Effect of sodium occupancy and solute concentration on the swelling pressure and hydraulic conductivity of Boom Clay

Boom Clay; concentration; diffuse double layer; hydrated cation radius; occupancy; swelling behaviour; Boom clays; Cation radii; Concentration; Diffuse double layers; Hydrated cation radius; Hydrated cations; Occupancy; Solute concentrations; Swelling behavior; Swelling pressures; Civil and Structural Engineering

Abstract :

[en] The poorly indurated Boom Clay (BC) has been studied as a potential host formation for the geological disposal of radioactive waste including the intermediate-level long-lived bituminized radioactive waste called Eurobitum. In case of leaching of Eurobitum, fluids with altered chemical compositions would be expected to infiltrate locally into the BC. To evaluate the effect of salinity on the BC hydromechanical behaviour, a series of one-dimensional constant-volume swelling tests were conducted on intact BC samples that were first percolated with mixed sodium-calcium-nitrate solutions ((Na, Ca)NO3) with varying sodium concentrations, resulting in varying Na+ occupancies in the clay. Results showed that the swelling pressure of BC decreased with an increase in the solute concentration and sodium occupancy. Additionally, higher Na+ concentrations led to a faster stabilization of the swelling pressure. The hydraulic conductivity of BC increased with increasing solute concentration and sodium occupancy. Moreover, the sodium occupancy and concentration affected the swelling pressure and hydraulic conductivity in a similar way. This phenomenon could be elucidated by two primary mechanisms: (i) the influence of solute concentration on the diffuse double layer, and (ii) the effect of cation type and hydrated radius within the interbasal space of montmorillonite sheets, especially concerning sodium occupancy.

Precision for document type :

Review article

Disciplines :

Civil engineering

Author, co-author :

Al Mais, Hassan ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département ArGEnCo > Géotechnique ; ENPC - École des Ponts ParisTech ; SCK CEN - Belgian Nuclear Research Centre

Collin, Frédéric ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département ArGEnCo

Critical editor :

CUI, Yujun; ENPC - École des Ponts ParisTech

Xiang-Ling, Li; SCK CEN - Belgian Nuclear Research Centre

Other collaborator :

Seetharam, Suresh; SCK CEN - Belgian Nuclear Research Centre

Valcke, Elie; SCK CEN - Belgian Nuclear Research Centre

Wang, Lian; SCK CEN - Belgian Nuclear Research Centre

Georgieva, Temenuga; EURIDICE

Language :

English

Title :

Effect of sodium occupancy and solute concentration on the swelling pressure and hydraulic conductivity of Boom Clay

Publication date :

22 December 2024

Journal title :

Canadian Geotechnical Journal

ISSN :

0008-3674

eISSN :

1208-6010

Publisher :

Canadian Science Publishing

Volume :

Pages :

1-17

Peer reviewed :

Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi

Additional URL :

https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/full-xml/10.1139/cgj-2024-0393

Available on ORBi :

since 13 June 2025

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