Neues Paper: "Influence of pore-fluid salinity on the monotonic and cyclic behavior of Scheruhn kaolin" in "Canadian Geotechnical Journal"

22.04.2026

Pore-fluid chemistry can significantly affect the mechanical response of fine-grained soils. This paper - as a collaboration with researchers from Charles University in Prague, Universidad de la Costa, Barranquilla, Colombia and Ed. Züblin AG, Germany - presents an experimental study on Scheruhn kaolin, investigating the influence of different salt types and concentrations on monotonic and cyclic behaviour. The results show that salinity alters key response characteristics of the clay and therefore needs to be considered when assessing the mechanical performance of fine-grained soils under varying hydraulic and environmental conditions. The study contributes to a better understanding of coupled physico-chemical and mechanical effects in clay.

Merita Tafili, Jose Duque, Ivona Sutter, David Masin, Torsten Wichtmann: Influence of pore-fluid salinity on the monotonic and cyclic behavior of Scheruhn kaolin. Canadian Geotechnical Journal, 2026. DOI: 10.1139/cgj-2025-0112