Characterization and Comparison of Different Types of Clay Powder

Abstract

From tennis through volleyball to athletic sports, clay plays important role as subsoil. The bulk material, clay, is cheap, because it is recycled product made at low cost by crushing bricks and clay tiles. Due to its compressibility and friction properties, it is an ideal material to produce clay courts. Therefore, friction parameters, compressibility factors and flowability were investigated. These mechanical-physical properties are also important for the practical handling of these materials, such as storage and transport of the material. For this purpose, three basic types of clay powder were characterized and compared. Experimental work was performed using Schulze RST-01 rotary shear tester, Powder Rheometer FT4, laser particle analyzer Cilas 1190 and particle analyzer CAMSIZER. Shape analysis of the samples was also performed. The subject of the research was how the volume changes depending on the applied normal stress, and the dependence of the internal friction angle. Initial results showed that variations in the shape and size of the clay particles can cause differences in the behavior of the tested powders.