Simulations of THM processes in buffer-rock barriers of high-level waste disposal in an argillaceous formation

The main objective of this paper is to investigate and analyse the thermo-hydro-mechanical (THM) coupling phenomena and their influences on the repository safety. In this paper, the high-level waste (HLW) disposal concept in drifts in clay formation with backfilled bentonite buffer is represented numerically using the CODE_BRIGHT developed by the Technical University of Catalonia in Barcelona. The parameters of clay and bentonite used in the simulation are determined by laboratory and in situ experiments. The calculation results are presented to show the hydro-mechanical (HM) processes during the operation phase and the THM processes in the after-closure phase. According to the simulation results, the most probable critical processes for the disposal project have been represented and analyzed. The work also provides an input for additional development regarding the design, assessment and validation of the HLW disposal concept.     

酸性硫酸盐土壤上几种磷矿粉对水稻生长的影响

在酸性硫酸盐土壤未垦和已垦地上进行的磷矿粉田间试验结果表明，未垦地上直接施用磷矿粉对水稻有显著的增产作用，主要表现在促进水稻株高、分蘖数、穗数的增加上．但在已垦地上磷矿粉对水稻的增产作用不甚明显．施肥后对相关的土壤肥力状况变化也进行了报道．     

Computational modelling of unsaturated flow of liquid in heap leaching—using the results of column tests to calibrate the model

Unsaturated flow of liquid in a bed of uniform and spherical ore particles is studied numerically and experimentally. An unsteady and two-dimensional model is developed based on the mass conservation equations of liquid phase in the bed and in the particles. The model equations are solved using a fully implicit finite difference method giving the distribution of the degree of saturation in the particles and in the bed and the vertical velocity of flow in the bed, as well as, the effect of periodic infiltration on the above distributions. To calibrate the computational model, several column tests are performed using periodic infiltration of water on 40 cm high columns composed of ore having particles smaller than 25 mm. The numerical analysis shows that (a) the results obtained from numerical modelling under the same operating conditions as used for column tests, are in good agreement with those from experimental procedure, (b) the degree of saturation of the bed and the time required to reach steady state conditions depend on the inflow of water and intrinsic permeability of the bed and (c) the velocity fluctuations and the fluctuations of the degree of saturation in the bed depend on the inflow of water, period of infiltration, height and intrinsic permeability of the bed.     

Unsaturated Soil Seepage Analysis Using a Rational Transformation Method with Under-Relaxation

The finite-element method provides a convenient and effective means for solving problems of seepage in unsaturated soils. However, convergence difficulties exist in numerical simulations of unsaturated flow analyses because of the high nonlinearity of the soil hydraulic properties. This technical note presents a combination approach consisting of a rational function transformation method and a common under-relaxation technique to solve the h-based form of Richards equation. Numerical studies show that this combined method can use a larger time step and corresponding oscillation-free mesh size to produce acceptable results and also converge to a stable solution quickly in each time step.     

南水北调中线工程膨胀土渠坡柔性衬砌技术探讨

膨胀土是一个世界范围内的问题，其危害性大，工程建设中应采取有效的工程措施对其进行处理。结合南水北调中线工程输水干渠膨胀土的工程特性深入论证了进行渠坡柔性衬砌的必要性，并提出了系统的设计思路。重点论证膨润土防水毯作为防渗垫层的技术可行性和优越性。对于衬砌面层，重点探讨了混凝土模袋，特别是新型带种植孔混凝土模袋的技术可行性以及使用方法。     

Influence of domestic sewage leakage on the collapse of tropical soils

In the studied region, 35% of the soil collapses are related to leakage from sewage ducts. The paper describes the soils from this part of Brazil and a series of laboratory tests undertaken using water and domestic sewage fluid as the wetting agents. It is considered that the presence of soaps and detergents as recorded by the sodium concentration facilitates the densification of the soils and hence has a major effect on the surface settlement/collapse.      

Upper Cretaceous–Cenozoic clay minerals of the Baikal region (eastern Siberia)

The Baikal region is located in a single climate zone and includes the Baikal foredeep on the eastern margin of the Siberian craton and the Baikal rift evolving at the western boundary of the Baikal orogenic area. Late Cretaceous–Cenozoic deposition in the two dissimilar tectonic units occurred in different environments, which is recorded in the architecture of sedimentary sequences and in the stratigraphic distribution of clay mineralogy.Clay minerals are mostly derived from weathered rocks of different ages. The geological ages of the source weathering mantles and their regular changes in different tectonic and climatic conditions can be inferred from the stratigraphic position in the Upper Cretaceous–Cenozoic sedimentary sequences that fill the Baikal foredeep. These inferences agree with data on fossil soils, flora, and fauna. Clay minerals show genetic relationships with stages of postdepositional alteration and processes of soil formation and hydrothermalism.In general, the Cenozoic history of erosion, deposition, and postdepositional changes of rocks in the Baikal region has been controlled by the interplay of climate and tectonic factors.     

Synthesis and characterization of a novel unsaturated polyester based on poly(trimethylene terephthalate)

Unsaturated aromatic polyesters were obtained by glycolysis of poly(trimethylene terephthalate) with cis-2-buten-1,4-diol followed by a solid-state polymerization. The glycolysis was performed in a batch mode as well as through a continuous process in a twin screw extruder. The degradation and subsequent rebuilding of the polymer chain during the course of reaction was followed by means of inherent and melt viscosity measurements, and ¹H NMR terminal group analysis of the intermediates and the final products. Structural investigations revealed that this new approach resulted in melt processible unsaturated polyesters with cross-linkable sites having similar characteristics to that of the virgin saturated polyester. Although the processing temperature for the different reaction steps was sufficiently high (180−260 °C), no thermally induced cross-linking of the incorporated unsaturated bonds could be evidenced indicating that the obtained products remained stable during the production stage. For comparison purposes, a commercial unsaturated polyester (Vestodur^©) was included in the investigations. UV irradiation of thin polyester films did not result in cross-linked products but in cis-trans isomerization of the incorporated bisoxybutenyl unit.     

Phase transformations during the cure of unsaturated polyester resins

The phase transformations occurring during the cure of an unsaturated polyester resin have been investigated by different techniques, including high frequency dynamic–mechanical analysis by ultrasonic wave propagation. The increase of longitudinal sound velocity can be attributed to the increase of longitudinal modulus L′ while irreversible viscous losses are responsible for the increase of sound attenuation. A correspondence between the changes in the velocity and attenuation and the phase transformations (gelation and vitrification) can be observed. The ultrasonic properties have been compared with the gel time values obtained from parallel-plate rheological measurements. Finally, a DSC analysis has been carried out to compare the evolution of degree of reaction with that of the ultrasonic modulus.     

Assessment of plant-available phosphate in limed,acid soils using several soil-testing procedures

A range of soil-testing procedures was used in a factorial glasshouse study to assess the plant-available phosphate (P) status of soils which had been treated with lime and added P. A close 1:1 relationship (r = 0.90^***) was obtained between plant P uptake and resin-extractable soil P. In contrast, Olsen-, Colwell-, Bray (I) and (II)-, and Mehlich-extractable P were only weakly correlated with P uptake. Inclusion of 4 different indices of P-buffer capacity did not improve the relationship between plant P uptake, and extractable P. The difficulty in relating plant P uptake data to extractable-soil P levels is attributed to the problems associated with extracting P from limed soils. There was no useful relationship between plant P uptake and isotopically-exchangeable P in the soils.