Existing comment:
Clay Minerals:
Clay minerals are microscopic, three-layered chemical sandwich. The "bread" consisted of sheets of silica and elements like magnesium, and the "filling" is water. When the whole mass becomes wet after a rain, it acts like a sponge, expanding to seven or eight times its dry volume. Clay's great absorption capacity makes it ideal for bonding agents, industrial catalysts, and cat litter. This same characteristic, however, makes it highly undesirable as a roadbed. |