Measuring geomechanical properties of Topopah Spring Tuff at the 1-meter scale
The Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Project is studying physical and chemical properties of Topopah Spring tuff and coupled thermal, mechanical, hydrological, and geochemical processes expected in the near-field environment of the potential waste repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. Investigating the suitability of Topopah Spring tuff as a host rock for radioactive waste disposal includes measuring mechanical properties. Since heterogeneities vary with scale, from vugs and cracks at the hand-sample scale to fractures and vertical variations in degree of welding at the outcrop scale, mechanical properties of the tuff depend on scale. The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has planned a Large Block Test (LBT) to investigate rock mass properties and coupled processes at elevated temperatures in Topopah Spring tuff at the scale of a few meters. This paper describes planned laboratory experiments in support of the LBT, to measure elastic properties and mechanical behavior of Topopah Spring tuff at the scale of a few cm to 1 m. The laboratory experiments will include measurement of stress-strain behavior, acoustic emissions during heating, and elastic wave velocities in small blocks of tuff.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- OSTI ID:
- 71284
- Report Number(s):
- UCRL-JC-119121; CONF-950570-18; ON: DE95011441; TRN: 95:015303
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: International high-level radioactive waste management conference: progress toward understanding, Las Vegas, NV (United States), 1-5 May 1995; Other Information: PBD: Nov 1994
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Geomechanical properties of Topopah Spring Tuff at the 0.5-m scale: preliminary results of compression tests at elevated temperature
Geomechanical analysis of the large block test
Related Subjects
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
YUCCA MOUNTAIN
RADIOACTIVE WASTE FACILITIES
SITE CHARACTERIZATION
TUFF
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
ROCK MECHANICS
HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
THERMAL EXPANSION
THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY
ELASTICITY
DEFORMATION
EXPERIMENT PLANNING
Yucca Mountain Project