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Effect of calcium solution on the mineralogy of the clay fraction and the swelling of clay soils

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 July 2025

Sabah Benyahia ,
Mehdi Mebarki  and
Nathalie Fagel Open the ORCID record for Nathalie Fagel [Opens in a new window]
Sabah Benyahia*
Affiliation:
Earth and Universe Sciences Institute, Department of Geology, Mostefa Ben Boulaid Batna 2 University, Fesdis, Algeria Natural Hazards and Territory Planning Laboratory, Geology Department, Mostefa Ben Boulaid Batna 2 University, Fesdis, Algeria
Mehdi Mebarki
Affiliation:
Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Science and Technology, Tamanrasset University, Tamanrasset, Algeria Civil Engineering Laboratory, Risks and Soil-Structure Interaction (LGC–ROI), Mostefa Ben Boulaid Batna 2 University, Fesdis, Algeria
Nathalie Fagel
Affiliation:
UR AGEs – Clays, Geochemistry and Sedimentary Environments, Department of Geology B18, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
*
Corresponding author: Sabah Benyahia; Email: sabah.benyahia@univ-batna2.dz
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Abstract

This article addresses the subject of treating clayey soils to reduce the swelling in this type of soil. The study used a calcium-rich solution and examined the influence of this solution on the <2 μm clay fraction, on the non-clay fraction and on clay soil swelling. The dissolution of clay-fraction minerals during this treatment was also examined. A mineralogical and free-swelling analysis was carried out on three natural clay soils from three different locations in Algeria. The solution rich in Ca ions had a significant influence on clay mineralogy, as all the clay minerals nearly disappeared and only traces of smectite, illite, chlorite and kaolinite remained. The almost complete disappearance of minerals after contact with the Ca solution may be linked to the high pH of the porewater, because an increase in pH accelerates the alteration of these minerals. The pH of the solution induced significant modifications in the samples, revealing the high reactivity of the minerals during this treatment. Furthermore, the treatment allowed for a nearly total reduction of the sensitivity of these soils to water (i.e. swelling).

Keywords

Calcium solutionclay fractionclay treatmentmineralogyswell pressure

Information

Type
Article
Information
Clay Minerals , Volume 60 , Issue 2 , June 2025 , pp. 191 - 208
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of The Mineralogical Society of the United Kingdom and Ireland.

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Footnotes

Associate editor: Javier Huertas

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