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Comparison of the dry densities of highly compacted bentonites

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2018

S. Kaufhold ,
M. Klinkenberg  and
R. Dohrmann
S. Kaufhold*
Affiliation:
BGR, Bundesanstalt für Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe, Stilleweg 2, D-30655 Hannover, Germany
M. Klinkenberg
Affiliation:
IEF-6, Institut für Energieforschung - Sicherheitsforschung und Reaktortechnik (IEF-6), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, D-52425 Jülich, Germany
R. Dohrmann
Affiliation:
BGR, Bundesanstalt für Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe, Stilleweg 2, D-30655 Hannover, Germany LBEG, Landesamt für Bergbau, Energie und Geologie, Stilleweg 2, D-30655 Hannover, Germany
*
*E-mail: s.kaufhold@bgr.de
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Abstract

Bentonites are in worldwide use as candidate materials for the encapsulation of high-level radioactive waste (HLRW). To effectively seal waste canisters, bentonite is compacted to bentonite blocks which can be used to build a wall around the canisters. Compaction significantly improves the swelling pressure, which is currently considered as one of the most important parameters for assessing barrier performance. Most of the studies on compressibility of bentonites consider a few different materials only, which does not lead to a general understanding of bentonite performance. In order to identify the actual compressibility differences of different bentonites, a sizeable set of well characterized materials was investigated with respect to the dry densities after compaction.

Different results were obtained for bentonites that had been dried and bentonites that were equilibrated at 70% r.h. (relative humidity) prior to compaction. The dry density of dried bentonites depends on total porosity and particle density. However, the dry density of microporous bentonites depends on the microporosity rather than total porosity because microporosity is not reduced upon compaction. On the other hand, for the samples previously equilibrated at 70% r.h., the water content is most important. However, the water content, i.e. the water uptake capacity at 70% r.h., in turn largely depends on the CEC but also on microporosity. Therefore, under a given load, the 36 bentonites studied showed a significant range of resulting dry densities, depending on water content, CEC and porosity.

In conclusion, for a given bentonite, the dry density after compaction explains some geotechnical parameters such as the swelling pressure. However, for reasons explained in the present study, the dry density cannot be generally used to predict these parameters.

Keywords

bentonitecompressibilitymicrostructureporosity of bentoniteshigh-level radioactive waste (HLRW)
Type
Research Article
Information
Clay Minerals , Volume 48 , Issue 1 , March 2013 , pp. 105 - 115
Copyright
Copyright © The Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland 2013

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