean

2009-01-01

Abstract Energy and dissipation pseudo-potentials are employed to derive constitutive relationships, in the context of thermodynamic concepts, for the widely used Modified Cam-Clay (MCC) model for soil mechanics. A variational formulation of the MCC evolution equations is proposed in this paper. Since plastic collapse of MCC soils cannot be embedded in the classical limit analysis theory, finding the critical amplification of the load that produces plastic collapse is formulated in...

Multi-dimensional electro-omosis consolidation of clays

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Yuan, J.; Hicks, M.A.; Dijkstra, J.

2012-01-01

Electro-osmosis consolidation is an innovative and effective ground improvement method for soft clays. But electro-osmosis is also a very complicated process, as the mechanical behaviour, and hydraulic and electrical properties of the soil are changing rapidly during the treatment process; this

Constitutive Soil Properties for Mason Sand and Kennedy Space Center

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, Michael A.; Chitty, Daniel E.

2011-01-01

Accurate soil models are required for numerical simulations of land landings for the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV). This report provides constitutive material models for two soil conditions at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and four conditions of Mason Sand. The Mason Sand is the test sand for LaRC s drop tests and swing tests of the Orion. The soil models are based on mechanical and compressive behavior observed during geotechnical laboratory testing of remolded soil samples. The test specimens were reconstituted to measured in situ density and moisture content. Tests included: triaxial compression, hydrostatic compression, and uniaxial strain. A fit to the triaxial test results defines the strength envelope. Hydrostatic and uniaxial tests define the compressibility. The constitutive properties are presented in the format of LSDYNA Material Model 5: Soil and Foam. However, the laboratory test data provided can be used to construct other material models. The soil models are intended to be specific to the soil conditions they were tested at. The two KSC models represent two conditions at KSC: low density dry sand and high density in-situ moisture sand. The Mason Sand model was tested at four conditions which encompass measured conditions at LaRC s drop test site.

A Study of Clay-Epoxy Nanocomposites Consisting of Unmodified Clay and Organo Clay

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Graham Edward

2006-04-01

Full Text Available Clay-epoxy nanocomposites were synthesized from DGEBA resin and montmorillonite clay with an in-situ polymerization. One type of untreated clay and two types of organo clay were used to produce the nanocompsoites. The aims of this study were to examine the nanocomposite structure using different tools and to compare the results between the unmodified clay and modified clays as nanofillers. Although diffractogram in reflection mode did not show any apparent peak of both types of materials, the transmitted XRD (X-Ray Difraction graphs, DSC (Differential Scanning Calorimeter analysis and TEM (Transmission Electron Microscope images revealed that the modified clay-epoxy and unmodified clay-epoxy provides different results. Interestingly, the micrographs showed that some of the modified clay layers possessed non-exfoliated layers in the modified clay-epoxy nanocomposites. Clay aggregates and a hackle pattern were found from E-SEM images for both types of nanocomposite materials. It is shown that different tools should be used to determine the nanocomposite structure.

High-Strengthening of Cement-Treated Clay by Mechanical Dehydration

OpenAIRE

Kasama, Kiyonobu; Zen, Kouki; Iwataki, Kiyoharu; 笠間, 清伸; 善, 功企; 岩瀧, 清治

2007-01-01

A technique called the cement-mixing and mechanical dehydration method (CMD) as one of recycling techniques for soft clay slurry is developed. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the CMD for increasing the strength of soft clay, a series of unconfined compression tests and several durability tests were performed together with the literature review of unconfined compressive strength in cement-treated soils. Moreover, a series of constant strain rate consolidation tests were also performe...

Deep horizons: Soil Carbon sequestration and storage potential in grassland soils

Science.gov (United States)

Torres-Sallan, Gemma; Schulte, Rogier; Lanigan, Gary J.; Byrne, Kenneth A.; Reidy, Brian; Creamer, Rachel

2016-04-01

Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) enhances soil fertility, holding nutrients in a plant-available form. It also improves aeration and water infiltration. Soils are considered a vital pool for C (Carbon) sequestration, as they are the largest pool of C after the oceans, and contain 3.5 more C than the atmosphere. SOC models and inventories tend to focus on the top 30 cm of soils, only analysing total SOC values. Association of C with microaggregates (53-250 μm) and silt and clay (40 °C. Through a wet sieving procedure, four aggregate sizes were isolated: large macroaggregates (>2000 μm); macroaggregates (250-2000 μm); microaggregates and silt & clay. Organic C associated to each aggregate fraction was analysed on a LECO combustion analyser. Sand-free C was calculated for each aggregate size. For all soil types, 84% of the SOC located in the first 30 cm was contained inside macroaggregates and large macroaggregates. Given that this fraction has a turnover time of 1 to 10 years, sampling at that depth only provides information on the labile fraction in soil, and does not consider the longer term C sequestration potential. Only when looking at the whole profile, two clear trends could be observed: 1) soils with a clay increase at depth had most of their C located in the silt and clay fractions, which indicate their enhanced C sequestration capacity, 2) free-draining soils had a bigger part of their SOC located in the macroaggregate fractions. These results indicate that current C inventories and models that focus on the top 30 cm, do not accurately measure soil C sequestration potential in soils, but rather the more labile fraction. However, at depth soil forming processes have been identified as a major factor influencing C sequestration potential in soils. This has a major impact in further quantifying and sustaining C sequestration into the future. Soils with a high sequestration potential at depth need to be managed to enhance the residence time to contribute to future

Electric Resistance Tests on Compacted Clay Material under Dynamic Load Coupled with Dry-Wet Cycling

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Zheng Lu

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The study of compacted clay material under dynamic load coupled with dry-wet cycling is one of the most important areas in the field of transportation. In this paper, experiments in terms of compacted clay under dynamic load coupled with dry-wet cycling are performed, and synchronous resistivity tests are also conducted. According to the test results, the influences of cumulative plastic strain, dry-wet cycles, and amplitudes on the soil resistivity are analyzed. Then a new damage factor based on resistivity is proposed to evaluate the long-term performance of compacted clay material. The result of research shows that the evolution of the soil resistivity can be divided into two stages, which has a contrary tendency with that of cumulative plastic strain. The dry-wet cycles and amplitudes have a significant effect on the damage of the compacted soil, which indicates that the dry-wet cycling of compacted soil materials should not be ignored in road engineering, especially in rainy and humid areas.

