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The experimental study of bentonite swelling into fissures

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2018

J. Svoboda
J. Svoboda*
Affiliation:
Czech Technical University in Prague, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Centre of Experimental Geotechnics, Thákurova 7, 166 29 Prague 6, CZ, Czech Republic
*
*E-mail: svobodaj@fsv.cvut.cz
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Abstract

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The geological disposal of radioactive waste, based on a multi-barrier concept wherein the first barrier consists of the metal waste container and the final barrier the host rock, is widely considered the only viable solution to this issue. The bentonite-based seal around the canister forms one of the barriers. The unique swelling and sealing capabilities of bentonite play a major role in repository safety concepts in that they allow the bentonite barrier to withstand serious mechanical damage without its function being compromised.

This paper presents experimental research focusing on the dynamics and mechanics of the sealing of cracks and joints using bentonite-based materials. Physical models were used to simulate the contact point of bentonite-based sealants with cracks in the rock mass. The models examined the ability of the tested material to fill the crack thus preventing the creation of a preferential water pathway. The results show that in most cases total bentonite advance (for the same material) into fissures is, primarily, linearly dependent on fissure width. The absolute value of advance could be related to the overall swelling ability of the material characterized by its swell index or swelling pressure.

Keywords

disposal/storage radioactive wastebentonite buffergeomechanicserosionfissures
Type
Research Article
Information
Clay Minerals , Volume 48 , Issue 2 , May 2013 , pp. 383 - 389
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
Copyright © The Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland 2013 This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution license. (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
Copyright © The Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland 2013

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