Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Hydromechanical Behaviour of Rock-Bentonite Interfaces Under Compression

  • Published:
Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Interfaces between geomaterials may be critical for the long term confinement of the engineered barriers of nuclear waste disposals, particularly if there is water flow. Hydromechanical compression tests have been performed on rock-bentonite interfaces representing the contact between a host rock (toarcian argillite) and an engineered barrier within a nuclear waste repository. The results show that there is no major influence of the bentonite fraction or the nature of the additive as long as the additive is inert (sand or crushed rock): all the interfaces are closed for low values of normal stress (about 4 MPa). On the other hand, the hydromechanical behaviour of the interfaces changes when a high fraction of cement is used. Moreover, it has been shown that bentonite is very sensitive to hydraulic erosion, producing flow channels within the interface zone. A numerical study confirms the importance of erosion for the hydromechanical behaviour of the interface.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • N. A. Al Shayea (2001) ArticleTitleThe combined effect of clay and moisture content on the behaviour of remolded unsaturated soils Engng. Geol. 62 319–342 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0013-7952(01)00032-1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Armand, G. (2000): Contribution à la caractérisation en laboratoire et à la modélisation constitutive du comportement mécanique des joints rocheux. Thèse, Université Joseph Fourier, Grenoble, France.

  • L. Borgesson L. E. Johannesson D. Gunnarsson (2003) ArticleTitleInfluence of soil structure heterogeneities on the behaviour of backfill materials based on mixtures of bentonite and crushed rock Appl. Clay Sci. 23 121–131 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0169-1317(03)00094-2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • L. Borgesson O. Karnland L. E. Johannesson (1996) ArticleTitleModelling of the physical behaviour of clay barriers close to water saturation Engng. Geol. 41 127–144 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0013-7952(95)00030-5

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boulon, M. (1995): A 3-d direct shear device for testing the mechanical behaviour and the hydraulic conductivity of rock joints. In: Proc., MJFR-2 Conference, Vienna, Austria, Balkema, Rotterdam, pp 407–413.

  • Buzzi, O. (2004): Hydromécanique du contact entre géomatériaux. Expérimentation et modélisation. Application au stockage de déchets nucléaires. Thèse, Université Joseph Fourier, Grenoble, France.

  • R. Chapuis (1990) ArticleTitleSand bentonite liners: predicting permeability from laboratory tests Can. Geotech. J. 27 47–57

    Google Scholar 

  • R. Chapuis (2002) ArticleTitleThe 2000 r.m. hardy lecture: full scale hydraulic performance of soil bentonite and compacted clay liners Can. Geotech. J. 39 417–439 Occurrence Handle10.1139/t01-092

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • D. Charpentier D. Tessier M. Cathelineau (2003) ArticleTitleShale microstructure evolution due to tunnel excavation after 100 years and impact of tectonic paleo-fracturing. Case of Tournemire, France Engng. Geol. 70 55–69 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0013-7952(03)00082-6

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • M. Chijimatsu T. Fujita A. Kobayashi N. Masashi (2000) ArticleTitleExperiment and validation of numerical simulation of coupled thermal, hydraulic and mechanical behaviour in engineered buffer materials Int. J. Num. Anal. Meth. Geomech. 24 403–424 Occurrence Handle10.1002/(SICI)1096-9853(20000410)24:4<403::AID-NAG73>3.0.CO;2-E

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Daupley, X. (1997): Etude du potentiel de l’eau interstitielle d’une roche argileuse et de relations entre ses propriété hydriques et mécanique – application aux argilites du Toarcien de la région de Tournemire (Aveyron), Thèse – Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Mines de Paris.

