Hydration and dehydration of zeolitic tuff from Yucca Mountain, Nevada
- Earth and Environmental Sciences Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, NM (US)
Naturally occurring zeolites expand and contract when hydrated or dehydrated. In tuffaceous rock composed largely of such zeolites, the entire rock may swell or contract significantly as the rock becomes saturated or dries out. If such rock is constrained, significant stresses may develop as a result of hydration or dehydration. We present experimental results that substantiates this. In a zeolitized, non-welded tuff from Yucca Mountain, NV, rock permeability governs the swelling rate since the major constituent, clinoptilolite, hydrates as fast as it can be exposed to water. At Yucca Mountain, where a nuclear waste repository is proposed, strata of welded, devitrified tuff overlie non-welded, zeolitic tuff. Should the hydration state of the units change significantly over the repository lifetime, additional stresses on the same order of magnitude as now exist may develop. {copyright} American Geophysical Union 1989
- OSTI ID:
- 5152888
- Journal Information:
- Geophysical Research Letters; (USA), Journal Name: Geophysical Research Letters; (USA) Vol. 16:10; ISSN 0094-8276; ISSN GPRLA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Thermal stability of zeolitic tuff from Yucca Mountain, Nevada
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Related Subjects
580000* -- Geosciences
CLINOPTILOLITE
DEHYDRATION
HYDRATION
HYDROLOGY
INORGANIC ION EXCHANGERS
ION EXCHANGE MATERIALS
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
MINERALS
MOUNTAINS
NATURAL OCCURRENCE
PERMEABILITY
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
SILICATE MINERALS
SOLVATION
TUFF
UNDERGROUND FACILITIES
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
YUCCA MOUNTAIN
ZEOLITES