Publications Details
Supporting hydration calculations for small- to large-scale seal tests in unsaturated tuff
The design of cementitious repository seals requires an understanding of cement hydration effects in developing a tight interface zone between the rock and the seal. For this paper, a computer code, SHAFT.SEAL, is used to model early-age cement hydration effects and performs thermal and thermomechanical analysis of cementitious seals. The model is described, and then used to analyze for the effects of seal size, rock temperature and placement temperature. The model results assist in selecting the instrumentation necessary for progressive evaluation of seal components and seal-system tests. Also, the results identify strategies for seal emplacement for a series of repository seal tests for the Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Project (YMP).