Effect of freezing and thawing of UMTRA covers. [Fine-grained clayey soils]
The proposed US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) groundwater standards (40 CFR 192) require that Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Project remedial action designs meet low numerical limits for contaminants contained in water or vapor exiting the embankments. To meet the standards a cover of compacted fine-grained soil is placed over UMTRA Project embankments. One of the functions of this cover is to limit infiltration. The hydraulic conductivity of this infiltration barrier must be low in order to reduce seepage from the cell to the extent necessary to comply with the proposed EPA groundwater standards. Analyses of infiltration barriers covered with rock erosion protection show that the infiltration barriers may become saturated. Accordingly, it is necessary to assure that freezing and thawing of the infiltration barrier materials do not affect the performance of the embankment. This study has been conducted to determine if the hydraulic conductivity of fine-grained clayey soils used or proposed for use in radon/infiltration barriers is affected by repeated freezing and thawing cycles. In addition, a procedure for determining the depth of frost penetration has been developed. The last section provides recommendations for further work required to fully address the effects of freezing and thawing on the hydraulic conductivity of clay radon/infiltration barriers along with a recommended course of action that may be taken by the US Department of Energy.
- Research Organization:
- Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc., Pasadena, CA (United States); USDOE Albuquerque Operations Office, NM (United States). Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action Project Office
- Sponsoring Organization:
- DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-82AL14086
- OSTI ID:
- 6866511
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/UMTRA-400648.0000; ON: DE93005950
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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CLAYS
COVERINGS
DATA
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
ELEMENTS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FEDERAL REGION VIII
FEED MATERIALS PLANTS
FLUIDS
FREEZING
FROST
GASES
GROUND COVER
HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY
ICE
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
INFORMATION
MANAGEMENT
MILL TAILINGS
NONMETALS
NORTH AMERICA
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
NUMERICAL DATA
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT
RADON
RARE GASES
REMEDIAL ACTION
SOILS
SOLID WASTES
STABILIZATION
TAILINGS
TEMPERATURE EFFECTS
THAWING
USA
UTAH
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES