Potassium chloride KCl can be used to prevent the swelling o

Potassium chloride (KCl) can be used to prevent the swelling of smectite or illite clays that can damage well bores used for hydraulic fracturing. Use the attached articles as a resource, create a summary presentation slide with images that:

(a) explains why clays like smectite or illite swell? What causes the swelling to occur in swelling clays?

(b) explains! why swelling clays are a problem?
(c) explains! why KCl can be used to prevent swelling?

Solution

a) Clays swell because of the minerals present in them. These clays swell because there is montmorillonite mineral in the clay which is highly expansive. Hence these swells.

b) Swelling clays are problem because when foundation works are carried out here, due to swelling and shrinking, differential settlement occurs which is very dangerous.

C) KCL neutralizes these minerals and let them not active. So, that they can not cause swelling.