The influence of pore water on the compaction behaviour of carbonate sand

Abstract

Maastrichtian Carbonate Sand collected from the Pietersberg near Maastricht (Netherlands) was compressed at room temperature, in order to detect pressure-solution phenomena. Compaction took place at slowly rising loads (10 atm/day) as well as under constant loading. The maximum loads to which the different samples were subjected varied from 15 to 280 atmospheres. The influence of the following factors on the compaction behaviour of the sand was studied: 1. presence or absence of pore water; 2. partial CO2-pressure of pore water; 3. inhibition of calcite precipitation; 4. saturation of pore water with respect to calcite; 5. circulation of pore water. At room temperature applied microscopically detectable pressure-solution phenomena were not produced. The influence of the presence of pore water on compaction was clearly demonstrated, but the pore-water composition appeared not to be a dominant factor.