Characterization of clays found in soils of the indian territories in Rio Grande do Sul State by using the 57 Fe Moessbauer spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perez, C.A.S.; Gobbi, D.; Marcos, J.L.N.

2004-01-01

Clay samples collected from soils of indian territories of the middle plateau in Rio Grande do Sul were analyzed with the aim to obtain characterization data and technical parameters for their potential use as raw material for ceramic products. The mineralogical study in samples by using the X-ray diffraction technique demonstrated that the predominant clay mineral is kaolinite. Others minerals as quartz and rutile also are present in small amounts. Chemical analysis shows low percentages for oxides of Mg, Mn, K, Na, Ca, Cu and Zn (overall percentages smaller than 0.97%). The samples also were analyzed with the 57 Fe Moessbauer spectroscopy. The Moessbauer spectra at room temperature confirm the presence of the mineral kaolinite. At 77 K they reveal the existence of the minerals goethite and hematite as ultrafine magnetic particles in a superparamagnetic state. The physical tests performed in the samples show that these soils are very fine material and present appropriate granulometric characteristics and plasticity, which can be taken in advantage for the production of materials for construction or production of ornamental artifacts. (author)

Basic exchangeable cations in Finnish mineral soils

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Armi Kaila

1972-09-01

Full Text Available The content of exchangeable Ca, Mg, K and Na replaced by neutral ammonium acetate was determined in 470 samples of mineral soils from various parts of Finland, except from Lapland. The amount of all these cations tended to increase with an increase in the clay content, but variation within each textural class was large, and the ranges usually overlapped those of the other classes. The higher acidity of virgin surface soils was connected with a lower average degree of saturation by Ca as compared with the corresponding textural classes of cultivated soils. No significant difference in the respective contents of other cations was detected. The samples of various textural groups from deeper layers were usually poorer in exchangeable Ca and K than the corresponding groups of plough layer. The mean content of exchangeable Mg was equal or even higher in the samples from deeper layers than in the samples from plough layer, except in the group of sand soils. The percentage of Mg of the effective CEC increased, as an average, from 9 in the sand and fine sand soils of plough layer to 30 in the heavy clay soils; in the heavy clay soils from deeper layers its mean value was 38 ± 4 %. In the samples of plough layer, the mean ratio of Ca to Mg in sand and fine sand soils was about 9, in silt and loam soils about 6, in the coarser clay soils about 4, and in heavy clay about 2.

Investigation of Phosphate Retention in some Allophanic and Non-Allophanic Nano-Clays from Karaj Formation

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Mohammad Ali Monajjem

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Nanoclays, due to their high specific surface area (SSA chemical and mechanical stabilities, and a variety of surface and structural properties are widely applied. Some of their applications are using them as nano composite polymers, heavy metal ions absorbents, catalysts, photochemical reaction fields, ceramics, paper fillings and coatings, sensors and biosensors. Nano clays and Clays are the most important components constructing soil ecosystems. The physical and chemical properties of soils are mainly depending on the type and amount their clay fraction pertaining to considerable nanoclays. Nano clays have been frequently used to eliminate environmental contaminants from soil and water. Nano clays have also an effective role in the phosphate sorption and desorption from soil solution. Phosphate retention is highly affected by the chemical bonds of the materials, cristalographic properties and pH. In clay size particles there are different structures of nano particles such as alominosilicates with nano ball and nano tube construction. Soils with andic properties have amorphous clay minerals such as allophone. Allophane has a diameter of 3 to 5 nano meter under a transmission electron microscope (TEM and its atomic Si/Al ratio ranges between 0.5 and 1. Allophane shows variable charge characteristics and high selectivity for divalent cations, and is highly reactive with phosphate. Materials and Methods: The objective of this research was to inspect the effect of soil components particularly clay and nanoclay on the sorption of phosphate. To achieve this goal, we studied the amount of phosphate sorption by the natural nanoclays. Samples with andic and vitric properties which were previously formed on volcanic ash in Karaj were chosen in 5 pedons as two Andic ( > 5 percent volcanic glass, > 25 percent P retention, pH NaF > 8.6 and Alo +½ Feo > 0.4 and non Andic soils.. After removal of organic materials, soluble salts, carbonates

Bioremediation of PAHs and VOCs: Advances in clay mineral-microbial interaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Biswas, Bhabananda; Sarkar, Binoy; Rusmin, Ruhaida; Naidu, Ravi

2015-12-01

Bioremediation is an effective strategy for cleaning up organic contaminants, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Advanced bioremediation implies that biotic agents are more efficient in degrading the contaminants completely. Bioremediation by microbial degradation is often employed and to make this process efficient, natural and cost-effective materials can serve as supportive matrices. Clay/modified clay minerals are effective adsorbents of PAHs/VOCs, and readily available substrate and habitat for microorganisms in the natural soil and sediment. However, the mechanism underpinning clay-mediated biodegradation of organic compounds is often unclear, and this requires critical investigation. This review describes the role of clay/modified clay minerals in hydrocarbon bioremediation through interaction with microbial agents in specific scenarios. The vision is on a faster, more efficient and cost-effective bioremediation technique using clay-based products. This review also proposes future research directions in the field of clay modulated microbial degradation of hydrocarbons. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Clay with Desiccation Cracks is an Advection Dominated Environment

Science.gov (United States)

Baram, S.; Kurtzman, D.; Sher, Y.; Ronen, Z.; Dahan, O.

