Journal Published Online: 01 September 2001
Volume 24, Issue 3

A Laboratory Apparatus to Measure Chemico-Osmotic Efficiency Coefficients for Clay Soils

CODEN: GTJODJ

Abstract

A laboratory apparatus for measuring the chemico-osmotic efficiency coefficient, ω, for clay soils in the presence of electrolyte solutions is described. A chemico-osmotic experiment is conducted by establishing and maintaining a constant difference in electrolyte concentration across a soil specimen while preventing the flow of solution through the specimen. The chemico-osmotic efficiency coefficient is derived from a measured pressure difference induced across the specimen in response to the applied concentration difference. The effective diffusion coefficient (D*) and retardation factor (Rd) of the electrolytes (solutes) also can be determined simultaneously by measuring the diffusive solute mass flux through the specimen until steady-state diffusion is achieved. Experimental results using specimens of a geosynthetic clay liner subjected to potassium chloride solutions indicate that the measurement of ω may be affected by soil-solution interactions, as well as by changes in the induced chemico-osmotic pressure difference due to solute diffusion. As a result, ω should be evaluated using the induced pressure difference at steady state. The time required to achieve a steady-state response in induced pressure difference is related to the time required to achieve steady-state diffusion of all solutes, and may be affected by the circulation rate at the specimen boundaries. The circulation rate should be sufficiently rapid to minimize changes in the boundary concentrations due to diffusion, but sufficiently slow to allow measurement of solute mass flux at the lower concentration boundary for evaluating D* and Rd.

Author Information

Malusis, MA
GeoTrans, Inc., Westminster, CO
Shackelford, CD
Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO
Olsen, HW
Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO
Pages: 14
Price: $25.00
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Details
Stock #: GTJ11343J
ISSN: 0149-6115
DOI: 10.1520/GTJ11343J