Hanford Permanent Isolation Barrier Program: Asphalt technology development

Conference · Tue Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1994

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/10109555· OSTI ID:43790

Freeman, H D; Romine, R A

An important component of the Hanford Permanent Isolation Barrier is the use of a two-layer composite asphalt system, which provides backup water diversion capabilities if the primary capillary barrier fails to meet infiltration goals. Because of asphalt`s potential to perform to specification over the 1000-year design life criterion, a composite asphalt barrier (HMAC/fluid-applied polymer-modified asphalt) is being considered as an alternative to the bentonite clay/high density poly(ethylene) barriers for the low-permeability component of the Hanford Permanent Isolation Barrier. The feasibility of using asphalt as a long-term barrier is currently being studied. Information that must be known is the ability of asphalt to retain desirable physical properties over a period of 1000 years. This paper presents the approach for performing accelerated aging tests and evaluating the performance of samples under accelerated conditions. The results of these tests will be compared with asphalt artifact analogs and the results of modeling the degradation of the selected asphalt composite to make life-cycle predictions.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 43790
• Report Number(s): PNL-SA--24388; CONF-941124--21; ON: DE95007816
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

05 NUCLEAR FUELS
42 ENGINEERING
AGING
ASPHALTS
CONTAINMENT SYSTEMS
MATERIALS TESTING
MOISTURE
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
UNDERGROUND DISPOSAL