Assessing the clogging potential of clay/additive / mixtures by cone pull-out tests

Clogging can be a massive problem during the mechanized excavation of tunnels. Soil conditioning with foams and/or polymers is normally used in these cases to decrease the adverse effect of clogging. In a research project the cone pull-out test was used to assess the variation of adherence for four sticky clays with four commercial additives. Results show that the additives have also an impact on the basic mechanical properties of the clays such as liquid limit, plasticity index and shrinkage limit. The tests were performed on the one hand by spraying the additives on the metal surface of the cone and on the other hand by directly mixing them to the clays to reach the critical consistency index (i.e. where the maximum adherence with water was observed). Sprayed cone tests show for two clays a decrease in adherence. However, by directly mixing the additives to the clay, adherence considerably decreases, except for one kaolinitic clay. The results can be useful to select suitable additives or to develop new ones considering the geotechnical and mineralogical properties of the excavated clays.