Testing samples reactive to fresh water

[muuddfun]

Does anyone have any experience testing samples of clay for consolidation and shears when the clay samples are sensitive to fresh water reactions due to the saline environment they were taken from? I have a clay sample that is dispersive when placed in acid, and when we previously tested it in the consol it blew up and I believe it was due to the reaction of fresh water placed in the test apparatus per the ASTM test procedure. Will replacing the clear water called for in the test procedure with saline solution do any good? Will it prevent the samples from expanding beyond there natural expansion potential? Any experience or references to similar problems would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

[Stillerfan]

I don't have any experience with marine clays, however, if you have a moment, could you share some more information about the insitu conditions? Natural Moisture Content? Local geology? Particle size distribution, specifically the -200 gradation info from the hydrometer analysis?

 

[muuddfun]

The soils are from a freshwater/ Saltwater environment in the desert, the groundwater is partially saline. I don't have any exact information on the amount of salinity, but we had reactions when the samples were placed in a fresh water environment so I was hypothesizing that the salt content was driving the reaction.

The clays are from about 50 to 80 percent clay on the hydrometer the rest is silt. The liquit limits range from the hight 30's to about 80. The natural moisture contents are running around 30 percent. The local geology is an old lakebed laid down over time in the desert then dried out so that process can concentrate the salt and minerals in the material. There have been many cycles of this action, the most recent drying up period started about 400 to 500 years ago.

Any information on how samples from this type of environment should be treated or what is done in marine environments and how they are tested would be helpfull. Thanks