No / Municipalities and recycling and environmental authorities are concerned about the growing amount of carpet waste produced by household, commercial and industrial sectors. It is reported that 500,000 tonnes of carpet waste fibre are plunged into landfills annually in the UK. In the United States of America, around 10 million tonnes of textile waste was generated in 2003. In geotechnical engineering, expansive clay soils are categorised as problematic soils due to their swelling behaviour upon increase in the moisture content. The problematic nature of such soils is intensified with the increase in the plasticity index. This paper presents results of a comprehensive investigation into utilisation of carpet waste fibres in order to improve the swelling characteristics of compacted cohesive soils. Therefore, two different clay soils with markedly different plasticity indices (i.e. 17.0 and 31.5 %) were treated with two different types of carpet waste fibre. Waste fibres were added to prepare specimens with fibre content of 1, 3 and 5 % by dry weight of soil. Soil specimens with different dry unit weights and moisture contents were prepared so as to the swelling behaviour of fibre reinforced compacted clays is completely attained under various scenarios. The results indicated that the behaviour of the fibre reinforced soils seems highly dependent on the initial compaction state and secondary on the moisture content. It was found that the swelling pressure drops rapidly as the percentage of fibre increases in samples prepared at the maximum dry unit weight and optimum moisture content. Reducing the dry unit weight, while maintaining constant moisture content or increasing the moisture content at constant dry unit weight was found to reduce the swelling pressure.

Yes / This paper focuses on monitoring the evolution of lime-clay reactions using geotechnical parameters as a function of lime content and environmental temperature. Lime contents of 5, 7, 9, 11 and 13% by dry weight of expansive clay powder were added to prepare lime-clay specimens. The specimens were prepared at the same dry unit weight of 12.16 kN/m3 and moisture content of 40% except for tests aimed at the determination of dry unit weight as a function of mellowing period. Prepared specimens were mellowed or cured at two different ambient temperatures of 20 °C and 40 °C. Results attained from Unconfined Compressive Strength and permeability tests were employed to assess the impact of lime content on the mechanical and hydraulic properties of lime treated expansive clays. The results revealed that at the beginning, the rate of strength gain is remarkably fast for a particular period of time which is dependent on lime content. Furthermore, the strength gain on specimens cured at 40 °C is 8 times higher than that observed on specimens cured at 20 °C which highlights significant effect for the environmental temperature on accelerating the chemical reactions. Reduced dry unit weight due to increased resistance to compactability is observable with increasing lime content and higher environmental temperature. Accelerated pozzolanic reaction at higher environmental temperature resulted in permeability coefficient of specimens mellowed for 24 h at 40 °C to be higher than those mellowed at 20 °C. The results also highlighted that the permeability coefficient would be relatively stable when expansive clays were treated with small amounts of lime e.g. 5%.

