IBentonite iyisitshalo esikahle se-clay mineral esishaywa ngokuhlanganiswa kwe-montmorillonite, esikwandisa kakhulu lapho kuhlangana namanzi. Le clay ye-aluminosilicate eyakhelwe ngaphakathi ikhululwa emithonjeni ye-bentonitic futhi icutshungulwa iye ezigabeni ezihlukahlukene ukuze isetshenziswe kumaphrojekthi e-geotechnical anemisebenzi ethile. Izinhlaka ezihlukile ezikhethekile ze-bentonite, ukungena okuphansi, nezici zokuvunguza zenza kube yingxenye ebalulekile ekwakhiweni kwezimfundamakhwele ezijulile, ukufakwa kwamadivayisi, kanye nemisebenzi yokuzinza komhlaba emhlabeni jikelele. Ekuhloleni izimfundamakhwele ezijulile, i-bentonite isebenza njengomphakathi obalulekile we-suspension emisebenzini ye-slurry wall kanye ne-diaphragm wall (amadivayisi, odongeni be-secant, kanye nodongeni oluxubile lwezithako zomhlabathi-ne-cement). Umsebenzi wayo ophambili uwukweseka odongeni lokumba, ukuqinisekisa ukuhlala kwama-bore, nokuvikela ukulahleka komhlaba ngesikhathi sokuhlangana. I-slurry ye-bentonite idala isihlungi esingangeniswanga emaphethelweni okumba, okuyinto ebalulekile ekuqondeni ukwehla kwamanzi omhlaba nasekutheni ubunjalo bendawo eqediwe obuqinile. Ekufakeni kwemiphetho efakwe ngaphezu kokunene nangamadivayisi, i-slurry esekelwe ku-bentonite ivimbela ukuwa kodonga, igcina impahla yensalela ukuze ikhishwe, futhi ivumela ukufakwa kokwelulekwa kanye ne-concrete ngendlela elawulwayo. Le miphumela iyasiza futhi ekwakhiweni kwamadivayisi, ekwazini phezulu kwe-drilling (HDD), ekuxhumaneni kwemikhumbula, nasekusetshenzisweni kwe-jet grouting, lapho igcina ubukhulu be-bore bumile futhi ithuthukisa ukusebenza kwemishini. IBentonite ivamise ukuhlinzekwa njengothuli olomile noma i-slurry esihlungwe ngaphambi, iphakelwe ezikhwameni (25-50 kg) noma ilethwa ngokweqile ngezimoto ezinkulu. Ukulungiselelwa endaweni kuhilela ukuhlanganisa namanzi ukuze kufezwe izidingo ezithile zokuvunguza nezilinganiso, ngokuvamile kusetshenziswa amathankhisi wokuhlanganisa anama-agitators. Ukugcina kufanele kuvikela impahla ekungcolisweni, ukuvela kwamanzi ngokweqile, kanye nezinga lokushisa elikhulu. I-slurry iyasakazeka emgudwini usebenzisa amapumpu avundlile futhi ibhekwa ngezinhlaka zokuhlala lapho i-cuttings ihlukaniswa khona futhi i-slurry ilungiswa ukuze isetshenziswe futhi, inciphisa izindleko zephrojekthi kanye nomthelela wombuso. Izigaba ze-bentonite zemboni zihluka ngokwezemisebenzi: i-sodium-bentonite (yenziwa noma ethuthukiswe nge-soda) iyaziswa ngenxa yezici zokwesekwa nezimo ze-thixotropic, kuyilapho i-calcium-bentonite inikeza ukuhlinzwa kwezihlungi okuhle kanye nokulawula ukulahleka kwamanzi. Izigaba ezikhethekile zifaka izigaba zokuhlanganiswa eziphezulu (izindinganiso ze-API), izigaba zokulungisa imigwaqo ezilungile ezixhunyaniswe nezihlungi ezinesikhala, kanye ne-bentonites ezikhiqizwa ngomuthi/ukudla. Izincazelo ngokuvamile zifaka umkhawulo we-plastic, umkhawulo we-liquid, inani le-methylene blue (MBV), ukuvunguza, nolayini lokuhluza. Abakhiqizi bakhetha i-bentonite ngokwesimo somhlabathi, izici zamanzi omhlaba, ukujula komumba, amandla wemishini, nezidingo zomthetho. Izimo ezibalulekile zifaka ubukhulu be-slurry (ngokuvamile 1.02–1.20 g/cm³), ukuvunguza (20–35 imizuzu ye-Marsh funnel), okuqukethwe kwe-sand (<4% ngevolumu), nokuhluza (<5 mL/30 imizuzu kumasebenzisa amaningi). Izinga lokungcola, ikakhulukazi okuqukethwe ye-salt kanye ne-concentration ye-clay solids, kuthonya ngqo ukufaneleka kwe-slurry nokusebenza kwemishini. Ukukhethwa kwe-bentonite nokusetshenziswa kufanele kuhambisane ne-EN ISO 13427 (amafluids okuhlanganisa—i-bentonite slurries ye-diaphragm walls kanye ne-tunnelling shield ye-slurry), ASTM D4380 (ukucaciswa kwe-bentonite drilling fluid), EN 934-1 (ama-admixtures e-concrete—izincazelo nezidingo), kanye nemithetho yendawo yokuphatha i-slurry kanye nokuqinisekisa kabusha. Lezi zindinganiso ziqinisekisa ukulandelana, ukusebenza, nokuhambisana kwemvelo phakathi kwamaphrojekthi okwakha izimfundamakhwele ezijulile emhlabeni jikelele.
