Laboratory Test On Thermal Properties Of Saturated Red Clay

The effect of temperature on the properties of saturated clay has becoming a popular research topic in the field of geotechnical engineering. The achievemeng are widely used in oil exploration, geothermal resources development, nuclear waste disposal, heating pipe design, and fields which withstand daily temperature cycle and seasonal temperature changes in such as airport runways or and so on. However, domestic researches are still relatively less in this area, and there are no targeted or systematic researches abroad.In this context, this paper studied the thermodynamic properties of saturated red clay by laboratory tests. Using the thermal consolidation test device developed by guiding professor, we exerted confining pressure of50kPa,100kPa,150kPa and200kPa on the test sample which had initial normal consolidation at20℃.then we studied the influence of various temperature gradient such as20℃to40℃、50℃、60℃、70℃and80℃on drainage consolidation.According to the results of the laboratory tests, we found that the mechanism of thermal characteristics of saturated red clay under the various temperature loads including the relations of pore water pressure and volume strain to temperature. At the same time, we made a further thermal expansion observation by pressure chamber and revised the volume strain during heating-up.