Modelling of oedometer tests on pellet-powder bentonite mixtures to support mock-up test analysis

Bentonite mixtures of MX-80 (80% of high-density pellets and 20% of bentonite powder on a mass basis) have been recently proposed as a candidate material for sealing deep geological disposals of high-level radioactive waste. A loading/unloading oedometer test at constant water content has been perfo...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Mesa Alcantara, Arisleidy, Mokni, Nadia, Romero Morales, Enrique Edgar|||0000-0002-4105-8941, Olivella Pastallé, Sebastià|||0000-0003-3976-4027
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2020
País:España
Institución:Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC)
Repositorio:UPCommons. Portal del coneixement obert de la UPC
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:upcommons.upc.edu:2117/339973
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/2117/339973
https://dx.doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202019504004
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Bentonite deposits
Radioactive waste disposal in the ground
Residus radioactius -- Emplaçament
Bentonita -- Propietats mecàniques
Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Desenvolupament humà i sostenible::Enginyeria ambiental::Tractament dels residus
Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Enginyeria civil::Geotècnia::Mecànica de sòls
Descripción
Sumario:Bentonite mixtures of MX-80 (80% of high-density pellets and 20% of bentonite powder on a mass basis) have been recently proposed as a candidate material for sealing deep geological disposals of high-level radioactive waste. A loading/unloading oedometer test at constant water content has been performed on this mixture, which has been modelled using the finite element Code_Bright. The constitutive model used to represent the mechanical response is the Barcelona Expansive Model (BExM), since a multi-modal pore size distribution characterises the pore network of the mixture. During compression at constant water content, an increase in the degree of saturation and a consequent reduction of suction is induced. Consequently, two competing effects occur at different pore-size scales: (a) compression due to mean net stress increase; and (b) expansion on induced suction reduction that mainly affects the micro-porosity level inside aggregates. A sensitivity analysis has been performed to explore these effects, in which the elastic compressibility parameter at the micro-porosity scale for changes in mean effective stress plays an important role.