集成回填材料的渗透特性研究

本文在前人基础上改进渗透装置,通过自制多功能膨胀渗透仪在氮气加压为1.0 MPa条件下,测得沸石-膨润土-硫铁矿、凹凸棒石-膨润土-硫铁矿两组混合物在不同膨润土含量、压制载荷、压实密度、出水时间等条件下的渗透系数。实验结果表明:集成回填材料的渗透系数随时间的变化不大,基本满足达西定律。同一干密度和含水率条件下,不同混合物随着膨润土含量的增加,其渗透系数降低。膨润土含量占沸石混合物或者凹凸棒石混合物比例不小于60%时,二者混合物的渗透系数均满足高放废物处置中回填材料渗透系数小于7×10-10m/s的要求。但同等条件下,由于沸石为非粘性矿石,其具有孔隙大、渗透性好等特点,因此天然地下水在沸石混合物中比在凹凸棒石混合物中渗透得快。同一干密度和含水率条件下,不同混合物压实制样的载荷越大,其渗透系数越小,反之越大。压制载荷在50~100 MPa间时,混合物的渗透系数变化不大。通过进行混合物不同配比、不同影响因素对渗透特性影响的研究,为我国新型缓冲回填材料在未来地下工程中施工提供一定的理论依据。     

缓冲／回填材料——砂-膨润土混合物研究进展

砂-膨润土混合物已被很多核能国家选为核废物地质处置库中理想的缓冲/回填材料。膨润土中加入砂可提高热传导系数和强度,维持适当的膨胀力,使其工程上易于处理并节省成本;但同时会导致其阻水能力和自愈性减弱。研究表明,影响砂-膨润土混合物以上各性质的主要因素为：砂/膨润土配合比、初始含水量、干密度等,它们综合决定着砂/膨润土最优配合比的选取。石英砂对混合物的渗透性、热传导性、强度等的影响,最优配合比选取,以及非饱和状态下吸力变化对混合物渗透性的影响等,应该是今后一段时间内砂-膨润土混合物研究的重点。     

高放废物地质处置库预选缓冲材料压缩性能研究

缓冲材料是高放废物深地质处置多重屏障系统中非常重要的一道人工屏障，内蒙古高庙子钠基膨润土被确定为我国高放废物深地质处置缓冲材料的首选基料。通过研究该钠基膨润土（GMZ01）在不同含水量条件下的压实成型性、不同压实干密度和不同含水量压实样品的无侧限压缩性能，认为：含水量为15％的高庙子天然钠基膨润土压实成型性最好，压实干密度越大，无侧限抗压强度越大；在无侧限压缩实验时，含水量为15％的高密度压实膨润土样品比含水量为10％和20％的样品的抗压强度大，变形小。     

膨润土加砂混合物干燥收缩特征及缩裂机制研究

膨润土加砂混合物作为核废料储存库缓冲材料,在库内高温高吸力条件下易干燥收缩,对工程安全运营有着重要影响,研究其收缩特性具有实际意义。以砂-膨润土混合物的饱和压实样为研究对象,采用自制恒温箱控制其收缩进程,分析含砂量及干密度对混合物收缩特性的影响。研究结果表明:干燥―收缩过程水分蒸发可分为减速阶段与残余阶段。减速阶段内水分迁出受控于干密度,而最终残余含水率主要受膨润土含量的影响。增加初始干密度和降低膨润土含量可使混合物变形协调,减少收缩变形的各向异性。膨润土含量M和初始干密度ρ是影响干燥―收缩过程的重要物理量,与Cornelis收缩模型中的拟合参数及最终孔隙比e_0具有很好的相关性。同等干密度条件下,随膨润土含量降低,压实膨-砂混合样的微观结构形态趋于致密化的趋势,从而有效地抑制了干燥收缩过程中裂隙发育与演化程度。     

