Thermal properties of rock salt and quartz monzonite to 573{sup 0}K and 50-MPa confining pressure

Technical Report · Wed Mar 18 04:00:00 EST 1981

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/60246· OSTI ID:60246

Durham, W B; Abey, A E

Measurements of thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity, and thermal linear expansion have been made on two rock types, a rock salt and a quartz monzonite, at temperatures from 300 to 573{sup 0}K and confining pressures from 10 to 50 MPa. The samples were taken from deep rock formations under consideration as possible sites for a nuclear waste repository - the rock salt from a domal salt formation at Avery Island, Louisiana, and the quartz monzonite from the Climax Stock, Nevada Test Site, Nevada. The testing temperature and pressures are meant to bracket conditions expected in the repository. In both rock types, the thermal properties show a strong dependence upon temperature and a weak or non-dependence upon confining pressure. Thermal conductivity and diffusivity both decrease with increasing temperature in approximately linear fashion for samples which have not been previously heated. At 50 MPa in both rocks this decrease closely matches the measured or expected intrinsic (crack-free) behavior of the material. Preliminary indications from the quartz monzonite suggest that conductivity and diffusivity at low pressure and temperature may decrease as a result of heat treatment above 400{sup 0}K.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 60246
• Report Number(s): UCRL--85191; CONF-810804--5
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

05 NUCLEAR FUELS
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ELONGATION
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
LOUISIANA
MEDIUM PRESSURE
NEVADA
QUARTZ
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
SALT DEPOSITS
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
TEMPERATURE EFFECTS
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0273-0400 K
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0400-1000 K
THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY
THERMAL DIFFUSIVITY
THERMAL EXPANSION
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
UNDERGROUND DISPOSAL
Yucca Mountain Project