An Analytical model on the sealing performance of space for the design of buffer material and backfill material

Sato, Haruo

The self-sealing function of the clearances between buffer material and overpack and tunnel wall or disposal pit wall and between backfill material and tunnel wall is expected for bentonite which will be used as buffer material and part of the backfill material. The sealing properties of Na-bentonite have been studied for distilled water and saline water conditions, for example, it is reported that Na-bentonite seals clearance even under saline water conditions in a range of effective bentonite densities, higher than 1.3 kg/dm, for a bentonite dry density of 1.8 kg/dm and a clearance ratio of 10 % in experiments for Kunigel-V1. Although such information is useful for judging whether clearance is sealed, the filling properties of bentonite strongly depend on groundwater condition, silica sand content, montmorillonite content in the bentonite and the bentonite dry density, even though at the same effective bentonite density. In the present study, the author constructed an analytical model on the clearance filling performance for the design of buffer material and backfill material, based on the swelling properties of Na-montmorillonite which is the clay mineral constitute of Na-bentonite.