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Analysis of boundary friction effect on the homogenization process of compacted bentonite/claystone mixture with technological voids upon hydration

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Abstract

Pre-compacted MX80 bentonite/Callovo-Oxfordian (COx) claystone mixture has been proposed to backfill and seal the underground galleries for radioactive waste disposal in France. While emplacing these pre-compacted blocks, technological voids are created between the blocks and the host rock and among the blocks themselves. It is expected that homogenization process will take place over time for the structure constructed with pre-compacted blocks upon hydration. This study investigated the boundary friction effect on such a process. Results showed that after the filling of technological voids, the soil far from the technological voids would swell further, while those near the voids would be compressed under the welling pressure generated by the soil behind, resulting in an increase in homogeneity in terms of dry density distribution. However, this homogenization process would stop after a certain time. Further examination showed that the homogenization process ended when the maximum boundary friction force became equal to or higher than the vector sum of swelling forces in the radial direction. Based on the force equilibrium and the mass conservation, the final dry density distribution was estimated. Comparison between the estimation and the measurement showed a good agreement, indicating the relevance of the identified mechanism related to boundary friction.

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Abbreviations

a 1, b 1, a 2, b 2 :

Fitting parameters for swelling pressures

a 3, b 3 :

Parameters reflecting dry density distribution

ρ d :

Dry density

ρ d-overall :

Overall dry density

T :

Thickness of samples

R :

Thickness of samples

r :

Radius of element

\(\theta\) :

Angle of element

dr, d \(\theta\) :

Radius and angle increments

P a :

Axial swelling pressure

P r :

Swelling pressure in the r direction

\(P_{\theta }\) :

Swelling pressure in the \(\theta\) direction

S f :

Friction stress

\(S_{\text{f}}^{l}\) :

Limiting friction stress

F s :

Vector sum of swelling forces in the radius direction

F f :

Friction force of two sides

ϕ :

Friction angle

c :

Cohesion

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to Ecole des Ponts ParisTech, the China Scholarship Council (CSC) (Grant No. 201708440292) and the French National Agency for Nuclear Waste Management (ANDRA) for their financial supports.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire Navier/CERMES, Ecole des Ponts ParisTech, 6 et 8 avenue Blaise Pascal, Cité Descartes, Champs-sur-Marne, 77455, Marne La Vallée Cedex 2, France

    Zhixiong Zeng & Yu-Jun Cui

  2. Andra, Centre de Meuse/Haute-Marne, RD 960, 55290, Bure, France

    Nathalie Conil

  3. Andra, 1/7, rue Jean Monnet, 92298, Châtenay-Malabry Cedex, France

    Jean Talandier

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  1. Zhixiong Zeng
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  2. Yu-Jun Cui
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  4. Jean Talandier
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Correspondence to Zhixiong Zeng.

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Zeng, Z., Cui, YJ., Conil, N. et al. Analysis of boundary friction effect on the homogenization process of compacted bentonite/claystone mixture with technological voids upon hydration. Acta Geotech. 16, 525–533 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11440-020-01048-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11440-020-01048-x

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