EVALUATION OF THE EFFECT OF PORE WATER SATURATION WITH GAS ON PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF FINE COHERENT (CLAY) SOILS BY MIXING WITH ZEOLITES    

Kudaev A.A.¹, Karpenko F.S.², Korost D.V.¹, Vidishcheva O.N.¹, Kuchukov M.M.²

¹ Geological Faculty, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
² Sergeev Institute of Environmental Geoscience RAS (IEG RAS) Ulansky per. 13, bld. 2, Moscow, 101000

The method of preparing artificial samples (paste) of fine clay with a given gas saturation is described. The method consists in mixing zeolites presaturated with gas with bottom sediments. A pattern of changes in physical and mechanical properties due to varying water saturation, density and gas saturation was established for the samples. The proposed method allows modeling changes in the physical and mechanical properties of dispersed bottom sediments depending on the amount of gas, which is applicable for in situ conditions of bottom sediments, and changes in gas concentrations associated with both zones of focused discharge and the transformation of organic matter in bottom sediments. Modeling the soil saturation with gas on the slope, along which the subaqueous landslide developed, made it possible to estimate the contribution of gas component to the change in the strength characteristics of soils. The described method can be used in geological exploration for hydrocarbons in shelf conditions, as well as in engineering and geological surveys to assess the bearing capacity of soils when the gas saturation of bottom sediments changes.  

Key words: gas-saturated soils, bottom sediments, zeolites, gas saturation modeling, slope stability, subaqueous landslides, ct-scan

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