酒精湿化法调配压实膨润土缓冲回填材料含水率研究

压实膨润土砌块在我国高放射性废物处置中发挥着缓冲回填工程屏障的作用。然而,膨润土材料塑性极强,水分极易拌和不均,易导致压实砌块干缩开裂,显著降低了砌块质量。提出一种采用酒精代替纯水来湿化膨润土的新方法,以提高压实膨润土质量。对比喷水法,酒精湿化法中酒精浓度设计在5%～35%间。通过分析膨润土与酒精混合物的混合效率、黏附质量损失率、混合物中团聚体的含量、压实样干缩前后强度、干缩裂纹规律、干燥效率、膨胀性等指标综合评价酒精湿化压实膨润土样的适用性。试验结果表明：在相同含液率情况下,随酒精浓度增大,所得膨润土样的混合效率明显提高,黏附质量损失率及团聚体含量明显降低;压实样内团聚体与干缩裂纹及试样质量间具有较好对应关系。此外,酒精湿化法所得压实样在压实方向密度分布更均匀,干缩裂纹数量及宽度明显变小,风干试样剪切强度及膨胀性均与加纯水试样较为接近,压实样均匀性与完整性明显提高。新方法及相关成果可供我国高放废物缓冲回填砌块制备参考。     

含裂缝压实膨润土的渗透性能研究

为评价膨润土裂缝的自愈合效果,通过渗透-饱和试验,研究了不同裂缝形态、数量的压实膨润土试样渗透系数的变化规律,采用统计学方法分析了各组试样渗透系数的差异性.研究显示：在饱和过程中,干密度为1.2 g/cm3的含裂缝压实膨润土的渗透系数随时间呈逐渐递减趋势,且含裂缝试样渗透系数与完整试样渗透系数之间无显著性差异.表明裂缝形态和数量对压实膨润土的渗透性无显著影响,压实膨润土具有良好的自愈性能.     

膨润土-砂的膨胀特性与蒙脱石质量比率

在高放废物(HLW)地质处置的工程屏障体系中,使用以膨润土为主料的混合型缓冲回填材料,是阻截放射性核素向地下水环境迁移的最主要的包封设施。膨润土中添加一定量的石英砂,既能优化回填设计与施工性能,又能满足对放射性核素的有效拦截。本文综合分析了初始含水量、干密度、膨润土含量、压力等对压实膨润土-砂混合物膨胀性能指标的影响,提出"蒙脱石的质量比率"这一指标,将干密度和膨润土含量归一为蒙脱石质量比率指标,得出混合材料膨胀力随蒙脱石质量比率增长呈指数增长的规律,从而可以实现对膨胀力的定量预测。     

膨润土加砂混合物膨胀特征试验研究

运用自行研制的膨胀仪对膨润土加砂混合物进行了一系列膨胀力及膨胀应变等膨胀特性的试验研究,分析了膨胀力随时间的变化规律、两向膨胀力之间的关系和膨胀应变与时间及吸水量之间的关系。试验研究表明,膨润土加砂混合物的最大膨胀力以及最大膨胀应变主要取决于混合物的最初干密度和膨润土含量,并且随着二者的增大而增大;膨润土加砂混合物的水平膨胀力与竖向膨胀力之比随着混合物干密度的增大减小,并且与干密度近似成线性关系;不同膨润土含量的膨润土加砂混合物的膨胀应变与时间成双曲线关系,与吸水量近似呈S型曲线关系,并且其最大膨胀应变与膨润土含量存在指数关系。试验结果对高放废物深处置库中的缓冲回填材料设计具有一定的参考价值。     

渗流条件下含裂缝压实膨润土应力及渗透性能试验研究

压实膨润土是放射性废物处置库的理想缓冲/回填材料,但它在失水收缩过程中易产生裂缝,该裂缝在浸水条件下能否愈合是放射性废物处置安全评价中的重要课题。其研究对含纵向单裂缝的压实膨润土样品开展渗透试验,以渗透系数、隙面法向应力及含水率为指标,研究含裂缝压实膨润土吸水膨胀后应力及渗透性能的变化,从而评价裂缝对膨润土屏障层性能的影响。研究结果表明,样品渗透系数随时间逐渐递减,隙面法向应力随时间逐渐递增,且在85 d时两参数达到稳定水平,分别为4.6410~(-10)m/s和2.5 MPa,与完整压实膨润土样品的渗透系数及内部应力处于相同水平,可以认为,此时土体实现了饱和及均一化。该研究从渗透性和应力角度证实了裂缝对压实膨润土渗透系数及应力参数未产生显著影响,膨润土具有较好的自愈合能力。研究建立了膨润土裂缝自愈合效果评价方法,为膨润土作为回填材料的安全性评价提供理论依据。     

