Consolidation, permeability, and strength of crushed salt/bentonite mixtures with application to the WIPP

摘要

Three tests were performed to measure the consolidation, permeability, and compressive strength of specimens prepared from bentonite/crushed salt mixtures. Each mixture comprised 30% bentonite and 70% crushed salt based on total dry weight. Brine was added to each mixture to adjust its water content to either 5 or 10% (nominal) of the total dry weight of the mixture. In the consolidation tests, each specimen was subjected to multiple stages of successively higher hydrostatic stress (pressure). During each stage, the pressure was maintained at a constant level and volumetric strain data were continuously logged. By using multiple stages, consolidation data were obtained at several pressures and the time required to consolidate the specimens to full saturation was reduced. Once full saturation was achieved, each specimen was subjected to a final test stage in which the hydrostatic stress was reduced and a permeability test performed. Permeability was measured using the steady flow of brine and was found to range between 1 (times) 10(sup (minus)17) and 5 (times) 10(sup (minus)17) m(sup 2). After the final test stage, unconfined compressive strength was determined for each specimen and was found to range between 0.5 and 8.1 MPa. Two constitutive models were fitted to the consolidation data. One relatively simple model related volumetric strain to time while the other related instantaneous density to time, pressure, and initial density. 8 refs., 9 figs., 8 tabs.