I-sodium bentonite iyinzala yobunjalo ye-colloidal clay mineral akhiwe kakhulukazi nge-montmorillonite, elenziwe ngokwedu kwezinhlaka zevolikeno. Inzala yomlilo ikhetheke ngokunqoba amanzi okukodwa, ikhono lokusungula, kanye nokumathe enziwe kahle. Uma iphakamiswe amanzi, izinhlaka ze-sodium bentonite zisungura ngezinhlobonhlobo zesikubuku sokufa sezikala, zidala isuselo esinzima okuthayo (thixotropic) nokuqina okunkulu kwe-gel. Ukwakheka kwemineral kuhlobisa ama-ion anethambile anensodiyamu okuthuthukisa ukuhambisana amanzi kanye nokusabalalisa, okuthi kuphukanise ku-calcium bentonite nolunye ulwazi lwe-clay. Lezi zinto zokumathe zenziwe yizwe zenza i-sodium bentonite ibe yinkokhelo ebalulekile ekusetshenziswayo ekubuchwepheshe be-geotechnical kanye nokuphakamiselwa umhlaba.
I-calcium bentonite iyinzala yobunjalo ye-clay mineral akhiwe kakhulukazi nge-montmorillonite, ikhetheke ngokunqoba amanzi okunkulu kanye nokumathe okunqobayo. Ngaphandle kwe-sodium bentonite, engqukutshelwe nge-alkali, i-calcium bentonite igcina ama-calcium-exchangeable cations enziwe yizwe, okukholise ekushayeni ingcolo nenguquko ye-rheological. Isakhiwo esinkulu se-mineral sivumela amanzi ukuze angene phakathi kwe-clay platelets, zisunge amandla lapho iphakamiswe amanzi. Lokhu okwakhekile okuyisisekelo kwhulumeni kubenza i-calcium bentonite ibe nzala ewunikelele kwanoma yimaphi ama-geotechnical applications kanye nokuphakamiselwa umhlaba lapho ukumathe okuthintwe amanzi kanye nokumathe okuncane i-rheology kubaluleka kakhulu.
I-OCMA Grade Bentonite yiproduct ye-sodium bentonite ephakamela kakhulu, esunguliwe ngobuchwepheshe bokuthi ibambisane nokusebenza okuzinzile ezinhlakanipha zokuphakamiselwa umhlaba. I-OCMA acronym ibalela istandadi yekhwaliti eyamkelekile emangalisayo ikhonfimayo ukunemba kwe-bentonite ekusetshenziswayo ekusebenzeni okozinzile okunsi komhlaba. Le nqobo ye-bentonite ihlobisa kakhulukazi i-montmorillonite clay minerals nokumathe okuhlehlekile kwe-colloidal, ekukhuthaza umsebenzi okwedlula ikakhulukazi kumingcele emangalisa ye-deep foundation drilling kanye nokusiqinisa-mlaba. Inzala iyenziwe enziwe emhlabeni futhi iqalwe ukuthola isakhiwo se-mineralogical esisiqalo, enziwe ngokuhlanganiswa kwesodiyamu okungaphansi kwe-85% kanye nokunonophele okuncane okuzimele ezonthezwayo, okwenza ilaluleleke ekusetshenziswayo ekusebenzeni okumele ukulawula i-slurry ngokunebile.
I-polymer-enhanced bentonite yifomu ekhethekile ye-natural sodium noma calcium bentonite ihlanganiswe no-polymer esunguliwe (synthetic) ukuletha umsebenzi owedlula emayambeni e-geotechnical. Le nzala ihlanganiswe igcina imathe esinqobo sokumathe kanye nokuvalekela kwe-virgin bentonite habang iyohlolelana ne-polymer additives—ngokuvamile i-polyacrylamide (PAM) noma ekunye ama-polymer ahlobisekile amanzi—ukuhlehlekile ingcolo ye-viscosity, unciphise ukulahleka kwe-fluid, ukuthuthukisa izakhiwo ze-suspension, kanye nekunikeza ukunqoba okukodwa okweburaya umhlaba. Ingxenye ye-polymer idala isistemu ye-colloidal eyalinganiselwe ebamba kakhulu emingceleni eyahlukahlukene yomhlaba kanye nezilingalelo zokuqala ezivulekile ekwakhiwe kokuphakamiselwa umhlaba.
Izinto ezongezayo zeBentonite yinkompilo ezikhethekile zezingxenyane zokubili nokubunabununabu enziwe uphuze izimpilo zomthwalo weBentonite osetshenziswa ekwakheni kwezisekelo ezimazantsi, ekwakheni kweindonga yesikhwebu, nokusetsenzisiwa kokudiza okwemathe owentuthuko. Lezi zinto ezongezayo zishintsha izimpilo zokuguquguquka, ukuzikhathaza, kanye zempilo zokuqina zenhlelo yeBentonite-amanzi ukuze kusetshenziswe indlela ethile yensimu kanye nemimango yezonjiniyela. Izinhlobo ezijwayelekile zezinto ezongezayo zihlanganisa izinhlelo zepholyima enothongwane, umlotha wokuphumula, amasi amaningi okugcina, izipholyima ezikhipha inzuzo yemvelo, kanye nezikhwebu ezikhethekile ezihlanganyela okuthi benze kahle ukuphakama nokugcina amandla weBentonite eyisekelo.