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Title: Bulk and mechanical properties of the Paintbrush tuff recovered from borehole USW NRG-6: Data report

Abstract

Experimental results are presented for bulk and mechanical properties measurements on specimens of the Paintbrush tuff recovered from borehole USW NRG-6 at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. Measurements have been performed on four thermal/mechanical units, TCw, PTn, TSw1 and TSw2. On each specimen the following bulk properties have been reported: dry bulk density, saturated bulk density, average grain density, and porosity. Unconfined compression to failure, confined compression to failure, and indirect tensile strength tests were performed on selected specimens recovered from the borehole. In addition, compressional and shear wave velocities were measured on specimens designated for unconfined compression and confined compression experiments. Measurements were conducted at room temperature on nominally water saturated specimens; however, some specimens of PTn were tested in a room dry condition. The nominal strain rate for the fracture experiments was 10{sup -5} s {sup -1}.

Authors:
; ;  [1];  [2]
  1. New England Research, Inc., White River Junction, VT (United States)
  2. Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
60822
Report Number(s):
SAND-93-4020
ON: DE95004385; TRN: 95:000665
DOE Contract Number:
AC04-94AL85000
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Resource Relation:
Other Information: PBD: Nov 1994
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
05 NUCLEAR FUELS; YUCCA MOUNTAIN; SITE CHARACTERIZATION; TUFF; MECHANICAL PROPERTIES; HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES; RADIOACTIVE WASTE STORAGE; Yucca Mountain Project

Citation Formats

Martin, R.J., Boyd, P.J., Noel, J.S., and Price, R.H. Bulk and mechanical properties of the Paintbrush tuff recovered from borehole USW NRG-6: Data report. United States: N. p., 1994. Web. doi:10.2172/60822.
Martin, R.J., Boyd, P.J., Noel, J.S., & Price, R.H. Bulk and mechanical properties of the Paintbrush tuff recovered from borehole USW NRG-6: Data report. United States. doi:10.2172/60822.
Martin, R.J., Boyd, P.J., Noel, J.S., and Price, R.H. Tue . "Bulk and mechanical properties of the Paintbrush tuff recovered from borehole USW NRG-6: Data report". United States. doi:10.2172/60822. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/60822.
@article{osti_60822,
title = {Bulk and mechanical properties of the Paintbrush tuff recovered from borehole USW NRG-6: Data report},
author = {Martin, R.J. and Boyd, P.J. and Noel, J.S. and Price, R.H.},
abstractNote = {Experimental results are presented for bulk and mechanical properties measurements on specimens of the Paintbrush tuff recovered from borehole USW NRG-6 at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. Measurements have been performed on four thermal/mechanical units, TCw, PTn, TSw1 and TSw2. On each specimen the following bulk properties have been reported: dry bulk density, saturated bulk density, average grain density, and porosity. Unconfined compression to failure, confined compression to failure, and indirect tensile strength tests were performed on selected specimens recovered from the borehole. In addition, compressional and shear wave velocities were measured on specimens designated for unconfined compression and confined compression experiments. Measurements were conducted at room temperature on nominally water saturated specimens; however, some specimens of PTn were tested in a room dry condition. The nominal strain rate for the fracture experiments was 10{sup -5} s {sup -1}.},
doi = {10.2172/60822},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Nov 01 00:00:00 EST 1994},
month = {Tue Nov 01 00:00:00 EST 1994}
}

Technical Report:

