EFFECT OF EcSS 3000 SOIL STABILIZER ON THE INTERNAL PORE STRUCTURE AND WATER DISTRIBUTION IN MONTMORILLONITE

The major objective is to expand upon the scientific knowledge regarding the changes in montmorillonite internal pore structure (air/water voids in the entire soil volume) and redistribution of water after treatment with EcSS 3000 soil stabilizer. The actual profile of water released on heating rather than determining the weight losses was used. An advantage of this procedure is that the results are not affected by any trace amounts of other minerals that may cause disproportionate error in the thermogravimetric experiment. Furthermore, nitrogen and carbon dioxide adsorption were used to assess the changes in pore structure of montmorillonite as a result of the treatment. It is found that partial collapse at the levels of arrangement of layers and/or tactoids is taking place, which results in the reduction in micro porosity as a result of the treatment. This change seems to be irreversible since the conditions of building up inter-tactoid connectivities is no longer available. In addition, the interaggregate meso porosity is reduced due to the reduction in thickness of the double layers around particles as a result of the treatment. The results are essential in providing a mechanism to explain the reduction in swell potential, increase in strength, and the reduction in compressibility of soil as a result of the treatment with EcSS 3000 soil stabilizer.