Experimental study on pressure maintaining time on pore structure of compacted bentonite

In order to investigate the effect of pressure maintaining time on pore structures of compacted bentonite, the samples were freezing dried and their pore structures were measured using a mercury intrusion porosimeter. The experimental results showed that, with increasing pressure maintaining time, the porosity ratio and pore volume of inter-aggregates decreased while the tiny pore volumes increased. Compared to the sample with no pressure maintaining, the porosity ratio of the sample with 60 minutes of pressure time was reduced by 4.53%, 9.40%, and its peak value of inter-aggregate pore diameter was reduced by 17.03%, 21.67%. These results can provide references for the engineering application of bentonite compaction. (authors)