Bentonite as an engineered barrier material for nuclear waste repository - Geotechnical perspectives, key properties, knowledge gaps, and opportunities
The deep geological repository is a widely recognized solution for isolating high-level radioactive waste (HLW). Bentonite, with its low hydraulic permeability, high swelling property, and strong sorption capacity, serves as a key engineered barrier material to prevent radioactive leakage. While ext...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-10-01
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| Series: | Nuclear Engineering and Technology |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1738573325002682 |
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| author | Dong-Hwa Noh Seunghee Kim Jose Maria Ferdinand Victoria Calaunan Yuan Feng Jongwan Eun Yong-Rak Kim |
| author_facet | Dong-Hwa Noh Seunghee Kim Jose Maria Ferdinand Victoria Calaunan Yuan Feng Jongwan Eun Yong-Rak Kim |
| author_sort | Dong-Hwa Noh |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The deep geological repository is a widely recognized solution for isolating high-level radioactive waste (HLW). Bentonite, with its low hydraulic permeability, high swelling property, and strong sorption capacity, serves as a key engineered barrier material to prevent radioactive leakage. While extensive studies have examined its thermo-hydro-mechanical (THM) properties, some aspects still remain unclear, requiring further research to secure the long-term stability of bentonite. This paper presents a comprehensive review of bentonite's role in deep geological repositories from a geotechnical perspective. It first review the basics of montmorillonite, the primary mineral of bentonite, and its unique pore structure. Next, it examines past and ongoing nuclear waste disposal projects worldwide, highlighting key findings. Furthermore, the essential engineering properties of compacted bentonite blocks, including thermal and hydraulic conductivity, swelling pressure, water retention capacity, and mineral transformation, are reviewed. Lastly, this paper discusses the challenges, opportunities, and future research needs for optimizing bentonite's performance as a barrier material in geological disposal systems. By consolidating past research and identifying knowledge gaps, this review aims to provide insights into improving the long-term efficiency and stability of bentonite-based barrier systems for HLW containment. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e9cc2fa5ac1442268a2b0a6b0df15abf |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1738-5733 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-10-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nuclear Engineering and Technology |
| spelling | doaj-art-e9cc2fa5ac1442268a2b0a6b0df15abf2025-08-20T03:50:48ZengElsevierNuclear Engineering and Technology1738-57332025-10-01571010370010.1016/j.net.2025.103700Bentonite as an engineered barrier material for nuclear waste repository - Geotechnical perspectives, key properties, knowledge gaps, and opportunitiesDong-Hwa Noh0Seunghee Kim1Jose Maria Ferdinand Victoria Calaunan2Yuan Feng3Jongwan Eun4Yong-Rak Kim5Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Nebraska, USADepartment of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nebraska Center for Materials and Nanoscience, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Corresponding author.School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia, USADepartment of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Maryland, Maryland, USADepartment of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Maryland, Maryland, USAZachry Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Texas A&M University, Texas, USAThe deep geological repository is a widely recognized solution for isolating high-level radioactive waste (HLW). Bentonite, with its low hydraulic permeability, high swelling property, and strong sorption capacity, serves as a key engineered barrier material to prevent radioactive leakage. While extensive studies have examined its thermo-hydro-mechanical (THM) properties, some aspects still remain unclear, requiring further research to secure the long-term stability of bentonite. This paper presents a comprehensive review of bentonite's role in deep geological repositories from a geotechnical perspective. It first review the basics of montmorillonite, the primary mineral of bentonite, and its unique pore structure. Next, it examines past and ongoing nuclear waste disposal projects worldwide, highlighting key findings. Furthermore, the essential engineering properties of compacted bentonite blocks, including thermal and hydraulic conductivity, swelling pressure, water retention capacity, and mineral transformation, are reviewed. Lastly, this paper discusses the challenges, opportunities, and future research needs for optimizing bentonite's performance as a barrier material in geological disposal systems. By consolidating past research and identifying knowledge gaps, this review aims to provide insights into improving the long-term efficiency and stability of bentonite-based barrier systems for HLW containment.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1738573325002682Geologic nuclear repositoryEngineered barrier systemCompacted bentonite blockSwelling pressureHydraulic conductivityThermal conductivity |
| spellingShingle | Dong-Hwa Noh Seunghee Kim Jose Maria Ferdinand Victoria Calaunan Yuan Feng Jongwan Eun Yong-Rak Kim Bentonite as an engineered barrier material for nuclear waste repository - Geotechnical perspectives, key properties, knowledge gaps, and opportunities Nuclear Engineering and Technology Geologic nuclear repository Engineered barrier system Compacted bentonite block Swelling pressure Hydraulic conductivity Thermal conductivity |
| title | Bentonite as an engineered barrier material for nuclear waste repository - Geotechnical perspectives, key properties, knowledge gaps, and opportunities |
| title_full | Bentonite as an engineered barrier material for nuclear waste repository - Geotechnical perspectives, key properties, knowledge gaps, and opportunities |
| title_fullStr | Bentonite as an engineered barrier material for nuclear waste repository - Geotechnical perspectives, key properties, knowledge gaps, and opportunities |
| title_full_unstemmed | Bentonite as an engineered barrier material for nuclear waste repository - Geotechnical perspectives, key properties, knowledge gaps, and opportunities |
| title_short | Bentonite as an engineered barrier material for nuclear waste repository - Geotechnical perspectives, key properties, knowledge gaps, and opportunities |
| title_sort | bentonite as an engineered barrier material for nuclear waste repository geotechnical perspectives key properties knowledge gaps and opportunities |
| topic | Geologic nuclear repository Engineered barrier system Compacted bentonite block Swelling pressure Hydraulic conductivity Thermal conductivity |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1738573325002682 |
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