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Content archived on 2024-04-15

RESEARCH ON SWELLING CLAYS AND BITUMEN AS SEALING MATERIALS FOR UNDERGROUND REPOSITORIES FOR RADIOACTIVE WASTE

Objective

WORK PREVIOUSLY CARRIED OUT WITHIN THE CEC'S RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME INDICATES THAT SWELLING CLAY TOGETHER WITH BITUMEN COULD BE USED TO FORM A HIGHLY EFFECTIVE WASTE CONTAINMENT BARRIER FOR USE IN DEEP UNDERGROUND RADIOACTIVE WASTE REPOSITORIES.

THIS PROJECT SEEKS TO IDENTIFY RELEVANT MATERIAL PROPERTIES AND SEALING MECHANISMS. ITS OBJECTIVES ARE:

- TO ASSESS THE POTENTIAL BEHAVIOUR OF COMBINATIONS OF SWELLING CLAYS AND BITUMEN, AND THE POTENTIAL EFFECTIVENESS OF SYNERGISTIC COMBINATIONS OF THESE MATERIALS FOR SEALING UNDERGROUND REPOSITORIES AGAINST GROUNDWATER INGRESS, RADIONUCLIDE RELEASE AND GAS RELEASE.

- TO ASSESS THE POTENTIAL LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE IN THE LONG-TERM BEHAVIOUR OF SUCH SEALS IN THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE QUALITY ASSURANCE PROCEDURES THAT COULD BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE EMPLACEMENT OF BACKFILL AND SEAL MATERIALS.

THE WORK PROGRAMME CONSISTS OF THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES :

1. A REVIEW OF AVAILABLE INFORMATION ON PROPERTIES AND BEHAVIOUR OF SWELLING CLAYS (INCLUDING BENTONITE AND MAGNESIUM OXIDE) AND INFORMATION ON BITUMENS AS USED IN ENGINEERING STRUCTURES.

2. CONTROL TESTS ON SAMPLES OF SWELLING CLAYS AND BITUMEN TO ESTABLISH THE RANGE OF COMPATIBILITY BETWEEN CLAY SWELLING PROPERTIES AND THE RHEOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF BITUMEN.

3. CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION OF A TEST RIG TO MONITOR WATER UPTAKES AND SWELLING PRESSURES IN COMBINATIONS OF SWELLING CLAY AND BITUMEN.

4. EXAMINATION OF COMBINATIONS OF THE MATERIALS TO ESTABLISH WHETHER SEALS ARE FORMED AND THE NATURE OF THE SEALS.

5. CALCULATION OF THE WATER, RADIONUCLIDE AND GAS PERMEABILITIES OF THE SEALS : WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO THE RADIONUCLIDES IODINE, TECHNETIUM AND NEPTUNIUM AND TO THE GASES HYDROGEN, METHANE AND CARBON DIOXIDE.

6. ASSESSMENT OF TEST RESULTS IN THE CONTEXT OF MATERIAL PROPERTIES AND FREE SWELLING SPACE THAT COULD BE ACHIEVED IN PRACTICE WITH CURRENT QUALITY CONTROL SYSTEMS IN POTENTIAL REPOSITORIES.

Programme(s)

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Topic(s)

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Call for proposal

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Funding Scheme

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CSC - Cost-sharing contracts

Coordinator

Bullen and Partners, Consulting Engineers
EU contribution
No data
Address

CR9 1PT Croydon
United Kingdom

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Total cost

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Participants (1)

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