2012-04-01

Heavy clay sediments are regarded "safe" from the hydrological point of view due to their low hydraulic conductivities. However, the formation of desiccation cracks in dispersive clays may dramatically change their bulk hydraulic properties. The impact of desiccation cracks on water percolation, dissolved salts and contaminants transport and redox related reactions (microbial ammonium oxidation and denitrification) were investigated in 6 -12 m clay layer near a diary farm waste lagoon. The study implemented unique vadose-zone monitoring systems that enable in-situ measurements of the temporal variation of the sediment's water content along with frequent sampling of the sediment's pore water along the entire vadose zone (> 30 m). Results from four years of continuous measurements showed quick rises in sediment water content following rain events and temporal wastewater overflows. The percolation pattern indicated dominance of preferential flow through a desiccation-cracks network crossing the entire clay sediment layer. High water-propagation velocities (0.4 - 23.6 m h-1) were observed, indicating that the desiccation-crack network remains open and serves as a preferential flow pathway year-round, even at high sediment water content (~0.50 m3 m-3). The rapid percolation bypassed the most bio-geo-active parts of the soil, transporting even highly sorptive contaminants (testosterone and estrogen) in to the deep sections of the vadose zone, accelerating the underlying groundwater contamination. The ammonium and nitrate concentrations in the vadose zone and the high number of nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria (~108 gene copies gdry-sediemt-1, each) found in the sediment indicated that the entire vadose zone is aerated even at high water content conditions (~0.55 m3 m-3). The dissolved salts concentration in the pore-water and the δ2H-H2O and δ18O-H2O values of the pore-water substantially increased with depth (becoming less depleted) in the clay sediment

Permeability Characteristics of Compacted and Stabilized Clay with Cement, Peat Ash and Silica Sand

OpenAIRE

Seyed Esmaeil Mousavi; Leong Sing Wong

2016-01-01

The present paper investigates the influence of stabilization with cement, peat ash, and silica sand on permeability coefficient (kv) of compacted clay, using a novel approach to stabilize the clay with peat ash as a supplementary material of cement in the compacted and stabilized soil. In order to assess the mentioned influence, test specimens of both untreated and stabilized soil have been tested in the laboratory so that their permeability could be evaluated. Falling head and one dimension...

Intrinsic Problems In Determination Of Soil Texture In Calcareous Soils Of Arid Zones

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Mozna A. Ahmed

2017-08-01

Full Text Available This study aimed at studying the effect of removal of CaCO3 on the texture of the soil profile and that of the control section in some Aridisols of the Sudan. Sixty soil profiles were sampled from Shendi area latitude1636 and longitude 33 48 River Nile State Sudan. These soils were analyzed for CaCO3 and 20 of these profiles were found to be of relatively appreciable calcareousness and were therefore selected for this study. The following three weighted soil textures were determined 1 before any removal of the CaCO3 Texture1 2 after the removal of CaCO3 Texture2 3 after amending the texture by adding the clay sized CaCO3 to the silt fraction Texture 3. Statistical analysis revealed significant differences among soil separates in the three textures except between clay of T2 and clay of T3 and among sand fractions in the three textures. That was not unexpected because the first texture included both mineral separates plus their equivalent size of CaCO3 the second texture included only the mineral separates in complete absence of CaCO3 while texture 3 was an amended texture. The change in the textural class amounted to 72 of the profiles. Statistical analysis in the weighted texture of the control section revealed that this texture was not affected except in two profiles. That could be attributed to the fact that the clay content of the soils of the study area did not fall at or near the boundary between any two major textural classes used in the Soil Taxonomy. The size of the CaCO3 was found in the order of clay size silt size sand size.

The impact of hazardous waste leachate on performance of clay liners.

Science.gov (United States)

Mosavat, Nasim; Nalbantoglu, Zalihe

2013-02-01

Penetration of hazardous liquids through waste containment barriers exerts contamination and considerable alterations in geotechnical properties of clay liners. In general, these changes are attributed to the variation of the dielectric constant and the chemistry of the pore fluids which cause changes in soil structure. In the present study, a series of laboratory tests were performed on natural and contaminated clay soil permeated with different hazardous liquids: ethylene glycol and toluene which are generally found in petroleum-contaminated sites, possessing intermediate and low dielectric constants. Toluene was used in its pure form and ethylene glycol was used at various percentages of 0, 20, 40 and 60% by the volume of distilled water. In addition, natural sea water was also utilized as an inorganic fluid for permeation and salinization of the clay soil. The overall test results indicated that plasticity, sedimentation time, unconfined compressive strength, swell and compressibility generally decreased with increasing organic fluid/water concentration, while a slight increase in the permeability values was observed. Pure toluene resulted in diminution of plasticity and considerable flocculation of the particles which caused the soil to become granular. Sea water also caused particle flocculation and reduction in plasticity, swell potential and unconfined compressive strength, although it was noted that compressibility properties remained unchanged compared to distilled water. Finally, the correlation between the electrical resistivity and plasticity index values suggested that the electrical resistivity measurements can be used as a detecting technique for subsurface soil and waste barrier contamination.

