Confinement during in-pore crystallization

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

Precipitation of salts in confined space is the key mechanism for rock weathering and damage to building materials. If a repulsive force or disjoining pressure acts between the growing crystal in a pore and the pore wall, a thin layer of aqueous solution remains between crystal and pore wall. Supersaturation of this confined solution is responsible for the crystallization pressure that leads to tensile stresses in the material and eventually to material failure. With an extended surface forces apparatus, we have studied the surface forces acting between two mineral surfaces (mica) across potassium nitrate solution up to concentrations close to bulk saturation. The measured surface forces in the selected model system are related to the disjoining pressure between mineral and crystal surface, which is the upper limit for the crystallization pressure. Besides, these force measurements reveal new insights into in-pore crystallization concerning the properties of the confined solution between the crystal and the pore surface that influence the crystallization pressure.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationPoromechanics V - Proceedings of the 5th Biot Conference on Poromechanics
Pages804-812
Number of pages9
DOIs
StatePublished - 2013
Externally publishedYes
Event5th Biot Conference on Poromechanics, BIOT 2013 - Vienna, Austria
Duration: Jul 10 2013Jul 12 2013

Publication series

NamePoromechanics V - Proceedings of the 5th Biot Conference on Poromechanics

Other

Other5th Biot Conference on Poromechanics, BIOT 2013
Country/TerritoryAustria
CityVienna
Period7/10/137/12/13

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Mechanics of Materials

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