Nuclear Engineering and Technology

Korean Nuclear Society (한국원자력학회)
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Strain-dependent-deformation property of Gyeongju compacted bentonite buffer material for engineered barrier system

  • Ivan Jeff Navea (Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Kongju National University) ;
  • Jebie Balagosa (Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Kongju National University) ;
  • Seok Yoon (Disposal Safety Evaluation Research and Development Division, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI)) ;
  • Yun Wook Choo (Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Crash & Quake Research Center, Kongju National University)
  • Received : 2023.07.19
  • Accepted : 2023.12.19
  • Published : 2024.05.25
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Abstract

This study aims to investigate the strain-dependent-deformation property of Gyeongju bentonite buffer material. A series of unconfined compressive tests were performed with cylindrical specimens prepared at varying dry densities (𝜌d = 1.58 g/cm3 to 1.74 g/cm3) using cold isostatic pressing technique. It is found that as 𝜌d increase, the unconfined compressive strength (qu), failure strain, and elastic modulus (E) of Gyeongju compacted bentonite (GCB) increases. Normalized elastic modulus (Esec/Emax) degradation curves of GCB specimens are fitted using Ramberg-Osgood model and the elastic threshold strain (𝜀e,th) is determined through the fitted curves. The strain-dependency of E and Poisson's ratio (v) of GCB were observed. E and v were measured constant below 𝜀e,th of 0.14 %. Then, E decreases while v increases after exceeding the strain threshold. The Esec/Emax degradation curves of GCB in this study suggests wider linear range and higher linearity than those of sedimentary clay in previous study. On top of that, the influence of 𝜌d is observed on Esec/Emax degradation curves of GCB, showing a slight increase in 𝜀e,th with increase in 𝜌d. Furthermore, an empirical model of qu with 𝜌d and a correlation model between qu and E are proposed for Gyeongju bentonite buffer materials.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korea government (MSIT) (No. 2021R1A2C2009985).

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