Particle Fluid Separation in Shear Flow of Dense Suspensions: Experimental Measurements on Squeezed Clay Pastes

Abstract

Particle fluid separation is studied in the case of slow squeezing flow of dense clay suspensions. The fluid pressure gradient generated by the test induces heterogeneity in the sample. Experimental water content measurements at different time points through the test allow the quantification of this separation phenomenon. The problem equations are written in the case of purely extensional flow. Based on Terzaghi principle, Darcy’s law and a Cam Clay type constitutive equation, the influence of the permeability function on the predicted void ratio evolution is studied. It is then shown that a certain water amount is strongly linked to the grains and cannot be extracted from the sample using simple compression. This critical water amount is then taken in account in the permeability function in order to predict the compression load through the test.