温控高压实GMZ01膨润土-砂混合物土水特性

纯膨润土中掺入一定比例的石英砂,可以有效地提高工程屏障的热传导特性、力学强度和长期稳定性,并可降低屏障系统的工程造价; 但同时也会改变混合物的土水特征。本文采用水汽平衡法和渗析法吸力控制技术,开展了不同温度(20℃、40℃和60℃)、恒体积条件下,高压实GMZ01膨润土-石英砂混合物(7:3)试样的持水特性试验。结果表明,体积与吸力恒定时,高压实高庙子膨润土-砂混合物的含水量随温度升高而减少,但温度影响幅度取决于吸力水平; 低吸力范围内,混合物的饱和度大于1,其原因可能是由于混合物中结合水密度大所引起的; 基于Frendlund常温方程的万敏模型,能够拟合考虑温度影响的GMZ01膨润土-砂混合物土水特征曲线。     

Shrinkage and desiccation cracking in bentonite–sand landfill liners

Data are reported on the shrinkage and desiccation cracking exhibited by bentonite-enhanced sand mixtures (BES) upon air-drying. Mixtures containing 10 and 20% bentonite by dry weight, compacted at moisture contents ranging from 8 to 32%, were investigated. Hydraulic conductivity data for BES specimens saturated and tested immediately after compaction, and for similar specimens that had no visible damage after air-drying, are also presented.

All the mixtures exhibited volumetric shrinkage upon air-drying with the amount of shrinkage increasing with increasing moisture content during compaction. At any initial moisture content mixtures containing 20% bentonite shrink more than those containing 10% bentonite, but the shrinkage is insensitive to the compactive effort. Compacted beds of BES containing 10 and 20% bentonite exhibit no visible desiccation cracking as the top surface is dried when compacted at 15 and 14% moisture content, respectively, and only minor cracking when compacted at initial moisture contents of 20 and 15%, respectively. For the range of mixtures tested, it appears that cracking only occurs when BES undergoes more than about 4% volumetric shrinkage when air-dried. The saturated hydraulic conductivity of intact BES specimens is unaffected by a drying episode prior to testing.     

江西广丰李家膨润土压实性能研究--高放废物处置缓冲/回填材料压实性能初探

研究了广丰李家钠基膨润土的压实性能,得出了不同压实功作用下,膨润土干密度与含水率之间的关系．以及粒径、压实功等因素对压实性能的影响;在相同压实功和相同含水率条件下,膨润土粒径较小时相对应的干密度较小．当压实功为2684．9kJ／m^3时,钠基膨润土的最大干密度可达1．525g／cm^3,最优含水率为26．30％。首次选用石英砂作为添加荆,探索了添加荆对膨润土压实性能的改善作用,实验结果说明石英砂添加荆的加入可以大大提高膨润土的干密度。减小对应的最优含水率,并得出约10％的石英砂是添加剂的最佳用量。该研究结果为钠基膨润土作为高放废物处置库缓冲／回填材料的性能评价提供了重要的依据。     

Delineation of compaction criteria for acceptable hydraulic conductivity of lateritic soil-bentonite mixtures designed as landfill liners

In current geoenvironmental practice, design engineers usually require that soil liners in waste landfills be compacted within a specified range of water content and dry unit weight. This specification is based primarily on the need to achieve a minimum dry unit weight for factors controlling the performance of compacted soil liners most especially the hydraulic conductivity, k. In this study, lateritic soil treated with up to 10% bentonite, prepared at various compaction states (dry of optimum, optimum and wet of optimum moisture content) was compacted with four compactive efforts (i.e., the reduced British Standard Light, British Standard Light, West African Standard, and British Standard Heavy) to simulate the range of compaction energies expected in the field. Prepared soil mixtures were permeated with water and specimens that yielded the permissible limit of k????1?×?10^?9?m/s were enclosed in an envelope (known as the acceptable zone) on the water content?Cdry unit weight curve. It was observed that compaction conditions resulting in moisture content slightly wet of optimum led to the lowest values of k and that the shapes and boundaries of the acceptable zones gradually increased in extent, shifting to wet side of optimum moisture content as the bentonite content increased to 10%. This approach provides good control over the quality of compacted soils and has great potential for field application.     

