Physical and hydraulic characteristics of bentonite-amended soil from Area 5, Nevada Test Site

摘要

This report details the characterization of a soil mixture intended for use as the low-permeability component of a radioactive waste disposal site. Characterization of the soil mixture included measurements of grain density, grain size distribution, compaction, porosity, dry bulk density, shear strength, desiccation shrinkage, K(sub s), vapor conductivity, air permeability, the characteristic water retention function, and unsaturated hydraulic conductivity by both experimental and numerical estimation methods. The ability of the soil layer to limit infiltration in a simulated application was estimated in a one-dimensional model of a landfill cover.