Comparison of Reconstituted Normally Consolidated Kaolinite and Illite in CIU Triaxial Tests Showcasing the Influence of Pore Fluid’s Salinity

CIU triaxial tests are conducted on very pure kaolinite and illite clay powders using two different pore fluids to study differences in shear parameters. First, the two materials are characterized in-depth. Special attention was paid to sample preparation in order to generate high-quality samples. The evaluation of the test data reveals an increase in friction angle for both materials when using a 1M KCl solution as compared to demineralized water. Kaolinite shows a lower friction angle for the same pore fluid than illite. Future work will further investigate different salt concentrations and different salt types.