@phdthesis{Samingan2005, author = {Samingan, Agus Setianto}, title = {An Experimental Study on Hydro-Mechanical Characteristics of Compacted Bentonite-Sand Mixtures}, doi = {10.25643/bauhaus-universitaet.646}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:gbv:wim2-20051007-7082}, school = {Bauhaus-Universit{\"a}t Weimar}, year = {2005}, abstract = {Nuclear and hazardous waste disposal issues have become universal issues and problems related to the final disposal of these waste including finding a suitable site, natural and engineered barriers used, construction of the repository, long-term performance assessment have gained increasing attention all over the world. High-level radioactive and hazardous waste are required to be buried in deep geological repositories. In Germany, the ongoing researches have assessed the suitability of salt-stone formation in the country as a host rock candidate for its nuclear waste repository. Bentonite-based materials have been proposed to be used as sealing and buffer elements for the nuclear waste repository. Several hydro-mechanical processes will take place in the field and influence behaviour of the sealing and buffer elements of the repository. In this dissertation, a study on the hydro-mechanical characterisation of bentonite-sand mixtures is presented. Mixtures of a calcium-type bentonite, named Calcigel, and quartz sand were used in the investigation. Series of experiments including basic and physico-chemical characterisation, microstructure and fabric studies, suction and swelling pressure measurements, wetting and drying test, one-dimensional compression-rebound test, one-dimensional cyclic wetting-drying test under constant vertical stress, and saturated permeability test were conducted. The experimental data obtained are analysed and several characteristics of the material are brought out in this dissertation. Conclusions regarding basic behaviour of the materials are drawn based on the results of microstructure and fabric studies. Factors influencing the magnitude of suction and swelling pressure of the materials are outlined and discussed. The suction-induced compression and rebound characteristics of the material are described. The wetting and drying behaviour as influenced by the material boundary conditions are discussed. Permeability characteristics of the materials are examined based on several available permeability models. Several mechanical and hydraulic parameters that can be used in modelling using some available constitutive modelling approaches are derived based on the experimental data. At the end, conclusions regarding the hydro-mechanical characteristics of the materials are drawn and suggestions for future studies are made.}, subject = {hydro-mechanics}, language = {en} }