KBS-3 and very deep borehole (VDH) concepts are two major types of long-term geologicaldisposal methods for high-level radioactive waste (HLW) isolating from the biosphere. TheKBS-3V concept for isolating the HLW at the depth of 400-500 m, is the officially proposedoption in Sweden and has been the subject of considerable research in the past few decades,while the VDH concept was considered as an option in the 1950s but later became discouragedbecause of insufficient experience in drilling technology. The greatest merit of the VDHconcept is that the almost stagnant groundwater in the deep boreholes prevents the transport ofthe possible release of radionuclides into the rock or up to the ground level. Since variousdisadvantages of the KBS-3V concept were found in previous research, the superiority of VDHconcept attracted the researchers to continue studying it into the late 1980s.The geological repositories of both of KBS-3V and VDH types primarily consist of a naturalbarrier (host rock) and of an engineering barrier (also known as a buffer/backfill barrier).According to the principle of IAEA and national relative research organizations, thebuffer/backfill material should have low permeability and good expandability, as well assuitable physical and sealing properties.The thesis concerns the VDH concept and is focused on the construction and performance ofthose parts of the sealed repository that are not affected by high temperature or gamma radiation.In the lower part of a VDH repository, the clay packages containing HLW will be exposed tohigh temperature (100-150 􀄇 ) in the borehole and to highly saline groundwater. In theinstallation phase of HLW, the groundwater will be pumped out and replaced by medium-softsmectite clay mud in which the HLW packages are installed vertically. During the hydrationand maturation of the clay components, the microstructural reorganization, water transport,migration of clay particles and redistribution of the density of the components take place. Thematuration determines the transient evolution of the clay seals and influences the rheologicaland soil mechanical behavior in the installation phase. The maturation of clay system alsodetermines their ultimate sealing potential of VDH repositories.This study presents the work carried out for investigating the maturation of the buffer-backfillclay in the HLW deep borehole. Initially in the study three types of clays, the Namontmorillonite,magnesium-rich and illite-smectite mixed layer clays, were examined for estimating their performance as the barrier candidate material. This is mainly presented in theliterature review. The experimental study was conducted on montmorillonite GMZ clays andI/S mixed-layer Holmehus clay. The expandability and permeability tests were carried out forinterpretation of the recorded swelling development and assessment of the effect of the salineconditions, with the goal of deriving a relationship between swelling pressure and hydraulicconductivity for different dry densities. The maturation tests of initially fully-saturatedHolmehus clay and partly saturated GMZ clay were performed. During the tests, the shearstrength mobilised by the relative movement of densified mud and migrated dense clay -contained in a perforated central tube - were determined. According to the results of shearstrength tests, the maximum operation time or the number of clay packages to be placed in asingle operation was evaluated, whilst the suitable saturation degree of the dense clay wasdiscussed as well.A model of the maturation of initially water-saturated clay seals based on Darcy’s law wasworked out and the evolution of the clay components in a lab-scale borehole using Holmehusclay were performed and compared with the experimental recordings. Good agreementsbetween the physical behaviors of the theoretical simulations and the measurements wasachieved by which the validity of the model was verified. Using the results, the hydration andsoil migration in the entire maturation process were presented in diagram. The model was alsoused for preliminary evaluation of the maturation products in real boreholes by assuming thesame Holmehus clay as used in the tests. Two constellation of borehole and dense clay withdifferent diameters, 80 cm borehole /60 cm clay and 80cm/50cm, were assumed. The resultsrespecting dry density and hydraulic conductivity of the ultimate maturation products, and thedegree of homogeneous of the buffer and backfill clay system in the assumed boreholes, arepresented and discussed. The options of different mineral types and initial physical propertiesof the candidate buffer clays provide a reference for engineering barrier design of HLW disposalin VDH.

O estudo do fenômeno de expansão em solos argilosos tem-se restringido, na maioria das vezes, a estudos laboratoriais referentes ao comportamento mecânico do solo e as correlações com as propriedades índices e as classificações geotécnicas. Poucos são os estudos na área de mapeamento geotécnico em média e grande escala, existindo um vazio nas metodologias de mapeamento geotécnico no que se refere a esta classe de solos. Durante o desenvolvimento desta pesquisa sobre as características expansivas da Fm. Libertad, Quaternário (Uruguai), foram combinados os produtos obtidos das técnicas de mapeamento com os propriedades identificadas nos ensaios de caracterização e as medidas de expansão. A técnica de avaliação de terreno usando Landforms para separar unidades homogêneas, resultou em um grande auxílio permitindo direcionar os trabalhos e observações de campo e diminuir o numero de amostras a serem coletadas. O ensaio de caracterização da Capacidade de Troca Catiônica (CTC) da fração argila, usando a técnica de Azul de Metileno, mostrou-se coincidente com a identificação de argilo-minerais usando Difração de Raios X (DRX). Esses dados, associados aos valores de Pressão de Expansão e Expansão livre de amostra indeformadas, com umidade natural e secas ao ar, e de amostras compactadas com diferentes massas específicas seca (pd) e umidade constante (w=15%) permitiram identificar unidades com diferentes potenciais de expansão na Fm. Libertad. A combinação desses dados permitiu a produção da Carta de Potencial de Expansão do Solos, numa região de desenvolvimento urbano no Município de Montevidéu, Uruguai. Este documento fornece aos planejadores do uso e ocupação da área o conhecimento dos diferentes graus de restrição que devem ser levados em conta devido à presença de solos potencialmente expansivos. Elaborou-se uma proposta metodológica para a execução de trabalhos de mapeamento geotécnico de solos expansivos. / The swelling phenomenon of the clay soils has been studied mainly in laboratory with the objective of undestand the behavior of the soil and the correlations with the index properties and with the geotechnical classifications. In Engineering Geotechnical Mapping there is a lack of methodology about swell soil mapping in medium or large scale. In this research the swelling characteristics of the Libertad Formation (Uruguay) were studied by combination of the information obtained in the Engineering Geotechnical Mapping (scale 1:10.000) and the soil properties identified in the characterization and swelling tests. The technique of land evaluation using Landforms to separate homogeneous units, it resulted in a great aid allowing to guide the works and field observations and to reduce the number of samples to be collected. The characterization tests of cationic exchange capacity (CEC) of the clay, using the technique of adsorption of methilene blue, it was shown coincident with the identification of clay using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). The swelling potentials of the Libertad Formation were determined based in the information of the values of swelling pressure and free swelling from undisturbed samples, both with natural moisture contents and air dried, besides the samples compacted with different apparent specific gravity (pd) and with constant moisture content (w= 15%). This procedure allowed the production of the Swelling Potential Chart of the soil in an suburban area of Montevideo City, Uruguay. This document can supply the information to the management of the area taken in account the different swelling potential of the soils. Finally it is presented a methodology to carry out Engineering Geological Mapping of the swelling soils.

