Determination of nuclear magnetic resonance T2 cutoff in remoulded loess by the freezing point

Abstract

AbstractProton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is widely applied to characterize the microscopic properties of hydrogen‐containing porous media. The transverse relaxation time cutoff (T2c) value is the crucial parameter for the quantitative analysis of NMR data. Currently, there is no universal method for the determination of the T2c in clayey soils. This study aimed to develop a laboratory method for determining the T2c of remoulded loess by the freezing point of loosely bound water. Malan loess, a kind of typical clayey silt, was used as test material. Based on the soil freezing characteristic, NMR measurements were performed on remoulded loess with different macro‐parameter controls during the cooling process to obtain the T2 spectrum at each target temperature. By analysing the variation of unfrozen water content with temperature reduction, the freezing point of loosely bound water and the T2c value within the freezing‐point range was determined. The freezing point of loosely bound water in remoulded loess is about −3 to −5°C and that of firmly bound water is less than −5°C. Accordingly, the T2c value of remoulded loess is determined to be 1.5–1.8 ms. The assessment of heating and cooling process and different methods for determining the T2c shows that the laboratory method by the freezing point is effective and reliable, and the T2c determined by statistical methods is worthy of further study and improvement. The saturated permeability of remoulded loess is evaluated according to the determined T2c, and two NMR‐based permeability equations can well reflect pore water distribution in remoulded loess, but to a certain extent, both equations ignore soil microstructure, pore connectivity and chemical effects of pore solution. The laboratory method by the freezing point and the determined T2c value of remoulded loess fill the gap of NMR measurement in loess analysis and are of great significance for low‐plastic clays and clay types.