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Influence of electroosmotic treatment on the hydro-mechanical behaviour of clayey silts: preliminary experimental results

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Abstract

Preliminary results of an investigation focused on the influence of electrokinetic treatment on the mechanical and hydraulic behaviour of clayey soils are presented. The experimental programme aims at providing a contribution to the sustainability of contaminant extraction or containment via electroosmosis. Changes in the hydraulic and mechanical properties of two illitic clayey soils, subjected to a DC electric field, were investigated. Samples of the two soils were subjected to electrokinetic filtration, for different periods of time, and under different constant loads. Afterwards, they were tested under one-dimensional compression to detect changes in stiffness and hydraulic conductivity due to the electrical treatment. After the application of a DC field for a few hours, a small reversible increment in the average soil stiffness was observed, with respect to the untreated soil, while the hydraulic conductivity was not affected substantially. Dramatic changes of the mechanical and hydraulic soil properties, correlated to changes of the soil pH, were observed following non-conditioned electrokinetic treatment with duration of the order of days.

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Acknowledgments

The financial support of the Italian Ministry of University and Research, through the grant PRIN 2006080119-2006, Experimental and theoretical study of the applicability of electrokinetic processes for the control of contaminant propagation in fine grained soils, is gratefully acknowledged. The authors thank Tomás Pérez for his invaluable help in the development of the EIT oedometer at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, and Roberto Maniscalco for his kind support in the long term filtration tests at the Politecnico di Torino. Thanks are due to Prof. Claudio Tamagnini, presently at the Università di Perugia, for providing his original experimental equipment.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Structural and Geotechnical Engineering, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi, 24, 10129, Torino, Italy

    Laura Gabrieli & Guido Musso

  2. Department of Structural Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, piazza Leonardo da Vinci, 32, 20133, Milano, Italy

    Cristina Jommi

  3. Department of Geotechnical Engineering and Geosciences, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, c./Jordi Girona 1–3, Campus Nord, Edificio D-2, 08034, Barcelona, Spain

    Enrique Romero

Authors
  1. Laura Gabrieli
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  2. Cristina Jommi
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  3. Guido Musso
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  4. Enrique Romero
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Correspondence to Cristina Jommi.

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Gabrieli, L., Jommi, C., Musso, G. et al. Influence of electroosmotic treatment on the hydro-mechanical behaviour of clayey silts: preliminary experimental results. J Appl Electrochem 38, 1043–1051 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10800-008-9547-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10800-008-9547-x

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