Bentonite can be used to build slurry walls with some advantages and disadvantages. Bentonite soil slurry walls have gained popularity over the years. Builders and excavators in the United States originally used them in the mid-1940s. Since then, adobe walls and shear walls have been used extensively in deep excavation work, backfill projects, trench construction, and construction from top to bottom. The benefits of clay slurry walls are not in doubt; Numerous tests and studies have shed light on the properties and benefits of these walls. As a result, builders can now confidently apply it as the ultimate barrier wall in complex masonry, excavation, and structure work. Without going into too much detail about the base material, let's take a look at how you can benefit from using bentonite mortar walls on the ground.
- very economical
The construction and excavation of trenches require a lot of resources. It requires several tons of soil for its stability. Membrane construction is very expensive because it deprives builders of the opportunity to economize on materials. Fortunately, soil bentonite diaphragm mixture technology offers a more economical and reliable alternative. This means that builders can create stable and economical shear walls for any type of dam construction project without incurring high costs. 
- low permeability
One cannot speak of bentonite mortar walls for soil without highlighting one of its outstanding qualities, low permeability. Clay walls provide long-term solutions to surface water problems. Fill bentonite soil has a permeability of 10-8 cm/sec, which makes it suitable for complex environmental projects. To achieve low permeability, simply mix the excavated soil with other soil components to produce properly sized fill materials. The best part about bentonite backfill is that it works well when in direct contact with impacted surface water or pure phase contaminants.
- Polluted water control
Over the years, builders have thought about how to create barriers below the surface that prevent the flow of polluted water and pollutants. This is a question and concern of most contractors. Mud trench technology has proven invaluable in creating impermeable barriers and groundwater barriers. Because soil permeability is low, soil bentonite diaphragm walls have been successfully applied to divert contaminated groundwater and solve other drilling support problems.
- greater stability
Foundation stability is the hallmark of success for any complex construction project. Indeed, this is the challenge facing dam builders and excavators. Mortar walls contain a matrix composed mainly of solid and inert materials. This makes them very useful for stabilizing walls while digging trenches. When bentonite backfill is placed on the ground in trenches, it not only creates the perfect dividing wall, it creates superior, uniform walls from the bottom up. Uniform mixing eliminates the possibility of voids forming, resulting in a wall with low permeability and high chemical resistance. The best thing is that clay walls provide greater stability because they can adapt to ground movements such as earthquakes. 
bentonite
Bentonite is a natural mineral made up mainly of hydrated aluminum silicate (its composition is similar to Al2H2O12Si4, which means the presence of basic content of aluminum, hydrogen, and silica). It is usually negatively charged. Therefore, it attracts cations such as sodium, calcium, iron, and magnesium. The most common cations attracted are sodium and calcium, making sodium and calcium bentonite the two predominant types of bentonites on the planet. Although they are similar, different cations give them other properties. While both have absorbent properties, the substances they absorb are not the same. Sodium bentonite is a mineral formed by the continuous contact of water with rocks and volcanic ash for thousands of years. Due to its composition, bentonite offers a specific water absorption property that makes it versatile with a wide range of applications in the home and many different industries. Sodium bentonite clay is an effective pond sealant, anti-odor agent for kitty litter, cleaning agent in sewage treatment, caking agent for green sand casting, and environmentally friendly additive for drilling mud. Sodium bentonite absorbs water, swells up to 20 times its original volume, and creates a modern-type gel. This remarkable property makes it a natural sealer. 
Soils with a high natural clay content are less likely to infiltrate water. Sodium bentonite is an effective sealer. It is a 100% natural product, with no chemical additives, and is used to prevent toxins from leaching into the ground, which is a great statement on its leaching prevention capabilities. Sodium bentonite also has the property of "caking". This ability to "clump together" is what makes it the main ingredient in cat litter. Plus, it helps control odor, which is great when it comes to cats and their indoor needs. Although cat litter contains other ingredients and some chemicals are added to it, it is mostly a convenience additive and harmless to your pet. This "caking" property is also useful in foundries, where sodium bentonite is the product responsible for holding the green sand mold together. Sodium bentonite is also a component often found in drilling mud used during the drilling of oil wells and tunnels. Drilling mud plays an important role during drilling as it helps to control wellbore pressure, displacement of cut pieces to prevent the formation of mud cakes, and helps reduce heat generated by friction during the drilling process. drilling and lubricates the drilling. Sodium bentonite can also be used in steelmaking to help form steel granules. In construction, as a basement or basement sealant. As lining in the construction of ponds, reservoirs, and artificial lakes. In agriculture, as a dispersant for fertilizers and pesticides. The list goes on and on, with the world always looking for new uses for sodium bentonite. 
bentonite slurry
The bentonite slurry is prepared with the goal of maximizing the hydration of the bentonite, so its powder must be added to the mixing water gradually to ensure that all particles are moistened and do not clump into partially wet balls. Fresh, potable quality water from a major source should be used in the mixing process to achieve the best results. If there is any doubt about the water quality, a chemical analysis should be carried out to determine its suitability or the need for chemical treatment before use. Saline should not be used in the preparation of the bentonite suspension because there is no simple chemical treatment available to remove the sodium chloride. The bentonite slurry can be prepared in batches or as a continuous process, depending on the type of equipment used. Usually, bentonite powder is added through a simple venturi hopper or directly into a high-shear mixer. The mixing equipment must generate sufficient shear to ensure that all individual bentonite particles are dispersed in the mixing water. The amount of bentonite powder to be added to the mixing water depends on the quality of the bentonite and the required viscosity of the suspension. For most applications, concentrations between 4% and 6% by weight are typical. It is known that bentonite clay performs the following basic functions: a) supporting drilling by exerting hydrostatic pressure on its walls, that is, to prevent collapse or to retain an area. b) Stay in the excavations and do not flow heavily into the ground acting as a sealing agent. c) Suspend debris and prevent layers of mud from accumulating at the base of the excavation. d) It remains isolated and non-reactive by clean displacement of the concrete, without significant interference with the bond between the reinforcement and fixed concrete. e) Cleaning to remove stuck debris, by passing through sieves and spirals in preparation for reuse. 