Assessment of the Mechanical Properties of Sisal Fiber-Reinforced Silty Clay Using Triaxial Shear Tests

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Yankai Wu

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Fiber reinforcement is widely used in construction engineering to improve the mechanical properties of soil because it increases the soil’s strength and improves the soil’s mechanical properties. However, the mechanical properties of fiber-reinforced soils remain controversial. The present study investigated the mechanical properties of silty clay reinforced with discrete, randomly distributed sisal fibers using triaxial shear tests. The sisal fibers were cut to different lengths, randomly mixed with silty clay in varying percentages, and compacted to the maximum dry density at the optimum moisture content. The results indicate that with a fiber length of 10 mm and content of 1.0%, sisal fiber-reinforced silty clay is 20% stronger than nonreinforced silty clay. The fiber-reinforced silty clay exhibited crack fracture and surface shear fracture failure modes, implying that sisal fiber is a good earth reinforcement material with potential applications in civil engineering, dam foundation, roadbed engineering, and ground treatment.

Sorption of thiabendazole in sub-tropical Brazilian soils.

Science.gov (United States)

de Oliveira Neto, Odilon França; Arenas, Alejandro Yopasa; Fostier, Anne Hélène

2017-07-01

Thiabendazole (TBZ) is an ionizable anthelmintic agent that belongs to the class of benzimidazoles. It is widely used in veterinary medicine and as a fungicide in agriculture. Sorption and desorption are important processes influencing transport, transformation, and bioavailability of xenobiotic compounds in soils; data related to sorption capacity are therefore needed for environmental risk assessments. The aim of this work was to assess the sorption potential of TBZ in four Brazilians soils (sandy, sandy-clay, and clay soils), using batch equilibrium experiments at three pH ranges (2.3-3.0, 3.8-4.2, and 5.5-5.7). The Freundlich sorption coefficient (K F ) ranged from 9.0 to 58 μg 1-1/n  (mL) 1/n  g -1 , with higher values generally observed at the lower pH ranges (2.3-3.0 and 3.8-4.2) and for clay soils. The highest organic carbon-normalized sorption coefficients (K OC ) obtained at pH 3.8-5.7 (around the natural pH range of 4.1-5.0) for both clay soils and sandy-clay soil were 3255 and 2015 mL g -1 , respectively. The highest correlations K F vs SOM (r = 0.70) and K F vs clay content (r = 0.91) were observed at pH 3.8-4.2. Our results suggest that TBZ sorption/desorption is strongly pH dependent and that its mobility could be higher in the studied soils than previously reported in soils from temperate regions.

Deep soil mixing for reagent delivery and contaminant treatment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Korte, N.; Gardner, F.G.; Cline, S.R.; West, O.R.

1997-01-01

Deep soil mixing was evaluated for treating clay soils contaminated with TCE and its byproducts at the Department of Energy's Kansas City Plant. The objective of the project was to evaluate the extent of limitations posed by the stiff, silty-clay soil. Three treatment approaches were tested. The first was vapor stripping. In contrast to previous work, however, laboratory treatability studies indicated that mixing saturated, clay soil was not efficient unless powdered lime was added. Thus, powder injection of lime was attempted in conjunction with the mixing/stripping operation. In separate treatment cells, potassium permanganate solution was mixed with the soil as a means of destroying contaminants in situ. Finally, microbial treatment was studied in a third treatment zone. The clay soil caused operational problems such as breakage of the shroud seal and frequent reagent blowouts. Nevertheless, treatment efficiencies of more than 70% were achieved in the saturated zone with chemical oxidation. Although expensive ($1128/yd 3 ), there are few alternatives for soils of this type

Effect of lead on the microbiological activity in soil

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mikkelsen, J P

1974-01-01

The production of CO/sub 2/ has been measured after addition of 0, 100, 1000 and 5000 ppm lead (as nitrate) to three Danish soils (two sandy soils and one clay soil). The microbiological activity was inhibited for 10-14 days in the two sandy soils at an addition of 5000 ppm lead, but not in the clay soil. Extraction experiments indicated that the sandy soil has the greatest amount of slight soluble lead, and the content of heavy adsorbed lead was greatest in the clay soil. Determinations (counts) of the effect of lead on the microbial population has shown reduction of the number of microorganisms at addition of 5000 ppm lead. The reduction was greatest in the sandy soil.

Sorption and Transport of Sildenafil in Natural Soils

Science.gov (United States)

Boudinot, F. G.; Vulava, V. M.

2013-12-01

Pharmaceutical Chemicals (PCs) mainly enter our ecosystems from discharges of treated wastewater and have direct effects on the ecological health of that area. Sildenafil citrate (Viagra) is one such PC, whose presence has been reported in stream waters. Although one study has shown that sildenafil is not harmful in bacterial and fungal environments, there remains much unknown about its fate elsewhere in ecosystems. Sildenafil is a complex organic molecule with two amino functional groups that result in pKa's of 7.27 and 5.97. It also has a high solubility of 3.5 g/L. Given that sildenafil consumption (and concurrently disposal) is on the rise, it is essential that its behavior in the natural environment be better understood. The goal of this study was to quantify the sorption and transport behavior of sildenafil in differing natural soils with varying compositions. Pristine A- and B- horizon soil samples from several soil series were collected in a managed forest near Charleston, SC and used for these studies. The soils were characterized for physical and chemical properties: soil organic matter content ranged between 0.6-7.6%, clay content between 6-20%, and soil pH between 4-5. These soils were then used to perform kinetic reaction, sorption, and column transport experiments. Batch kinetic experiments showed a fast reaction rate in both clay-rich and organic-rich soils and an equilibration time of less than 24 hours. Batch reactor sorption experiments provided data for sorption isotherms (plot of sildenafil in solution, C vs. sildenafil sorbed in soil, q) which were nonlinear. The isotherms were fit using Freundlich model (q=KfCn, where Kf and n are fitting parameters). Sildenafil sorbed more strongly to clay-rich soils compared with organic-rich soils with less clay. It is hypothesized that permanent negative charge on clay mineral surfaces form ionic bonds with positively charged amines in sildenafil in acidic pHs. Transport experiments were conducted using

