Nanosilica to Modify the Consistency of High Compressible Lacustrine Clays

Despite the incredible advances in the most innovative branch of materials science, the nanotechnology research on its application in the geotechnical field is still very limited. Since many minerals in soil and rocks are nanomaterials and their chemical reactions are at the nanoscale, there is a great potential for the use of this important technology in different geotechnical problems. In this study, the stabilization of a soft lacustrine clay using nano-SiO2 is investigated. Through the examination of the Atterberg Limits, as the simplest and most affordable indicators of the consistency of these highly compressible and plastic materials, it is shown that the addition of nanosilica to clay masses substantially modifies their compressibility and resistance as well as their drainage and absorption capacities. When nano-SiO2 is mixed these very plastic and high-water content clays, it transforms them into consistent masses (from very soft to firm). The results presented contribute to widen the knowledge about nano-substances and plastic soils revealing the effects on exceptional lacustrine clays.