The primary objective of any bentonite mortar specification should be to ensure that the plaster can retain, seal and remain insulated without adverse effects on the final substrate, wall, or another form of masonry. In addition, for economic and environmental reasons, maximum reuse and minimum disposal of used compost are required. Bentonite mortar can be reused repeatedly as long as its properties are carefully monitored and controlled. Whatever drilling system is used, mud loss will occur. Some will be dug up with the soil, some will penetrate the layers, and others will become too polluted for reuse and will have to be removed from the site. Also, some clay may remain in the excavations if it is not filled with concrete at ground level. The lost sludge is replaced with new sludge mixed with the sludge used to refill the system. Bentonite powder may need to be added to slurries or mixtures being introduced to adjust their properties. These may include sodium bicarbonate or soda ash to control pH, organic thinners or polyphosphates to reduce viscosity, and sodium carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) to reduce fluid loss. Density monitoring becomes important when using bentonite clay because it works differently at different densities. 
bentonite slurry wall
Bentonite slurry or suspension walls are non-structural underground walls that act as a barrier to the horizontal flow of water and other liquids. This technique is commonly used to build walls around tunnels and open slots and to lay foundations. It is made with the help of a viscous fixing liquid known as grout. In the bentonite cement method (C-B), the cement is added to the bentonite water slurry just before it is placed in the trench. In addition to serving as a stabilizing fluid to keep the trench open while excavating, the bentonite-cement slurry remains stable and forms a permanent shear wall. Using the cement-bentonite method for clay shear walls can be very advantageous because it does not rely on high-quality soil for backfill, but instead strengthens weak soils to ensure trench stability. Cement also has great flexibility in allowing drilling in sub-zero temperatures. Thanks to the properties of adhesive cements, it is possible to complete works in narrow spaces while maintaining the same resistance and impermeability properties.
- Common uses
- Create barriers to groundwater flow
- Surrounding groundwater and contaminated sprinkler heads
Avoid lateral gas migration.
- excavation support
- support structures
For conventional retaining walls, the trench is excavated with bentonite mortar or bentonite cement mortar to prevent collapse during excavation. 
For bentonite cement mortar walls, the bentonite cement hardens in the trench to form the wall. When using only bentonite grout, the excavated soil is usually mixed with bentonite and then placed back in the trench to form a bentonite wall. The end wall creates a barrier to groundwater with low permeability. For structural membrane mortar walls, a scoop is typically used to drill through the individual panels that will create the wall, to design depth. During drilling, a bentonite suspension is added to prevent cavitation. When the design depth is reached, the laitance is dislodged with concrete pumped through a triangular tube to the bottom of the plate and the reinforcing bar is inserted. End walls can function as groundwater cut-off systems and soil retention systems during the excavation phase of the project, and later as permanent load-bearing underground walls for the completed structure. Unconventional methods of building a clay shear wall include the vibrating beam method. The vibratory hammer is used to drive special steel beams to the design depth along the wall alignment. The cement-bentonite slurry is injected during pack penetration and removal. The penetrations overlap to build a continuous barrier. The end wall creates a thin barrier to groundwater with low permeability. 
Bentonite slurry advantages and disadvantages
Bentonite slurry has some advantages and disadvantages when used as slurry walls. Bentonite slurry is one of the most common drilling fluids used in diaphragm wall construction. Bentonite clay (in powder form) and water are combined in a colloidal mixer and the clay particles combine and form a gel when allowed to sit for some time. When bentonite is set in motion, it quickly returns to a fluid state. Bentonite slurry supports the trench to stabilize the excavation and forms a filter cake on the grout trench walls which reduces the final soil permeability of the slurry wall and reduces groundwater inflow. The gel strength and viscosity properties of bentonite clay allow shear suspension and removal. Bentonite is a fine-grained clayey material with a high content of montmorillonite. Bentonite clay is a product of the mine. Normally, in our nature, there are two types of bentonite, sodium, and calcium. Sodium-based bentonite is used in soil stabilization work. For piling work, bentonite powder must be mixed with water to make a slurry of specified standards, and the bentonite slurry is used to stabilize the sides of the well. Soil stabilization is essential for the quality of the substrate, time, and economic cost. Soil stability depends on soil properties, mainly cohesion factors and friction angle. The following are the common advantages and disadvantages of bentonite slurry. 
It can be built at a very low cost. By using barrier wall construction technology we can achieve high building productivity. The walls of the diaphragm have very low permeability. Membrane walls provide excellent resistance against contaminated groundwater. It can also resist horizontal forces such as seismic forces. In this technique, all excavated materials can be reused, which means very little material degradation.
- Advantages of the diaphragm wall system
Provides a strong and waterproof wall. Reduces the stability of neighboring buildings.
- Provides a support
- proven technology
- Disadvantages of the diaphragm wall system
- very expensive
- Requires special equipment
- hits interest