Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-lj6df Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-09T13:36:52.369Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Moisture Movement in a Clay based Buffer Material under Isothermal Conditions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 February 2011

A.M.O. Mohamed
Affiliation:
Geotechnical Research Canter, McGill University817 Sherbrooke St. West, Montreal, Canada H3A 2K6
I. Shooshpasha
Affiliation:
Geotechnical Research Canter, McGill University817 Sherbrooke St. West, Montreal, Canada H3A 2K6
R.N. Yong
Affiliation:
Geotechnical Research Canter, McGill University817 Sherbrooke St. West, Montreal, Canada H3A 2K6
C. Onofrei
Affiliation:
AECL Research, Whiteshell Laboratories, Pinawa, Manitoba, Canada ROE 1L0
Get access

Abstract

Several series of one dimensional tests were performed to examine the moisture and soil water potential distributions in the buffer material compacted to a dry density of 1.67 Mg/m3 and volumetric water content of 0.28. Diffusivity parameters were calculated using the measured moisture profiles combined with the finite difference method. Powell’s optimization was used to determine the material parameters.

It is experimentally demonstrated that the moisture distribution is highly dependent on the test boundary conditions. When volume change was allowed to take place during infiltration process, the buffer material adsorbs more water than in the case of no volume change. This is attributed to an increase in hydraulic conductivity by one order of magnitude. As the volumetric water content increases soil water diffusivity increases and soil water potential decreases.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1994

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1 Boulton, J.. Atomic Energy of Canada Limited Technical Report AECL-6314, 1978.Google Scholar
2 Bird, G.W.. Atomic Energy of Canada Limited Technical Report TR-72, 1979.Google Scholar
3 Pusch, R.. Nuclear Technology, 45: pp. 153157, 1979.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
4 Allard, B., Kipatsi, H., and Rydbert, J.. Kaernbraenslesaekerhet, KBS Technical Report 55, 1977.Google Scholar
5 Pusch, R.. Kaernbraeslesaekerhet, KBS Technique Report 16, 1980.Google Scholar
6 Gray, M.N.. Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, Communication FW TB-84-16, 1984.Google Scholar
7 Dixon, D.A., and Gray, M. N.. Proceeding, 17’th Information Meeting of Nuclear Fuel Waste Management Program, Toronto, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, Technical report TR-350, Vol. 3, pp. 513–530, 1985.Google Scholar
8 Graham, J., Saadat, F. and Wan, A. W. L.. Department of Civil Engineering, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg Man. Report, 1986.Google Scholar
9 Yong, R. N., Boonsinsuk, P., and Wong, G.. Canadian Geotechnical Journal, Vol. 23: pp. 216228, 1986.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
10 Mohamed, A.M.O., Yong, R.N. and Cheung, S.C.H.. ASTM, Geotech. Testing J., GT JODJ, Vol. 15, No. 4, pp. 330339, 1992.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
11 Yong, R.N. and Warkentin, B.. Elsevier Scientific-Publishing Company Amesterdam, Oxford, New York, pp. 141195, 1975.Google Scholar
12 Yong, R.N. and Mohamed, A.M.O.. Can. Geotech. J. Vol. 29, NO. 6, pp. 10601070, 1992.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
13 Yong, R.N., Mohamed, A.M.O., and Warkentin, B.P.. Elsevier Scientific-Publishing Company Amesterdam, Oxford, New York, 327 p. 1992.Google Scholar
14 Powell, M.J.D.. Computer Journal Vol. 7, pp. 155162, 1964.CrossRefGoogle Scholar