6.19 Environmental geo-mechanics (Geo-environment)

A centrifugal test of radioactive waste transport in soils was performed at University of Manchester (Villar, Merrifield.1994). The objective of the test was to investigate the behavior of radioactive waste in soils following groundwater seepage. The test rig is shown in Photo 1. Schematic illustration of model container is shown in Fig. 1. A controlled and monitored vertical one-dimensional flow regime was established through the model soil bed under a constant hydraulic gradient. The radioactive tracers were released into the model as a slug. The evolution of the radioactive plume in the soil was monitored by an array of 12 miniature Geiger tubes. Some of test results are shown in Fig. 2.

Photo 1 Test rig

 

Fig. 1 Schematic illustration of the model

 

Fig. 2 Results of the test

 

Reference

Villar, H.P., Merrifield, C. M. and Craig, W.H. (1994) : Experimental aspects of modelling of migration phenomena, Proc. of CENTRIFUGE 94, pp. 363-368.

Villar, H.P. and Merrifield, C. M. (1994) : Studies on groundwater transport of radioactive waste , Proc. of CENTRIFUGE 94, pp. 369-374.