Experimental and modeling results for reconsolidation of crushed natural rock salt under varying physical conditions: Applications to nuclear waste isolation in bedded and domal salt formations
Mined salt from the underground facility at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) Project is a candidate material for use as backfill around the waste packages and in the underground openings during and after the operational phase. We have conducted a series of hydrostatic and triaxial compression experiments on the time-dependent compaction behavior of crushed salt under nominally dry, damp,'' (0.5-5 wt % added water), and brine-saturated conditions. Though the compaction of dry crushed salt is very slow in the laboratory, damp salt is likely to compact as rapidly as the mine walls can converge. Drained tests on brine-saturated crushed salt indicate that, though effects associated with saturation do retard consolidation rates slightly, high fractional densities ({ge}0.95) can still be obtained on laboratory times scales at pressures below lithostatic at the WIPP. Triaxial compression experiments indicate that small deviatoric stresses have little impact on consolidation rates. Micromechanical models for the compaction of dry and damp crushed salt, based on isostatic hot-pressing models, are discussed. 14 refs., 4 figs.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-76DP00789
- OSTI ID:
- 5492553
- Report Number(s):
- SAND-90-2509C; CONF-910907-4; ON: DE91017310
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 7. international congress on rock mechanics, Aachen (Germany), 16-20 Sep 1991
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Experimental and modeling results for reconsolidation of crushed natural rock salt under varying physical conditions
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Related Subjects
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
58 GEOSCIENCES
ALPHA-BEARING WASTES
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
SALT DEPOSITS
BACKFILLING
BRINES
CREEP
DENSITY
HYDROSTATICS
PRESSURE DEPENDENCE
SALTS
STRESSES
UNDERGROUND DISPOSAL
WIPP
FUNCTIONAL MODELS
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PILOT PLANTS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE FACILITIES
RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
UNDERGROUND FACILITIES
US DOE
US ORGANIZATIONS
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES
052002* - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Disposal & Storage
360603 - Materials- Properties
580000 - Geosciences