  • C. Di Maio (2004) Consolidation, swelling and swelling pressure induced by exposure of clay soils to fluids different from the pore fluid Springer Berlin Heidelberg New York 19–43

    Google Scholar 

  • D. Dixon N. Chandler J. Graham N. N. Gray (2002) ArticleTitleTwo large scale sealing tests conducted at atomic energy of canada’s underground research laboratory: the buffer-container experiment and isothermal test Can. Geotech. J. 39 503–518 Occurrence Handle10.1139/t02-012

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • D. Dixon M. N. Gray A. W. Thomas (1985) ArticleTitleA study of the compaction properties of potential clay-sand buffer mixtures for use in nuclear fuel waste disposal Engng. Geol. 21 247–255 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0013-7952(85)90015-8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dixon, D. A., Martino, J. B., Chandler, A., Sugita, Y., Vignal, B. (2002): Water uptake by a clay bulkhead installed in the tunnel sealing experiment at atomic energy of Canada’s underground research laboratory. In: Clays in natural and engineered barriers for radioactive waste confinement. Experiments in underground laboratories, Reims, ANDRA.

  • T. Esaki S. Du Y. Mitani K. Ikusada L. Jing (1999) ArticleTitleDevelopment of shear-flow test apparatus and determination of coupled properties for a single rock joint Int. J. Rock Mech. Min. Sci. 36 641–650 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0148-9062(99)00044-3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • L. S. Garvin C. S. Hayles (1999) ArticleTitleThe chemical compatibility of cement-bentonite cut-off wall material Constr. Build. Mater. 13 329–341 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0950-0618(99)00024-0

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • A. Gens N. L. Guimaraes do A. Garcia-Molina E. E. Alonso (2002) ArticleTitleFactors controlling rock-clay buffer interaction in a radioactive waste repository Engng. Geol. 64 297–308 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0013-7952(02)00026-1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • J. Graham K. Yuen T. B. Goh P. Janzen V. Sivakumar (2001) ArticleTitleHydraulic conductivity and pore fluid chemistry in artificially weathered plastic clay Engng. Geol. 60 69–81 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0013-7952(00)00090-9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • P. Grindrod M. Peletier H. Takase (1999) ArticleTitleMechanical interaction between swelling compacted clay and fractured rock, and the leaching of clay colloids Engng. Geol. 54 159–165 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0013-7952(99)00071-X

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hans, J. (2002): Etude expérimentale et modélisation numérique multiéchelle du comportement hydromécanique de répliques de joints rocheux. Thèse, Université Joseph Fourier Grenoble.

  • J. Hans M. Boulon (2003) ArticleTitleA new device for investigating the hydromecanical properties of rock joints Int. J. Numer. Anal. Meth. Geomech. 27 513–548 Occurrence Handle10.1002/nag.285

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hibbitt, Karlsson & Sorensen Inc. (1994): Abaqus Theory Manual.

  • Fluent Inc. (1993): Fluent User’s guide. Vol. 1, 2 and 3.

  • P. W. James T. E. R. Jones D. M. Stewart (1996) ArticleTitleNumerical and experimental studies of annular flume flow Appl. Math. Modelling 20 225–231 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0307-904X(95)00149-E

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • L. Jing O. Stephansson (1995) Mechanics of rock joints: experimental aspects M. P. S. Selvadurai M. J. Boulon (Eds) Mechanics of geomaterial interfaces Asterdam Elsevier 317–342 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0922-5382(06)80016-4

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • J. E. A. John W. L. Haberman (1979) Introduction to fluid mechanics EditionNumber2 Prentice Hall Englewood Cliffs

    Google Scholar 

  • D. Koch (2002) ArticleTitleBentonites as a basic material for techical base liners and site encapsulation cut off walls Appl. Clay Sci. 21 1–11 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0169-1317(01)00087-4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • J. K. Kodikara I. W. Johnston (1994) ArticleTitleShear behaviour of irregular triangular rock-concrete joints Int. J. Rock Mech. Min. Sci. Geomech. Abstr. 31 IssueID4 313–322 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0148-9062(94)90900-8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • B. E. Launder D. B. Spalding (1972) Mathematical models of turbulence Academic Press New York

    Google Scholar 

  • H. S. Lee T. F. Cho (2002) ArticleTitleHydraulic characteristics of rough fractures in linear flow under normal and shear load Rock Mech. Rock Engng. 35 IssueID4 299–318 Occurrence Handle10.1007/s00603-002-0028-y

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marcial, D., Delage, P., Cui, Y. J. (2001): Reduced model test for the study of the self sealing capacity of the joints of bentonite based engineered barriers. In: 6th International Workshop on Key Issues in Wastes Isolation Research (KIWIR), pp 285–303.

