KEY GEOTECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF CLAY MATERIALS FOR ENGINEERED SAFETY BARRIERS OF THE DEEP GEOLOGICAL RW DISPOSAL FACILITY AT THE YENISEISKIY SITE

This article considers the properties and the performance indicators of clay materials crucial for the geotechnical characteristics of clay-based safety barriers in radioactive waste (RW) disposal facilities. The study comparesм these parameters under standard experimental conditions demonstrating the advantages of bentonite clays and considerable deterioration in the insulating properties of clay materials observed along with a decline in smectite content and higher concentrations of other components, including kaolinite. Kaolin clays showed the worst isolating properties and cannot be recommended as a barrier material for RW disposal as their addition to bentonite clays leads to regular deterioration of its properties.

Keywords: radioactive waste, radioactive waste disposal, bentonite, kaolin, barrier mixtures, decommissioning, engineered safety barriers, deep RW disposal facilities.

Voznesensky Е. A., Karpenko F. S., Krupskaya V. V., Zakusin S. V. Key geotechnical characteristics of clay materials for engineered safety barriers of the deep geological RW disposal facility at the Yeniseiskiy site. Radioactive Waste, 2024, no. 3 (28), pp. 43—58. DOI: 10.25283/2587-9707-2024-3-43-58. (In Russian).