Impact of wetting–drying cycles on the hydraulic conductivity of liners made of lime-stabilized sand–bentonite mixtures for sanitary landfills

In this study, an investigation was performed to determine if lime-stabilized sand–bentonite mixtures are appropriate for the construction of sanitary landfills liners. For this aim, the hydraulic conductivity tests were conducted in the laboratory on sand–bentonite mixtures and lime-stabilized sand–bentonite mixtures to evaluate the effect of wetting–drying cycles. The hydraulic conductivity tests were performed to see if their hydraulic conductivities are affected by wetting–drying cycles. First series of specimens have been prepared as a mixture of sand and bentonite only. In the first series of specimens, sand was mixed with bentonite in proportions of 20, 30, 40, and 50 %. In the second series of the specimens, lime in proportions of 1, 2 and 3 % by weight was added to the mixtures of sand–bentonite in proportions of 20, 30, 40, and 50 %. From the results of the tests, it was observed that while optimum water content increased, maximum dry density decreased with addition of lime to the sand–bentonite mixtures. Generally, the hydraulic conductivity increased with the addition of lime to the mixtures but at low percentages of lime (1–2 %), however, slight decreases in k were recorded. It was also observed that the wetting–drying cycles on the permeability test indicate cure effect on specimens with addition of lime which resulted in decreased the hydraulic conductivity.     

混合型缓冲回填材料非饱和水分扩散试验研究

设计了专门的浸水试验装置,测定了膨润土-石英砂混合物在非膨胀条件下吸水引起的水分分布及膨胀应力变化,研究了混合型缓冲回填材料非饱和水力学性质。试验结果表明,干密度约1.70 g/cmP3、掺砂率为30%的GMZ001膨润土-砂混合物的水分扩散系数与含水率的关系呈U型变化,即随着含水率增加,汽态水分扩散系数减小,液态水分扩散系数增大。根据理论推导建立非饱和导水率估算方程。计算发现,混合物的非饱和导水率随含水率的增大而增大。其中,汽态水分非饱和导水率先增大后略有减小,液态水非饱和导水率始终增大。试验发现,试样吸水后干密度趋于均匀化,试样内部不同位置的应力发展与水分迁移过程密切相关：渗入端的应力在入渗初期增长很快,随后减慢;渗出端的应力持续稳定增长;入渗96 h后,两端应力趋于一致。估算出的水分扩散系数及非饱和导水率,可用于评价混合型缓冲回填材料阻隔核素迁移安全性。     

混合型缓冲回填材料膨胀力试验研究

与纯膨润土相比,混合型缓冲回填材料（膨润土与石英砂混合物）能够实现防渗阻隔能力、热传导性能、力学强度和可施工性能的最佳组合。选用高庙子钠基膨润土（GMZ001）为缓冲回填材料的主料,添加不同比例的石英砂,对掺砂比分别为0、10%、20%、30%、40%和50%的膨润土-砂混合物压实试样进行室内试验。结果表明,混合物的液限、塑限随掺砂率的增大而线性降低;膨胀力随时间呈指数增长。初始含水率较大时,最大膨胀力随初始含水率的增大略有降低。掺砂率一定时,最大膨胀力随初始干密度指数增长。提出了有效黏土密度的概念,建立了一定初始含水率条件下,任意掺砂率和初始干密度的高庙子膨润土-砂混合物最大膨胀力归一化模型,为混合型缓冲回填材料膨胀力的预测与控制提供了依据。     

Performance evaluation of soil mixtures treated with graphite and used as barrier fill material for high-level radioactive waste repository