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  • An integral part of the licensing procedure for the potential nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, involves prediction of the in situ rheology for the design and construction of the facility and the emplacement of canisters containing radioactive waste. The data used to model the thermal and mechanical behavior of the repository and surrounding lithologies include dry and saturated bulk densities, average grain density, porosity, compressional and shear wave velocities, elastic moduli, and compressional and tensional fracture strengths. In this study, a suite of experiments was performed on cores recovered from the USW NRG-717A borehole drilled in support ofmore » the Exploratory Studies Facility (ESF) at Yucca Mountain. USW NRG-7/7A was drilled to a depth of 1,513.4 feet through five thermal/mechanical units of Paintbrush tuff and terminating in the tuffaceous beds of the Calico IEUS. The thermal/mechanical stratigraphy was defined by Orfiz et al. to group rock horizons of similar properties for the purpose of simplifying modeling efforts. The relationship between the geologic stratigraphy and the thermal/mechanical stratigraphy is presented. The tuff samples in this study have a wide range of welding characteristics, and a smaller range of mineralogy and petrology characteristics. Generally, the samples are silicic, ash-fall tuffs that exhibit large variability in their elastic and strength properties.« less
  • Experimental results are presented for bulk and mechanical properties measurements on specimens of the Paintbrush tuff recovered from the USW NRG-6 and USW NRG-7/7A borehole at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. Measurements have been performed on five thermal/mechanical units: TCw, PTn, TSw2, and TSw3. The following bulk properties are reported for each specimen: dry bulk density, saturated bulk density, average grain density and porosity. Confined compression to failure tests were performed on selected specimens recovered from the boreholes at confining pressures of 5 and 10 MPa. In addition, compressional and shear wave velocities were measured on the specimens prior to testing. Measurementsmore » were conducted under drained conditions at room temperature on nominally water saturated specimens. The nominal strain rate for the experiments was 10{sup -5} s{sup -1}.« less
  • Experimental results are presented for seven creep experiments on welded specimens of the Paintbrush tuff recovered from borehole USW NRG-7/7A at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. The measurements were performed at differential stresses of 40, 70, 100, and 130 MPa. The confining pressure and temperature for each of the experiments was 10 MPa and 225 {degrees}C respectively. All of the specimens were tested drained, in a room dry condition. All of the experiments were terminated prior to failure. The duration of the experiments range from 2.6 x 10{sup 6} seconds to 5.9 x 10{sup 6} seconds. Creep strain is observed for thosemore » specimens tested at a stress difference. The strain rate is not constant. A primary creep stage is observed. Secondary creep does not exhibit a constant strain rate, but decreases with increasing time.« less
  • An integral part of the licensing procedure for the potential nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, involves characterization of the in situ rheology for the design and construction of the facility and the emplacement of canisters containing radioactive waste. The data used to model the thermal and mechanical behavior of the repository and surrounding lithologies include dry and saturated bulk densities, average grain density, porosity, compressional and shear wave velocities, elastic moduli, and compressional and tensional fracture strengths. In this study, a suite of experiments was performed on cores recovered from boreholes UE25 NRG-2, 2A, 2B, and 3 drilledmore » in support of the Exploratory Studies Facility (ESF) at Yucca Mountain. The holes penetrated the Timber Mountain tuff and two thermal/mechanical units of the Paintbrush tuff. The thermal/mechanical stratigraphy was defined by Ortiz to group rock horizons of similar properties for the purpose of simplifying modeling efforts. The relationship between the geologic stratigraphy and the thermal/mechanical stratigraphy for each borehole is presented. The tuff samples in this study have a wide range of welding characteristics (usually reflected in sample porosity), and a smaller range of mineralogy and petrology characteristics. Generally, the samples are silicic, ash-fall tuffs that exhibit large variability in their elastic and strength properties.« less
  • Experimental results are presented for bulk and mechanical properties measurements on specimens of the Paintbrush tuff recovered from boreholes UE25 NRG-4 and -5, at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. Measurements have been performed on three thermal/mechanical units, PTn, TSwl, and TSw2. On each specimen the following bulk properties have been reported: dry bulk density, saturated bulk density, average grain density, and porosity. Unconfined compression to failure, confined compression to failure, and indirect tensile strength tests were performed on selected specimens recovered from the boreholes. In addition, compressional and shear wave velocities were measured on specimens designated for unconfined compression and confined compressionmore » experiments. Measurements were conducted at room temperature on nominally water-saturated specimens. The nominal rate for the fracture experiments was 10{sup -5}s{sup -1}.« less