Comparison of short-term and long-term performances for polymer-stabilized sand and clay

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Sepehr Rezaeimalek

2017-04-01

Full Text Available A series of tests were carried out on sulfate rich, high-plasticity clay and poorly-graded natural sand to study the effectiveness of a methylene diphenyl diisocyanate based liquid polymer soil stabilizer in improving the unconfined compressive strength (UCS of freshly stabilized soils and aged sand specimens. The aged specimens were prepared by exposing the specimens to ultraviolet radiation, freeze-thaw, and wet-dry weathering. The polymer soil stabilizer also mitigated the swelling of the expansive clay. For clay, the observations indicated that the sequence of adding water and liquid polymer had great influence on the gained UCS of stabilized specimens. However, this was shown to be of little importance for sand. Furthermore, sand samples showed incremental gains in UCS when they were submerged in water. This increase was significant for up to 4 days of soaking in water after 4 days of ambient air curing. Conversely, the clay samples lost a large fraction of their UCS when soaked in water; however, their remaining strength was still considerable. The stabilized specimens showed acceptable endurance under weathering action, although sample yellowing due to ultraviolet radiation was evident on the surface of the specimens. Except for moisture susceptibility of the clay specimens, the results of this study suggested the liquid stabilizer could be successfully utilized to provide acceptable strength, durability and mitigated swelling.

Geotechnical and physico chemical properties of clays associated ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2012-12-03

Dec 3, 2012 ... which were later combined for the complete particle size distribution. ... leaching action of the finest materials (clay fraction) from the surface horizons ..... slopes on which the gravitational pull on the water charged soils rich in ...

Sorption and desorption of carbamazepine from water by smectite clays.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Weihao; Ding, Yunjie; Boyd, Stephen A; Teppen, Brian J; Li, Hui

2010-11-01

Carbamazepine is a prescription anticonvulsant and mood stabilizing pharmaceutical administered to humans. Carbamazepine is persistent in the environment and frequently detected in water systems. In this study, sorption and desorption of carbamazepine from water was measured for smectite clays with the surface negative charges compensated with K+, Ca2+, NH4+, tetramethylammonium (TMA), trimethylphenylammonium (TMPA) and hexadecyltrimethylammonium (HDTMA) cations. The magnitude of sorption followed the order: TMPA-smectite≥HDTMA-smectite>NH4-smectite>K-smectite>Ca-smectite⩾TMA-smectite. The greatest sorption of carbamazepine by TMPA-smectite is attributed to the interaction of conjugate aromatic moiety in carbamazepine with the phenyl ring in TMPA through π-π interaction. Partitioning process is the primary mechanism for carbamazepine uptake by HDTMA-smectite. For NH4-smectite the urea moiety in carbamazepine interacts with exchanged cation NH4+ by H-bonding hence demonstrating relatively higher adsorption. Sorption by K-, Ca- and TMA-smectites from water occurs on aluminosilicate mineral surfaces. These results implicate that carbamazepine sorption by soils occurs primarily in soil organic matter, and soil mineral fractions play a secondary role. Desorption of carbamazepine from the sorbents manifested an apparent hysteresis. Increasing irreversibility of desorption vs. sorption was observed for K-, Ca-, TMA-, TMPA- and HDTMA-clays as aqueous carbamazepine concentrations increased. Desorption hysteresis of carbamazepine from K-, Ca-, NH4-smectites was greater than that from TMPA- and HDTMA-clays, suggesting that the sequestrated carbamazepine molecules in smectite interlayers are more resistant to desorption compared to those sorbed by organic phases in smectite clays. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The fractional patterns of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in the soil of the central Tibetan Plateau, China: The influence of soil components

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yuan Guoli; Xie Wei; Che Xiaochao; Han Peng; Liu Chen; Wang Genhou

2012-01-01

Sixteen soil samples were collected from the central Tibetan Plateau (CTP). The soil concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in CTP were analyzed. The detected 42 congeners were divided into light, intermediate and heavy fractions. In addition to the various minerals, other soil properties were also characterized, including the content of soil organic carbon (SOC) and the particle size distribution. The clay content is positively related to the intermediate fraction of the PBDEs and negatively related to the light and heavy fractions. Similar correlations were observed for SOC and the fine-particle fraction (size 2 ) associated with a linear regression indicated that the clays were more highly correlated with the fractional pattern of the PBDEs than with the other properties, such as SOC and the fine-particle fraction. The values of r 2 between clays and three fractions of PBDEs are 0.70, 0.69 and 0.58. Highlights: ► All data about soil and PBDEs were based on field data rather than experiments. ► The intermediate fraction of PBDEs increased with increases in the clay content. ► The clays were more strongly correlated with PBDEs fractional patterns than SOC. - Certain minerals, such as clays, have a greater impact on the adsorption of POPs than SOC in certain areas.

Effect of temperature on volume change behaviour of statically compacted kaolin clay

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Ileme Ogechi

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Several soils are subjected to high temperature due to the environment where they are located or activities around them. For instance, upper layer of soils in tropical regions, soils around geothermal structures, clay barriers around nuclear waste repository systems. Numerous studies have pointed out that high temperature affects the hydro-mechanical properties of soils. Notwithstanding already existing studies, the influence of temperature on soils is still a challenge, as most of these studies are soil specific and cannot be inferred as the behaviour of all soils. This paper presents an experimental study on the influence of temperature on the volume change behaviour of statically compacted kaolin clay. Compacted samples were tested at varying temperatures using a suction controlled oedometer cell. The influence of temperature on the magnitude of volumetric strain occurring during mechanical and thermal loading was investigated. The study showed that an increase in temperature increased the magnitude of volumetric strain of the soil on loading. Additionally, the results presented in the light of LC curve showed that an increase in temperature resulted in the contraction and a change in the position of the LC curve.

