Abstract
This study probes into the effects of acid rain on the swelling properties and microstructure of natural expansive soil. Acid rain was simulated by diluted sulfuric acid and diluted nitric acid solutions at the pH of 3 and 5. For comparison, distilled water with a pH of 7 was set as the control group. Firstly, load-free swelling rate tests were carried out to study the effects of acid rain on the swelling properties of the natural expansive soil. Secondly, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) tests were performed to analyze the changes in the microstructure and mineral composition of the natural expansive soil after acid rain infiltration. Finally, the affecting mechanisms of acid rain on the swelling properties of natural expansive soil were evaluated. The results showed that the expansive deformation of the soil was greater when the pH of the solutions was lower. The expansion rate of the soil was 24.3% higher in the solution at the pH of 3 than that at the pH of 7. The dissolution or degradation of the cementing substances (e.g., K2O, MgO, and CaO) in the expansive soil weakened the structural connection strength and dispersed the face-to-face stacked structure, resulting in continuously increased size and number of microvoids. Macroscopically, expansive soil under acid rain infiltration exhibited increased expansive deformation.
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Funding
This work was supported by the National Key Research & Development Program of China (Grant No. 2019YFC1509800*), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 51608053, 42107166), and the General Project of Hunan Education Department (Grant No. 19C0152).
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Responsible Editor: Zeynal Abiddin Erguler
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Xiao, J., Guo, J., Chang, J. et al. Effect of acid rain on swelling property and microstructure of natural expansive soil. Arab J Geosci 15, 25 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-021-09317-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-021-09317-z