Experimental study on influence of montmorillonite content on expansion behavior of bentonite

In order to find out the influence of montmorillonite content on swelling behavior of bentonite, the swelling pressure is tested using home-made equipment. Results show that, under experimental conditions, the indexes (maximum axial swelling pressure and radial swelling pressure)increase with the increase of montmorillonite content, and there is a linear relationship between the indexes and montmorillonite content. The maximum radial and axial swelling pressure were up to 2.03 MPa and 2.25 MPa respectively, and their ratio was 0.902 for the sample of 70% montmorillonite content. The experimental results can provide reference for design of bentonite in geological disposal. (authors)