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Silica polymer bonding of stressed silica grains: An early growth of intergranular tensile strength

Publication ,  Journal Article
Guo, R; Hueckel, T
Published in: Geomechanics for Energy and the Environment
January 1, 2015

Laboratory tests on microscale are reported in which millimeter-sized amorphous silica cubes were kept highly compressed in a liquid environment of de-ionized water solutions with different silica ion concentrations for up to four weeks. Such an arrangement simulates an early evolution of bonds between two sand grains stressed in situ. In-house designed Grain Indenter-Puller apparatus allowed measuring strength of such contacts after 3-4 weeks. Observations reported for the first time confirm a long-existing hypothesis that a stressed contact with microcracks generates silica polymers, forming a bonding structure between the grains on a timescale in the order of a few weeks. Such structure exhibits intergranular tensile force at failure of 1-1.5 mN when aged in solutions containing silica ion concentrations of 200-to 500-ppm. The magnitude of such intergranular force is 2-3 times greater than that of water capillary force between the same grains.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Geomechanics for Energy and the Environment

DOI

EISSN

2352-3808

Publication Date

January 1, 2015

Volume

1

Start / End Page

48 / 59

Related Subject Headings

  • 4019 Resources engineering and extractive metallurgy
  • 3705 Geology
  • 0905 Civil Engineering
  • 0403 Geology
 

Citation

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Guo, R., & Hueckel, T. (2015). Silica polymer bonding of stressed silica grains: An early growth of intergranular tensile strength. Geomechanics for Energy and the Environment, 1, 48–59. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gete.2015.02.002
Guo, R., and T. Hueckel. “Silica polymer bonding of stressed silica grains: An early growth of intergranular tensile strength.” Geomechanics for Energy and the Environment 1 (January 1, 2015): 48–59. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gete.2015.02.002.
Guo R, Hueckel T. Silica polymer bonding of stressed silica grains: An early growth of intergranular tensile strength. Geomechanics for Energy and the Environment. 2015 Jan 1;1:48–59.
Guo, R., and T. Hueckel. “Silica polymer bonding of stressed silica grains: An early growth of intergranular tensile strength.” Geomechanics for Energy and the Environment, vol. 1, Jan. 2015, pp. 48–59. Scopus, doi:10.1016/j.gete.2015.02.002.
Guo R, Hueckel T. Silica polymer bonding of stressed silica grains: An early growth of intergranular tensile strength. Geomechanics for Energy and the Environment. 2015 Jan 1;1:48–59.
Journal cover image

Published In

Geomechanics for Energy and the Environment

DOI

EISSN

2352-3808

Publication Date

January 1, 2015

Volume

1

Start / End Page

48 / 59

Related Subject Headings

  • 4019 Resources engineering and extractive metallurgy
  • 3705 Geology
  • 0905 Civil Engineering
  • 0403 Geology