• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.400-414
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• 2021

Under high-level radioactive waste repository conditions, bentonite as an engineered barrier material undergoes thermal, hydrological, mechanical, and chemical processes. We report the applications of X-ray Computed Tomography (CT) imaging technique on the characterization and analysis of bentonite over the past decade to provide a reference of the utilization of this technique and the recent research trends. This overview of the X-ray CT technique applications includes the characterization of the bentonite either in pellets or powder form. X-ray imaging has provided a means to extract grain information at the microscale and identify crack networks responsible for the pellets' heterogeneity. Regarding samples of pellets-powder mixtures under hydration, X-ray CT allowed the identification and monitoring of heterogeneous zones throughout the test. Some results showed how zones with pellets only swell faster compared to others composed of pellets and powder. Moreover, the behavior of fissures between grains and bentonite matrix was observed to change under drying and hydrating conditions, tending to close during the former and open during the latter. The development of specializing software has allowed obtaining strain fields from a sequence of images. In more recent works, X-ray CT technique has served to estimate the dry density, water content, and particle displacement at different testing times. Also, when temperature was added to the hydration process of a sample, CT technology offered a way to observe localized and global density changes over time.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.446-461
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• 2020

Numerical simulations of CIEMAT column test in Spain are performed to investigate the coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical (THM) behavior of MX80 bentonite pellets using TOUGH2-FLAC3D. The heater power and injection pressure of water in the numerical simulations are identical to those in the laboratory test. To investigate the applicability of the thermo-hydraulic (TH) model used in TOUGH2 code to prediction of the coupled TH behavior, the simulation results are compared with the observations of temperature and relative humidity with time. The tendencies of the coupled behavior observed in the test are well represented by the numerical models and the simulator in terms of temperature and relative humidity evolutions. Moreover, the performance of the models for the reproduction and prediction of the coupled TH behavior is globally satisfactory compared with the observations. However, the calculated stress change is relatively small and slow due to the limitations of the simple elastic and swelling pressure model used in numerical simulations. It seems that the two models are insufficient to realistically reproduce the complex coupled THM behavior in the bentonite pellets.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.535-541
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• 1996

A seed pelleting technique was developed for easy handling of small tobacco seeds (variety, NC82) and for direct seeding in temperary planting bed or in field. The mixture of pelleting material, binder and seeds were moulded in cylindrical holes sized 2 mm diameter and 2 mm height in a plastic plate. Bentonite and cellulose powder were good materials to make pellets with CMC as binder, and bentonite formed the hardest pelleted seeds among the materials. The number of the pelleted seeds made with the same weight of the materials was different with materials used and the number of seeds contained in a pelleted seed could be controlled by mixture ratio of materials and seeds. The seedless pellets ranged 6.9 to 16.0% at the ratio of pelleting material and seed for 2~3 seeds in a pellet. The moisture absorption rate at 100% RH and $25^{\circ}C$ was greater in the order of clay < bentonite < cellulose. Germination rates of pelleted seeds with bentonite and cellulose were similar to that of usual seed, but it was significantly lower with clay pelleted seeds.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.678-684
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• 1996

Seed pelleting have successfully been used in many crops for better crop estab-lishment and for mechanizing seeding process for small crop seeds in developed countries. In this experiment various pelleting materials and binders were tested to get basic information on the shape, hardness and germination of pelleted seesds of cabbage (cv. Seoul Beachoo) and rice (cv: Ilpoom). PLL-11, paper clay, lime and coal ash were good materials to make smooth shape of the pellets with pel gel and AG-11 as binders, and PLL-ll as material and pelgel and AG-11 as binders were the best among them in consideration of shape and hardness together. The hardness of the pelleted seeds were differed with each other depending on both of the pelleting materials and binders. Pelleted cabbage seeds coated by pelgel as binder with different materials showed lower germination percentge than control in general, but the seeds pelleted by PLL-11 with different binders showed no restraint effects. When the cabbage seed pelleted by PLL-11 with pelgel as binder showed almost same germination percentage as control. The pH and electrical conductivity of the extract from bentonite and zeolite were very higher than other materials tested and germination percentage showed a little lower than control when the cab-bage seed planted on the filter paper damped with the extract. As a result, PLL-11 as pelleting material and pel gel and AG-11 as binder appeared the good materials to make pellets of cabbage seeds and rice in consideration of shape, hardness and germination.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.104-126
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• 2024

Buffer and backfill play an essential role in isolating high-level radioactive waste and retard the migration of leaked radionuclides in deep geological disposal system. A bentonite mixture, which exhibits a swelling property, is considered for buffer and backfill materials, and excessive groundwater inflow from surrounding rock mass may affect stability and efficiency of their role as an engineered barrier. Therefore, stringent quality control as well as in-situ installation management and inflow water constrol for buffer and backfill are required to ensure the safety of deep disposal facilities. In this study, we analyzed the design requirements of buffer and backfill by examining various laboratory tests and a field study of the Steel Tunnel Test at the Äspö Hard Rock Laboratory in Sweden. We introduced how to control the quality of buffer and backfill construction in-field, and also presented how to handle excessive groundwater inflow into disposal caverns, validating the groundwater retention capacity of bentonite pellets and the effectiveness of geotexile use.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.36-44
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• 1998

To develope cost-effective new granular formulation of mixture with 7.0% chlomethoxyfen and 3.5% butachlor, this study was conducted by investigation of floatability, dispersibility or collapsability and released concentration of active ingredients in water and bio-efficacies of the granules formulated by different formulation methods compared to commercial pellet-extruded granules. They were formulated by coating on or impregnation into extruded pellets, sands and zeolites with two active ingredients, binders, friction reducer, dispersing agents and bentonite. Pellet-coated method showed similar floatability, collapsability and bio-efficacy to the commercial pellet-extruded one or better than that but unstable patterns of released concentration of chlomethoxyfen because of easy isolation of coated technical particles from the surface of granules. Sand-coated methods showed similar physical properties, released pattern of two active ingredients, and bio-efficacy to the commercial one. Liquid binders and/or dispersing agents are more important than powdered ones to control released concentration of active ingredients from the granule mixtures, to improve the floatability and dispersibility, and to show good bio-efficacy. Sand-coated one might be a suitable method if types and amount of liquid binders and dispersing agents are selected.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.405-417
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• 2014

In a high-level waste repository, the gap fill of the engineered barrier is an important component that influences the performance of the buffer and backfill. This paper reviewed the overseas status of R&D on the gap fill used engineered barriers, through which the concept of the gap fill, manufacturing techniques, pellet-molding characteristics, and emplacement techniques were summarized. The concept of a gap fill differs for each country depending on its disposal type and concept. Bentonite has been considered a major material of a gap fill, and clay as an inert filler. Gap fill was used in the form of pellets, granules, or a pellet-granule blend. Pellets are manufactured through one of the following techniques: static compaction, roller compression, or extrusion-cutting. Among these techniques, countries have focused on developing advanced technologies of roller compression and extrusion-cutting techniques for industrial pellet production. The dry density and integrity of the pellet are sensitive to water content, constituent material, manufacturing technique, and pellet size, and are less sensitive to the pressure applied during the manufacturing. For the emplacement of the gap fill, pouring, pouring and tamping, and pouring with vibration techniques were used in the buffer gap of the vertical deposition hole; blowing through the use of shotcrete technology and auger placement and compaction techniques have been used in the gap of horizontal deposition hole and tunnel. However, these emplacement techniques are still technically at the beginning stage, and thus additional research and development are expected to be needed.