Investigating the Durability of Marl Soils in Acidic and Alkaline Conditions from a Microstructural Point of View

Marl soils with their complex behavior can be found in different parts of the world, such as Spain, the United States, Italy, Britain, France, Canada, and the Gulf states. In Iran, also, Marls can be located in abundance in the marginal zones of the East Azerbaijan Province, Persian Gulf, Hormozgan, and Qeshm Island. Marl soils' engineering behavior and durability in dry and wet conditions are entirely different and cause challenges in construction projects. Marl-like soils are widely observed in different parts of the world. The behavioral characteristics of marl typically depend on the distribution and size of the particles and their plastic properties. Under dry conditions, the deformation of marl soil is due to the breakdown of particles and creating a new structure. However, when this type of soil is exposed to moisture, the aggregate bond will degrade and cause swelling in the soil and, at the same time, a change in its hardness and strength on the other hand, many polluting industries are located on marl soils. Usually, the pollution caused by these industries changes the pH and creates acidic and alkaline conditions in marl soils. Therefore, this study aims to study the effect of initial pH on the durability of marl soils from a microstructural perspective.

In this regard, marl soils with different initial pHs were prepared by adding 1 M sodium alkali hydroxide (NaOH) and hydrochloric acid (HCl). Changes in geotechnical and geoenvironmental characteristics were investigated by macrostructural experiments (Atterberg Limits, permeability, and unconfined compressive strength, durability, and water absorption testing) as well as microstructural experiments (Laser diffraction particle size analysis (PSA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), carbonate percentage determination and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images) and the effect of initial soil pH change on marl engineering behavior was investigated.

One of the most important results of the present paper is the durability and stability of marl soils with initial pH ≤4 against moisture. Based on the SEM images and XRF analysis results, the formation of magnesium chloride in the structure of palygorskite and sepiolite has caused the stability of marl soils with initial pH≤ 4. Also, the initial strength of marl soil does not affect the durability of indentation.