Buffer/backfill material is an important engineering barrier in a deep geological repository of high-level radioactive waste (HLW). Its thermo-hydro-mechanical (THM) performance is very important for the safe and stable operation of the HLW repository system. Natural graphite powder mixed with sodium bentonite forms a buffer/backfill material that can dissipate heat quickly and provide strong isolation. In this paper, the THM characteristics of bentonite–sand–graphite–polypropylene fiber (BSGF) mixtures, used as a buffer/backfill material, were studied through a series of laboratory tests. The influence of graphite and polypropylene fiber contents on thermal conductivity, swelling pressure, hydraulic conductivity, and strength properties of BSGF mixtures with different sand contents was analyzed. Experimental results indicated that the graphite content, the maximum graphite mesh number, and the initial dry density of bentonite–graphite mixtures influenced the thermal conductivity of bentonite–graphite mixtures. The addition of polypropylene fiber was found to enhance the shear strength and inhibit cracking without significantly affecting the expansivity, permeability, and thermal conductivity of the BSGF mixtures. This study provides a new buffer/backfill material that can improve the stability, functionality, and thermal efficiency of the HLW repository.

     

Feasibility of using fly ash,lime, and bentonite to neutralize acidity of pore fluids

Acidic groundwater resulting from the poorly planned use of acid sulfate soils has become a major environmental issue in coastal Australia over the last several years. Use of permeable reactive barriers (PRBs) designed to generate alkalinity by promoting sulfate reduction has recently become popular as an alternative solution to this problem. However, recent studies have also revealed that the long-term performance of such PRBs can be significantly undermined by chemical precipitation and clogging of pore space, which would decrease the buffer capacity and hydraulic conductivity of the reactive material. This study seeks to explore the feasibility of using bentonite in addition to lime and fly ash to form mixtures with a high buffer capacity and permeability that would enable groundwater flow through PRBs over a substantial period of time. A series of laboratory experiments, including buffer capacity and leaching tests, were performed on different mixtures of fly ash with lime and bentonite using acidic fluids of low pH. It was found that the ability of such mixtures to neutralize acidic fluids was mostly controlled by the content of lime. Laboratory data also showed that an addition of bentonite to lime—fly ash mixtures could decrease the buffer capacity of soil. Compaction tests indicated that the presence of bentonite would increase the dry density of mixtures at the optimum moisture content. A series of hydraulic conductivity tests were carried out to study changes in the coefficient of permeability of lime—fly ash mixtures with different contents of bentonite permeated with acidic liquids. The obtained results revealed that the coefficient of permeability of the specimens tended to increase over a period of time, likely due to the changes in the diffuse double layer of bentonite particles.     

Swelling characteristics of compacted lateritic soil–bentonite mixtures subjected to municipal waste leachate contamination

Compacted soil–bentonite mixtures are finding wide application as buffer material for waste repositories for their favorable self-sealing qualities. The swelling properties of such materials which serve as a measure of their self-sealing capabilities and, thus, the efficiency of the repository in sealing off their contents from the environment are closely related to the chemistry of the leachate that emanate from the wastes. For this reason, the swelling parameters (namely swelling potential and pressure) of compacted lateritic soil–bentonite mixtures under consideration for use as barrier in municipal waste landfill were evaluated. Series of swelling potential and pressure tests were performed using variable content (0–10 %) of bentonite at predetermined optimum moisture content. Soil mixtures were compacted with British Standard Heavy compactive effort and saturated with processed tap water as well as three leachate solutions of varying ionic strength that were generated in active open dump landfills. Experimental results showed that swelling potential based on the free swell together with the maximum swell pressures of compacted soil mixtures measured at equilibrium increased approximately linearly with increase in the amount of bentonite when inundated with processed tap water and the three leachate solutions. On the other hand, these swelling parameters decreased as the ionic strength of the leachate solutions measured by their electrical conductivity increased for the various soil mixtures. These results provide an insight into the swelling behavior and the possible degradation in the efficiency of the proposed lateritic soil–bentonite mixtures in relation to their use as buffer material in waste landfills.