Abstract
Low-pH concrete plugs are going to be used during the backfilling of depositional tunnels of the high-level nuclear waste repository. The stability of these plugs, however, is thought to be affected by water-concrete interaction that may lead to cement degradation and dissolution. Alkaline plumes derived from such a degradation could jeopardize the chemical stability of the clay material in the backfill due to the enhanced dissolution kinetics under high-pH solutions. In this study, the cement durability of concrete plugs to be used in the repository is numerically evaluated by performing reactive transport simulations based on the geochemical degradation of the cement compounds, mainly calcium silicate hydrates (CSH). The implementation of degradation process into the geochemical model is based on a solid solution approach for CSH alteration. The numerical model also takes into account the dependency of transport properties (e.g. molecular diffusion coefficient) with the changes in porosity due to mineral precipitation-dissolution. The simulations predict that the effect of low-pH concrete alteration on the stability of backfill materials would be low. The main process governing geochemistry in the backfill-concrete boundary would be the quick loss of porosity due to ettringite precipitation. The very high molar volume of this mineral enhances the
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Grandia, Fidel;
Galindez, Juan-Manuel;
Molinero, Jorge;
Arcos, David
[1]
- Amphos XXI Consulting S.L., Barcelona (Spain)
Citation Formats
Grandia, Fidel, Galindez, Juan-Manuel, Molinero, Jorge, and Arcos, David.
Evaluation of low-pH cement degradation in tunnel plugs and bottom plate systems in the frame of SR-Site.
Sweden: N. p.,
2010.
Web.
Grandia, Fidel, Galindez, Juan-Manuel, Molinero, Jorge, & Arcos, David.
Evaluation of low-pH cement degradation in tunnel plugs and bottom plate systems in the frame of SR-Site.
Sweden.
Grandia, Fidel, Galindez, Juan-Manuel, Molinero, Jorge, and Arcos, David.
2010.
"Evaluation of low-pH cement degradation in tunnel plugs and bottom plate systems in the frame of SR-Site."
Sweden.
@misc{etde_1004308,
title = {Evaluation of low-pH cement degradation in tunnel plugs and bottom plate systems in the frame of SR-Site}
author = {Grandia, Fidel, Galindez, Juan-Manuel, Molinero, Jorge, and Arcos, David}
abstractNote = {Low-pH concrete plugs are going to be used during the backfilling of depositional tunnels of the high-level nuclear waste repository. The stability of these plugs, however, is thought to be affected by water-concrete interaction that may lead to cement degradation and dissolution. Alkaline plumes derived from such a degradation could jeopardize the chemical stability of the clay material in the backfill due to the enhanced dissolution kinetics under high-pH solutions. In this study, the cement durability of concrete plugs to be used in the repository is numerically evaluated by performing reactive transport simulations based on the geochemical degradation of the cement compounds, mainly calcium silicate hydrates (CSH). The implementation of degradation process into the geochemical model is based on a solid solution approach for CSH alteration. The numerical model also takes into account the dependency of transport properties (e.g. molecular diffusion coefficient) with the changes in porosity due to mineral precipitation-dissolution. The simulations predict that the effect of low-pH concrete alteration on the stability of backfill materials would be low. The main process governing geochemistry in the backfill-concrete boundary would be the quick loss of porosity due to ettringite precipitation. The very high molar volume of this mineral enhances the rate of clogging. The ettringite formation is mainly driven by the high sulphate concentration in the backfill porewater, which in turn is controlled by the equilibrium with gypsum in the backfill. The release and diffusion of calcium (from CSH replacement) and Al (from katoite dissolution) from concrete causes ettringite precipitation at the concrete-backfill boundary. The loss of porosity dramatically reduces solute diffusion and, consequently, the backfill-concrete system remains almost invariably for hundreds of years}
place = {Sweden}
year = {2010}
month = {Sep}
}
title = {Evaluation of low-pH cement degradation in tunnel plugs and bottom plate systems in the frame of SR-Site}
author = {Grandia, Fidel, Galindez, Juan-Manuel, Molinero, Jorge, and Arcos, David}
abstractNote = {Low-pH concrete plugs are going to be used during the backfilling of depositional tunnels of the high-level nuclear waste repository. The stability of these plugs, however, is thought to be affected by water-concrete interaction that may lead to cement degradation and dissolution. Alkaline plumes derived from such a degradation could jeopardize the chemical stability of the clay material in the backfill due to the enhanced dissolution kinetics under high-pH solutions. In this study, the cement durability of concrete plugs to be used in the repository is numerically evaluated by performing reactive transport simulations based on the geochemical degradation of the cement compounds, mainly calcium silicate hydrates (CSH). The implementation of degradation process into the geochemical model is based on a solid solution approach for CSH alteration. The numerical model also takes into account the dependency of transport properties (e.g. molecular diffusion coefficient) with the changes in porosity due to mineral precipitation-dissolution. The simulations predict that the effect of low-pH concrete alteration on the stability of backfill materials would be low. The main process governing geochemistry in the backfill-concrete boundary would be the quick loss of porosity due to ettringite precipitation. The very high molar volume of this mineral enhances the rate of clogging. The ettringite formation is mainly driven by the high sulphate concentration in the backfill porewater, which in turn is controlled by the equilibrium with gypsum in the backfill. The release and diffusion of calcium (from CSH replacement) and Al (from katoite dissolution) from concrete causes ettringite precipitation at the concrete-backfill boundary. The loss of porosity dramatically reduces solute diffusion and, consequently, the backfill-concrete system remains almost invariably for hundreds of years}
place = {Sweden}
year = {2010}
month = {Sep}
}