skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Longevity of borehole and shaft sealing materials: characterization of cement-based ancient building materials

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6724856

Durability and long-term stability of cements, mortars, and/or concretes utilized as borehole plugging and shaft sealing materials are of present concern in the national effort to isolate and contain nuclear waste within deep geological repositories. The present study consists of a preliminary examination of selected ancient, old, and modern building materials (14 specimens) and was intended to document and explain the remarkable durability of these portland cement-related materials. This study has provided insights into reasons for the durability of certain structures and also into the long-term stability of calcium silicate binders (cements) used in archaeologic materials. These data were combined with knowledge obtained from the behavior of modern portland cements and natural materials to evaluate the potential for longevity of such materials in a borehole environment. A multimethod analysis was used and included: macroscopic and microscopic (petrographic and SEM) analyses, chemical analyses, and x-ray diffraction analyses. 61 figures, 11 tables.

Research Organization:
Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park (USA). Materials Research Lab.
DOE Contract Number:
AC06-76RL01830
OSTI ID:
6724856
Report Number(s):
ONWI-202; ON: DE83000730; TRN: 82-024450
Resource Relation:
Other Information: Portions of document are illegible
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English