COMPACTION AND HYDRAULIC PROPERTIES OF GRANULAR BENTONITES AND ITS SIMPLIFIED EVALUATION METHOD

Abstract

Bentonite has been examined recently in some countries as candidates for buffer materials in highlevel radioactive waste repositories. Granular bentonites are anticipated as the raw materials for constructing bentonite-based buffer materials by in-situ compaction methods. For that reason, it is important to understand the influence of grain size distribution and physicochemical properties of bentonite ore on compaction and hydraulic properties of granular bentonites. In this study, compaction and hydraulic conductivity tests of some kinds of granular bentonite with different sources and grain size range were performed. As a conclusion, compaction and hydraulic properties of granular bentonites can be evaluated by plastic limit and montmorillonite content of bentonite ore used as raw materials.