ABSTRACT
Pore characteristics have considerable effects on the physical properties and mechanical behavior of structured marine clay. However, the distribution characteristics and morphology of pores cannot be quantified by a single method, and a combination of methods with different measuring ranges is required. This paper focuses on a typical structured marine clay retrieved from Zhanjiang in China (referred to as ZJ clay). The methods of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) were used in combination to (i) analyze the microscopic characteristics of the pores in natural soil and (ii) establish the relationships between the microstructural characteristics and macro-mechanical behavior of the soil. The test results show that ZJ clay is characterized by a randomly oriented open-flocculated structure with cementation bonding, and the particles within ZJ clay are interconnected by edge-to-face or edge-to-edge contacts with high structural strength and stability. The results also show that the combination of SEM and MIP facilitates both qualitative and quantitative analysis of the complete pore size distribution characteristics of marine clay. The present study improves the understanding of the pore characteristics of marine clay from a microscopic perspective.
