Abstract
The study reported herein is concerned with the investigation of the influence of electrolyte concentration on inferential testing of clays, with a wide difference in their charge deficiencies. Commercially pure kaolinite and montmorillonite clays are used in this study. Calcium hydroxide, calcium chloride, sodium chloride and sodium oxalate are the reagents used in this testing programme. This study shows that electrolyte concentration in terms of cation factor 'f' (an index of the extent to which base exchange capacity is satisfied) enables one to better study the influence of clay composition and type of exchangeable cation on the inferential soil testing, from which mechanical properties of clay-water-electrolyte systems are inferred.
