EFFECT OF WATER-CLAY RATIO, CLAY CONTENT AND ADDITIVES ON THE MOULDABILITY AND COMPACTABILITY OF BENTONITE BONDED SANDS

Experiments were carried out to study the effects of water/clay ratio, clay content and additives on the mouldability and compactability of bentonite bonded sand mixes Results of the experiments indicate that for a given clay content (i) Mouldability gradually decreases witn increase in water/clay ratio and the decrease is more signi.ficant in the water/clay ratio range of 0. 3 to 0. 7, (ii) Compactability increases with the increase in water/clay ratio of upto about 0- 5 and remains essentially constant beyond a water/clay ratio of 0- 5. (iii) At all water/clay ratios addition of dextrine decreases the mouldability and increases compactability whereas coal dust increases the mouldability and in creases compactability.