Hydraulic Properties of Swelling Porous Media: Microscale Modeling and Measurements

Markus Tuller Changes in volume and pore space induced by the shrink-swell behavior of clay minerals present a challenge to predictive modeling of hydraulic properties of clayey soils. Despite well-developed theory for crystalline and osmotic swelling of clay minerals at the scale of individual clay lamellae, their translation to prediction of hydraulic properties of swelling soils is limited. We present a new pore-scale framework that combines physico-chemical processes with pore-geometrical, hydrostatic, and hydrodynamic considerations toward prediction of constitutive hydraulic relationships for swelling porous media. Variations in pore space are modeled by considering the soil clay fabric as an assembly of colloidal-size tactoids with lamellar structure. The arrangement of clay tactoids and the spacing between individual lamellae are functions of primarily clay hydration state quantifiable via the disjoining pressure that is dominated by a large electrostatic repulsive component. Solution chemistry and clay type are also considered. Silt and sand textural constituents are represented as rigid spheres interspaced by clay fabric in two basic configurations of "expansive" and "reductive" unit cells. Bulk soil properties such as clay content, porosity and surface area serve as constraints for modeling pore-space geometry. Liquid saturation within the idealized pore space is calculated as a function of chemical potential considering volume changes due to clay shrink-swell behavior. Closed-form expressions for prediction of saturated hydraulic conductivity are derived from calculations of average flow velocities in ducts and between parallel plates, and invoking proportionality between flux density and hydraulic gradient. Measurement of shrink-swell and hydraulic properties of clayey soils are used to evaluate model predictions. Advanced flexible-wall permeametry is employed to measure permeability of clay-sand mixtures using different electrolytes, and a novel experimental setup provides data for swelling potential. Observations with Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy (ESEM) provide explanatory power and constraints to the pore space evolution model. The roles of confining conditions and overburden, and upscaling strategies will be discussed.