Numerical modelling of unsaturated bentonite subjected to different hydro-mechanical stress paths
Numerical modelling of unsaturated bentonite subjected to different hydro-mechanical stress paths
Bentonite-based materials such as MX-80 bentonite have been considered for their use as engineered barriers (EB) in deep radioactive waste geological repositories, mainly due to their low permeability, swelling pressure, and radionuclide retention properties. To ensure their integrity and to know their influence, different hydro-mechanical stress paths must be assessed. The European project BEACON (Bentonite Mechanical Evolution), addressed the behavior of MX-80 bentonite subjected to different conditions including these laboratory hydration tests carried out by EPFL (Lausanne, Switzerland). The experiments consist of the use of granular MX-80 bentonite in the as-poured state subjected to hydration, simulating the EB concept. For the fulfillment of the task, the constitutive response of the model is evaluated, decreasing the suction linearly to zero from its initial value simultaneously in the entire domain of analysis. A purely mechanical constitutive model calculation and noflow conditions are enforced to probe the predictive power of the proposed numerical model. The paper presents a comparison between these numerical simulations and the laboratory test data showing satisfactory results.
C. E. Rodriguez; Antonio Gens; R. Vasconcelos; Jean Vaunat
18th European Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ECSMGE2024)
A - New developments on structural design
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