Clays and Clay Minerals and their environmental application in Food Technology

Science.gov (United States)

del Hoyo Martínez, Carmen; Cuéllar Antequera, Jorge; Sánchez Escribano, Vicente; Solange Lozano García, Marina; Cutillas Díez, Raul

2013-04-01

-del Hoyo, C. (2007). Applied Clay Science. 36, 103-121.Layered Double Hydroxides and human health: An overview. -Valderrábano, M., Rodríguez-Cruz, S., del Hoyo, C., Sánchez-Martín, M.J. (2006). 4th International Workshop "Bioavalailability of pollutants and soil remediation". 1, 5-6. Physicochemical study of the adsorption of pesticides by lignins. -Volzone, C. (2007). Applied Clay Science. 36, 191-196. Retention of pollutant gases: Comparison between clay minerals and their modified products.

The Evaluation of Basal Respiration for Various Soil Textures in Ecologically Sensitive Area

Science.gov (United States)

Huličová, P.; Kotorová, D.; Fazekašová, D.; Hynšt, J.

2017-10-01

The present contribution was focused on monitoring changes in the soil basal respiration in different textures of soil in the dry polder Beša. The research was conducted between 2012 and 2014 on soil type Fluvisol locations on three soil textures: clay - loam soil, clayey soil and clay soil in three soil depths. The basal respiration (BR) has been determine by soil CO2 production measuring from incubated soil samples in serum bottles in laboratory condition. Release Co2 has been analysed by gas chromatography. Content of clay particles were in the range 52.18 % to 81.31%, indicating the high difference between the minimum and maximum content. By using of multiple LSD-test we recorded statistically significant impact of clay on basal respiration. Results confirm the values of basal respiration with the depth of the soil profile decreased.

Organophilic clays as a tracer to determine Erosion processes

Science.gov (United States)

Mentler, A.; Strauss, P.; Schomakers, J.; Hann, S.; Köllensberger, G.; Ottner, F.

2009-04-01

In recent years the use of new tracing techniques to measure soil erosion has gained attention. Beside long time existing isotopic methods the use of rare earth elements has been reported. We wanted to contribute to the efforts of obtaining better methods for determination surface soil movement and tested a novel method using organophilic clays as a tracer for erosion related studies. At present tests to extract organophilic clays from soil have been performed successfully using an Industrial produced organophilic bentonite (Tixogel TVZ, Süd-Chemie) treated with quaternary ammonium surfactants. A liquid extraction method with barium ions (Ba2+) and methanol was used to extract the n-alkyl ammonium compounds from the inter crystal layers of the modified Bentonite. To increase extraction efficiency, an ultrasound device was used (UW 2200 Bandelin, 10.000 cycles per second, vibration amplitude 54 µm, sonification time of one minute). This procedure lead to a recovery rate of about 85% for the organophilic bentonite. This was clearly superior to alternative extraction methods such as acetonitrile in different mixing ratios. Quantification of the extracted surfactants was performed via high performance liquid chromatography - mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS, Agilent 1200 SL HPLC and 6220 time-of-flight MS). The mass spectra of this industrial produced organophilic clay mineral showed four different molecular masses (M+H+ of 304.30, 332.33, 360.36 and 388.39. The four substances could be separated by HPLC (20 x 2 mm Zorbax C18 reversed phase column, 0.5 mL/min isocratic flow with 90% acetonitrile and 0.1% formic acid in water, run time of 7 minutes). The linear working range of the method was 5 to 1000 µg/L, with a limit of quantification of 1 µg/L n-alkyl ammonium compound. All four compounds of the Tixogel were extracted with identical extraction efficiencies and are hence suitable for accurate quantification procedures. Next steps of the methodology to develop are the

Predicting soil particle density from clay and soil organic matter contents

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schjønning, Per; McBride, R.A.; Keller, T.

2017-01-01

Soil particle density (Dp) is an important soil property for calculating soil porosity expressions. However, many studies assume a constant value, typically 2.65Mgm−3 for arable, mineral soils. Fewmodels exist for the prediction of Dp from soil organic matter (SOM) content. We hypothesized...

Mineralogical and Geochemical Characterization of Clay and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Bheema

which include soil horizons, continental and marine sediments, geothermal fields, volcanic ... water, air, or steam and the type of clay however is controlled by the composition of pre-existing ... the lake basin is characterized by biannual nature of precipitation with a mean annual ...... isotope record from LakeAshenge.

Adsorption-Desorption of Hexaconazole in Soils with Respect to Soil Properties, Temperature, and pH

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Maznah Zainol

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The effect of temperature and pH on adsorption-desorption of fungicide hexaconazole was studied in two Malaysian soil types; namely clay loam and sandy loam. The adsorption-desorption experiment was conducted using the batch equilibration technique and the residues of hexaconazole were analysed using the GC-ECD. The results showed that the adsorption-desorption isotherms of hexaconazole can be described with Freundlich equation. The Freundlich sorption coefficient (Kd values were positively correlated to the clay and organic matter content in the soils. Hexaconazole attained the equilibrium phase within 24 h in both soil types studied. The adsorption coefficient (Kd values obtained for clay loam soil and sandy loam soil were 2.54 mL/g and 2.27 mL/g, respectively, indicating that hexaconazole was weakly sorbed onto the soils due to the low organic content of the soils. Regarding thermodynamic parameters, the Gibb’s free energy change (ΔG analysis showed that hexaconazole adsorption onto soil was spontaneous and exothermic, plus it exhibited positive hysteresis. A strong correlation was observed between the adsorption of hexaconazole and pH of the soil solution. However, temperature was found to have no effect on the adsorption of hexaconazole onto the soils; for the range tested.

