Abstract
Studies were conducted to select the candidate buffer material for a high-level waste (HLW) repository in Korea. This paper presents the hydraulic properties, the swelling properties, the thermal properties, and the mechanical properties as well as the radionuclide release-retarding capacity of Kyungju bentonite as part of those studies. Experimental results showed that the hydraulic conductivities of the compacted bentonite were very low and less than $10^{-11}$m/s. The values decreased with increasing the dry density of the compacted bentonite. The swelling pressures were in the range of 0.66 MPa to 14.4 ㎫ and they increased with increasing the dry density. The thermal conductivities were in the range of 0.80 ㎉/m $h^{\circ}C$ to 1.52 ㎉/m $h^{\circ}C$. The unconfined compressive strength, Young's modulus and Poison's ratio showed the range of 0.55 ㎫ to 8.83 ㎫, 59 ㎫ to 1275 ㎫, and 0.05 to 0.20, respectively, when the dry densities of the compacted bentonite were 1.4 Ms/㎥ to 1.8 Mg/㎥. The diffusion coefficients in the compacted bentonite were measured under an oxidizing condition. The values were $1.7{\times}10^{-10}$m^2$/s to 3.4{\times}10^{-10}$m^2$/s for electrically neutral tritium (H-3), 8.6{\times}10^{-14}$m^2$/s to 1.3{\times}10^{-12}$m^2$/s for cations (Cs, Sr, Ni), 1.2{\times}10^{-11}$m^2$/s to 9.5{\times}10^{-11}$m^2$/s for anions (I, Tc), and 3.0{\times}10^{-14} $m^2$/s to 1.8{\times}10^{-13}$m^2$/s $for actinides (U, Am), when tile dry densities were in the range of 1.2 Mg/㎥ to 1.8 Mg/㎥. The obtained results will be used in assessing the barrier properties of Kyungju bentonite as a buffer material of a repository in Korea.n Korea.
고준위방사성폐기물 처분장의 완충재 후보물질 선정을 위해 경주 벤토나이트를 대상으로 수리특성, 팽윤특성, 열적특성, 역학특성 및 핵종유출 저지특성을 조사하였다. 실험결과, 압축 벤토나이트의 수리전도도는 $10^{-11}$ m/s 이하로 매우 낮았으며 건조밀도가 증가할수록 감소하였다. 팽윤압은 0.66 ㎫∼14.4 ㎫ 사이의 값을 보였으며 건조밀도에 따라 증가하였다. 건조밀도가 1.4 Ms/㎥ ∼ 1.8 Mg/㎥1.4 일때, 열전도도, 열축압축강도 (unconfined compressive strength), 탄성계수 (Young's modulus of elasticity), Poisson 비는 각각 0.80 ㎉/m $h^{\circ}C$ ∼1.52 ㎉/m $h^{\circ}C$, 0.55 ㎫ ∼ 8.83 ㎫, 59 ㎫ ∼ 1275 ㎫, 0.05 ∼ 0.20의 값을 나타내었다. 압축벤토나이트에 대한 핵증 확산계수는 산화 환경에서 측정되었으며, 주어진 실험조건에서 삼중수소 (H-3)는 1.7${\times}$$10^{-10}$ $m^2$/s ∼ 3.4${\times}$$10^{-10}$ $m^2$/s. 양이온 핵종 (Cs, Sr , Ni)은 8.6${\times}$$10^{-14}$ $m^2$/s ∼ 1.3${\times}$$10^{-12}$ $m^2$/s, 음이온 핵종 (I, Tc)은 1.2${\times}$$10^{-11}$ $m^2$/s ∼ 9.5${\times}$$10^{-11}$ $m^2$/s, 악티나이드 핵종은 3.0${\times}$$10^{-14}$ $m^2$/s ∼ 1.8${\times}$$10^{-13}$ $m^2$/s 사이의 값을 나타내었다. 이때 확산계수는 모든 핵종에 대해 압축벤토나이트의 건조밀도가 증가할수록 감소하는 경향을 보였다.