  • Mata, C., Guimaraes, L., Ledesma, A., Gens, A., Olivella, S. (2001): A hydro geomechanical analysis of the saturation process with salt water of a bentonite crushed rock mixture in an engineered nuclear barrier. In: 6th International Workshop on Key Issues in Wastes Isolation Research (KIWIR), pp 643–663.

  • Mathieu, R., Pagel, M., Clauer, N., De Windt, L., Cabrera, J., Boisson, J. Y. (2000): Paleofluids circulations records in shale: a mineralogical and geochemical study of calcite veions from experimental Tournemire tunnel site (France).

  • T. Missana U. Alonso M. J. Turrero (2003) ArticleTitleGeneration and stability of bentonite colloids at the bentonite/granite interface of a deep geological radioactive waste repository J. Contam. Hydrol. 61 17–31 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0169-7722(02)00110-9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • H. Niandou J. F. Shao J. P. Henry D. Fourmaintraux (1997) ArticleTitleLaboratory investigations of the mechanical behaviour of the tournemire shale Int. J. Rock. Mech. Min. Sci. 34 IssueID1 3–16

    Google Scholar 

  • Pusch, R. (1983): Stability of bentonite gel in crystalline rock – physical aspects. Technical Report TR-83-04, SKB, Lund, Sweden.

  • Pusch, R., Kasbhom, J. (2001): Can the water content of highly compacted bentonite be increased by applying a high water pressure?, Technical Report TR-01-33, SKB, Lund, Sweden.

  • Rejeb, A. (1999): Mechanical characterisation of the argillaceous tournemire site (France). In: Site characterisation practice. IBH Publ., Oxford, pp 45–50.

  • F. Santucci de Magistris F. Silvestri F. Vinale (1998) ArticleTitlePhysical and mechanical properties of a compacted silty sand with low bentonite fraction Can. Geotech. J. 35 909–925 Occurrence Handle10.1139/cgj-35-6-909

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • J. P. Seidel C. M. Haberfield (2002) ArticleTitleA theoretical model for rock joints subjected to constant normal stiffness direct shear Int. J. Rock Mech. Min. Sci. 39 539–553 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S1365-1609(02)00056-4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • G. X. Tang J. Graham J. Blatz M. Gray R. K. N. D. Rajapakse (2002) ArticleTitleSuctions, stresses and strengths in unsaturated sand-bentonite Engng. Geol. 64 147–156 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0013-7952(01)00108-9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • X. G. Tang J. Graham (2002) ArticleTitleA possible elastic-plastic framework for unsaturated soils with high plasticity Can. Geotech. J. 39 894–907 Occurrence Handle10.1139/t02-024

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • R. W. Zimmerman W. I. Yeo M. H. De Freitas (1998) ArticleTitleEffect of shear displacement on the aperture and permeability of a rock fracture Int. J. Rock Mech. Min. Sci. 35 1051–1070 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0148-9062(98)00165-X

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire Sols, Solides, Structures, Université Joseph Fourier, Grenoble, France

    O. Buzzi & M. Boulon

  2. Institut de Radioprotection et Sûreté Nucléaire, Fontenay aux roses, France

    F. Deleruyelle & F. Besnus

Authors
  1. O. Buzzi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. M. Boulon
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. F. Deleruyelle
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. F. Besnus
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to O. Buzzi.

Additional information

Authors’ address: Olivier Buzzi, Laboratoire Sols, Solides, Structures, Université Joseph Fourier, BP 53, 38041 Grenoble, Cedex 9, France

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Buzzi, O., Boulon, M., Deleruyelle, F. et al. Hydromechanical Behaviour of Rock-Bentonite Interfaces Under Compression. Rock Mech Rock Eng 41, 343–371 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-006-0099-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-006-0099-2

Search

Navigation