Influence of Biochar on Deposition and Release of Clay Colloids in Saturated Porous Media.

Science.gov (United States)

Haque, Muhammad Emdadul; Shen, Chongyang; Li, Tiantian; Chu, Haoxue; Wang, Hong; Li, Zhen; Huang, Yuanfang

2017-11-01

Although the potential application of biochar in soil remediation has been recognized, the effect of biochar on the transport of clay colloids, and accordingly the fate of colloid-associated contaminants, is unclear to date. This study conducted saturated column experiments to systematically examine transport of clay colloids in biochar-amended sand porous media in different electrolytes at different ionic strengths. The obtained breakthrough curves were simulated by the convection-diffusion equation, which included a first-order deposition and release terms. The deposition mechanisms were interpreted by calculating Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek interaction energies. A linear relationship between the simulated deposition rate or the attachment efficiency and the fraction of biochar was observed ( ≥ 0.91), indicating more favorable deposition in biochar than in sand. The interaction energy calculations show that the greater deposition in biochar occurs because the half-tube-like cavities on the biochar surfaces favor deposition in secondary minima and the nanoscale physical and chemical heterogeneities on the biochar surfaces increase deposition in primary minima. The deposited clay colloids in NaCl can be released by reduction of ionic strength, whereas the presence of a bivalent cation (Ca) results in irreversible deposition due to the formation of cation bridging between the colloids and biochar surfaces. The deposition and release of clay colloids on or from biochar surfaces not only change their mobilizations in the soil but also influence the efficiency of the biochar for removal of pollutants. Therefore, the influence of biochar on clay colloid transport must be considered before application of the biochar in soil remediation. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

Permeability response of oil-contaminated compacted clays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silvestri, V.; Mikhail, N.; Soulie, M.

1997-01-01

This paper presents the results of a laboratory investigation on the behavior of motor oil-contaminated, partially saturated compacted clays. For the study, both a natural clay and an artificially purified kaolinite, contaminated with 0 to 8% of motor oil, were firstly compacted following the ASTM standard procedure. Secondly, permeability tests were carried out in a triaxial cell on 10 cm-diameter compacted clay specimens. The results of the investigation indicate that increasing percentages of motor oil decrease both the optimum water content and the optimum dry density of the two clays. However, whereas the optimum water content on the average decreases by about 6% when the percentage contamination increases from 0 to 8%, the corresponding decrease in the optimum dry density is less than 3%. Even though the optimum dry density decreases as the percentage of oil increases from 0 to 8%, there is, however, a range in oil content varying between 2 and 4% for which the optimum dry density is slightly greater than that of the untreated soils. As far as the permeability tests are concerned, the results indicate that as the percentage of oil increases, the coefficient of permeability decreases substantially, especially for clay specimens which were initially compacted on the dry side of optimum

Sorption of water vapour by the Na+-exchanged clay-sized fractions of some tropical soil samples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yormah, T.B.R.; Hayes, M.H.B.

1993-09-01

Water vapour sorption isotherms at 299K for the Na + -exchanged clay-sized (≤ 2μm e.s.d.) fraction of two sets of samples taken at three different depths from a tropical soil profile have been studied. One set of samples was treated (with H 2 O 2 ) for the removal of much of the organic matter (OM); the other set (of the same samples) was not so treated. The isotherms obtained were all of type II and analyses by the BET method yielded values for the Specific Surface Areas (SSA) and for the average energy of adsorption of the first layer of adsorbate (E a ). OM content and SSA for the untreated samples were found to decrease with depth. Whereas removal of organic matter made negligible difference to the SSA of the top/surface soil, the same treatment produced a significant increase in the SSA of the samples taken from the middle and from the lower depths in the profile; the resulting increase was more pronounced for the subsoil. It has been deduced from these results that OM in the surface soil was less involved with the inorganic soil colloids than that in the subsoil. The increase in surface area which resulted from the removal of OM from the subsoil was most probably due to disaggregation. Values of E a obtained show that for all the samples the adsorption of water vapour became more energetic after the oxidative removal of organic matter; the resulting ΔE a also increased with depth. This suggests that in the dry state, the ''cleaned'' surface of the inorganic soil colloids was more energetic than the ''organic-matter-coater surface''. These data provide strong support for the deduction that OM in the subsoil was in a more ''combined'' state than that in the surface soil. (author). 21 refs, 4 figs, 2 tabs

Metal oxides, clay minerals and charcoal determine the composition of microbial communities in matured artificial soils and their response to phenanthrene.

Science.gov (United States)

Babin, Doreen; Ding, Guo-Chun; Pronk, Geertje Johanna; Heister, Katja; Kögel-Knabner, Ingrid; Smalla, Kornelia

2013-10-01

Microbial communities in soil reside in a highly heterogeneous habitat where diverse mineral surfaces, complex organic matter and microorganisms interact with each other. This study aimed to elucidate the long-term effect of the soil mineral composition and charcoal on the microbial community composition established in matured artificial soils and their response to phenanthrene. One year after adding sterile manure to different artificial soils and inoculating microorganisms from a Cambisol, the matured soils were spiked with phenanthrene or not and incubated for another 70 days. 16S rRNA gene and internal transcribed spacer fragments amplified from total community DNA were analyzed by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis. Metal oxides and clay minerals and to a lesser extent charcoal influenced the microbial community composition. Changes in the bacterial community composition in response to phenanthrene differed depending on the mineral composition and presence of charcoal, while no shifts in the fungal community composition were observed. The abundance of ring-hydroxylating dioxygenase genes was increased in phenanthrene-spiked soils except for charcoal-containing soils. Here we show that the formation of biogeochemical interfaces in soil is an ongoing process and that different properties present in artificial soils influenced the bacterial response to the phenanthrene spike. © 2012 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.

