Measurements of uranium mill tailings consolidation characteristics

Fayer, M J

doi:10.2172/6088864

Title: Measurements of uranium mill tailings consolidation characteristics

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Abstract

A series of experiments were conducted on uranium mill tailings from the tailings pile in Grand Junction, Colorado, to determine their consolidation characteristics. Three materials (sand, sand/slimes mix, slimes) were loaded under saturated conditions to determine their saturated consolidated behavior. During a separate experiment, samples of the slimes material were kept under a constant load while the pore pressure was increased to determine the partially saturated consolidation behavior. Results of the saturated tests compared well with published data. Sand consolidated the least, while slimes consolidated the most. As each material consolidated, the measured hydraulic conductivity decreased in a linear fashion with respect to the void ratio. Partially saturated experiments with the slimes indicated that there was little consolidation as the pore pressure was increased progressively above 7 kPa. The small amount of consolidation that did occur was only a fraction of the amount of saturated consolidation. Preliminary measurements between pore pressures of 0 and 7 kPa indicated that measurable consolidation could occur in this range of pore pressure, but only if there was no load. 13 references, 13 figures.

Authors:: Fayer, M J

Publication Date:: Fri Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 1985

Research Org.:: Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

OSTI Identifier:: 6088864

Report Number(s):: NUREG/CR-4087; PNL-5339
ON: TI85007781

DOE Contract Number:: AC06-76RL01830

Resource Type:: Technical Report

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES; MILL TAILINGS; COMPACTING; HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY; STABILIZATION; DRAINAGE; EXPERIMENTAL DATA; MIXTURES; SAND; SATURATION; STRESSES; DATA; DISPERSIONS; INFORMATION; NUMERICAL DATA; SOLID WASTES; TAILINGS; WASTES; 052002* - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Disposal & Storage

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                    Fayer, M J. Measurements of uranium mill tailings consolidation characteristics.  United States: N. p., 1985. 
        Web.  doi:10.2172/6088864.

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                    Fayer, M J. Measurements of uranium mill tailings consolidation characteristics.  United States.  https://doi.org/10.2172/6088864

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                    Fayer, M J. 1985.  
        "Measurements of uranium mill tailings consolidation characteristics".  United States.  https://doi.org/10.2172/6088864.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/6088864.

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@article{osti_6088864,

  title        = {Measurements of uranium mill tailings consolidation characteristics},

  author       = {Fayer, M J},

  abstractNote = {A series of experiments were conducted on uranium mill tailings from the tailings pile in Grand Junction, Colorado, to determine their consolidation characteristics. Three materials (sand, sand/slimes mix, slimes) were loaded under saturated conditions to determine their saturated consolidated behavior. During a separate experiment, samples of the slimes material were kept under a constant load while the pore pressure was increased to determine the partially saturated consolidation behavior. Results of the saturated tests compared well with published data. Sand consolidated the least, while slimes consolidated the most. As each material consolidated, the measured hydraulic conductivity decreased in a linear fashion with respect to the void ratio. Partially saturated experiments with the slimes indicated that there was little consolidation as the pore pressure was increased progressively above 7 kPa. The small amount of consolidation that did occur was only a fraction of the amount of saturated consolidation. Preliminary measurements between pore pressures of 0 and 7 kPa indicated that measurable consolidation could occur in this range of pore pressure, but only if there was no load. 13 references, 13 figures.},

  doi          = {10.2172/6088864},

  url          = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/6088864},
  journal      = {},
number       = ,

  volume       = ,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {Fri Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 1985},

  month        = {Fri Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 1985}

}

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