ABSTRACT

There are several processes initiated in engineered clay buffers and barriers used for containment of high-level radioactive waste (HLW), hazardous solid waste (HSW) and municipal solid waste (MSW). These processes are brought about because of (a) site specificities, such as containment constraints and exposure to groundwater in the case of deep geological repositories; (b) design requirements and functions, such as chemical and physical buffering requirements; and (c) nature and properties of wastepile and HLW canister. The processes that are initiated in the clays are due to forces, reactions, activities, and THMCB phenomena [i.e. thermal (T), hydraulic (H), mechanical (M), chemical (C), and biological (B)].