Soil structure and microbial activity dynamics in 20-month field-incubated organic-amended soils

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Arthur, Emmanuel; Schjønning, Per; Møldrup, Per

2014-01-01

to determine compressive strength. During incubation, the amount of WDC depended on soil carbon content while the trends correlated with moisture content. Organic amendment only yielded modest decreases (mean of 14% across all sampling times and soils) in WDC, but it was sufficient to stimulate the microbial......Soil structure formation is essential to all soil ecosystem functions and services. This study aims to quantify changes in soil structure and microbial activity during and after field incubation and examine the effect of carbon, organic amendment and clay on aggregate characteristics. Five soils...... community (65–100% increase in FDA). Incubation led to significant macroaggregate formation (>2 mm) for all soils. Friability and strength of newly-formed aggregates were negatively correlated with clay content and carbon content, respectively. Soil workability was best for the kaolinite-rich soil...

Considering Organic Carbon for Improved Predictions of Clay Content from Water Vapor Sorption

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Arthur, Emmanuel; Tuller, Markus; Moldrup, Per

2014-01-01

Accurate determination of the soil clay fraction (CF) is of crucial importance for characterization of numerous environmental, agricultural, and engineering processes. Because traditional methods for measurement of the CF are laborious and susceptible to errors, regression models relating the CF...... to water vapor sorption isotherms that can be rapidly measured with a fully automated vapor sorption analyzer are a viable alternative. In this presentation we evaluate the performance of recently developed regression models based on comparison with standard CF measurements for soils with high organic...... carbon (OC) content and propose a modification to improve prediction accuracy. Evaluation of the CF prediction accuracy for 29 soils with clay contents ranging from 6 to 25% and with OC contents from 2.0 to 8.4% showed that the models worked reasonably well for all soils when the OC content was below 2...

Magnetic resonance imaging of clays: swelling, sedimentation, dissolution

Science.gov (United States)

Dvinskikh, Sergey; Furo, Istvan

2010-05-01

While most magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) applications concern medical research, there is a rapidly increasing number of MRI studies in the field of environmental science and technology. In this presentation, MRI will be introduced from the latter perspective. While many processes in these areas are similar to those addressed in medical applications of MRI, parameters and experimental implementations are often quite different and, in many respects, far more demanding. This hinders direct transfer of existing methods developed for biomedical research, especially when facing the challenging task of obtaining spatially resolved quantitative information. In MRI investigation of soils, clays, and rocks, mainly water signal is detected, similarly to MRI of biological and medical samples. However, a strong variation of water mobility and a wide spread of water spin relaxation properties in these materials make it difficult to use standard MRI approaches. Other significant limitations can be identified as following: T2 relaxation and probe dead time effects; molecular diffusion artifacts; varying dielectric losses and induced currents in conductive samples; limited dynamic range; blurring artifacts accompanying drive for increasing sensitivity and/or imaging speed. Despite these limitations, by combining MRI techniques developed for solid and liquid states and using independent information on relaxation properties of water, interacting with the material of interest, true images of distributions of both water, material and molecular properties in a wide range of concentrations can be obtained. Examples of MRI application will be given in the areas of soil and mineral research where understanding water transport and erosion processes is one of the key challenges. Efforts in developing and adapting MRI approaches to study these kinds of systems will be outlined as well. Extensive studies of clay/water interaction have been carried out in order to provide a quantitative

Pore-water chemistry effects on the compressibility behaviour of Boom Clay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deng, Y.F.; Cui, Y.J.; Tang, A.M.; Nguyen, X.P.; Li, X.L.; Maarten, V.G.

2010-01-01

Document available in extended abstract form only. Boom clay is a thick deposit of over-consolidated marine clay, and belongs to the Oligocene series. Its hydraulic conductivity has been investigated since many years in Belgium within the site characterization program related to the performance assessment of potential geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste in this formation. Recently, the work of Wemaere et al. (2008) shows a significant variability of the hydraulic conductivity of the Boom clay. Indeed, they performed measurements on soil cores taken from four distant boreholes at various depths. The vertical hydraulic conductivity was found to vary from 3 x 10 -12 to 10 x 10 -12 m/s. It is suspected that this variability would be partly related to the water chemistry effects. Indeed, De Craen et al. (2006) shows that the pore-water chemical composition of soil cores taken from the Essen site is significantly different from that at the Mol site. If the pore water chemistry has strong effect on the hydraulic conductivity, its effect on the mechanical behaviour needs to be investigated too. The aim of this paper is to verify whether there are significant effects of pore-water chemistry on the soil compressibility. This study would be helpful to transpose the knowledge obtained from the Mol site to other sites of Boom clay formation where the geochemical components are different from the former site, as the hydro-mechanical characteristics of Boom clay at the Mol site has been widely investigated since the last decades. Two soil cores were taken from the Essen site at a depth of 227 m (Ess83) and 240 m (Ess96). Based on the geochemical analysis presented by De Craen et al. (2006), synthetic water having similar chemical composition of the in-situ pore-water was prepared. The identification geotechnical characteristics of these cores are shown in Table 2. It can be observed that the clay content (particle size < 2 μm) is relatively high (more than 50