En France, le système de stockage profond de déchets radioactifs envisagé est constitué d’une barrière naturelle (roche hôte argileuse, argilite) et de barrières artificielles, comprenant des bouchons d’argile gonflante (bentonite)-sable pour son scellement. L'objectif de cette thèse est d’étudier l’efficacité du gonflement et du scellement des bouchons placés dans l’argilite, sous l’effet, à la fois, d’une pression d’eau et d’une pression de gaz (tel que formé dans le tunnel). Pour évaluer la capacité de scellement du bouchon bentonite/sable partiellement saturé en eau, on a évalué sa perméabilité au gaz Kgaz sous pression de confinement variable (jusqu’à 12MPa). L'étanchéité au gaz (Kgaz < 10-20m2) est obtenue sous confinement Pc≥9MPa si la saturation est d’au moins 86-91%. Par ailleurs, nous avons évalué le gonflement et l'étanchéité du bouchon de bentonite-sable imbibé d’eau dans un tube d’argilite ou de Plexiglas-aluminium lisse ou rugueux. La présence de gaz diminue la pression effective de gonflement (et la pression de percée de gaz) à partir d’une pression Pgaz= 4 MPa. Après saturation complète en eau, l’écoulement continu de gaz au travers du bouchon seul se fait à Pgaz=7-8MPa s’il dispose d’une interface lisse avec un autre matériau (tube métallique), alors que celui au travers de l’ensemble bouchon/argilite a lieu à Pgaz=7-7,5MPa. Le passage à travers le bouchon gonflé au contact d’une interface rugueuse se fait à une pression de gaz bien supérieure à la pression de gonflement du bouchon. Les essais de percée de gaz montrent que l'interface et l'argilite sont deux voies possibles de migration de gaz lorsque l’ensemble bouchon/roche hôte est complètement saturé / In France, the deep underground nuclear waste repository consists of a natural barrier (in an argillaceous rock named argillite), associated to artificial barriers, including plugs of swelling clay (bentonite)-sand for tunnel sealing purposes. The main objective of this thesis is to assess the sealing efficiency of the bentonite-sand plug in contact with argillite, in presence of both water and gas pressures. To assess the sealing ability of partially water-saturated bentonite/sand plugs, their gas permeability is measured under varying confining pressure (up to 12MPa). It is observed that tightness to gas is achieved under confinement greater than 9MPafor saturation levels of at least 86-91%. We than assess the sealing efficiency of the bentonite-sand plug placed in a tube of argillite or of Plexiglas-aluminium (with a smooth or a rough interface). The presence of pressurized gas affects the effective swelling pressure at values Pgas from 4MPa. Continuous gas breakthrough of fully water-saturated bentonite-sand plugs is obtained for gas pressures on the order of full swelling pressure (7-8MPa), whenever the plug is applied along a smooth interface. Whenever a rough interface is used in contact with the bentonite-sand plug, a gas pressure significantly greater than its swelling pressure is needed for gas to pass continuously. Gas breakthrough tests show that the interface between plug/argillite or the argillite itself are two preferential pathways for gas migration, when the assembly is fully saturated

O estudo do fenômeno de expansão em solos argilosos tem-se restringido, na maioria das vezes, a estudos laboratoriais referentes ao comportamento mecânico do solo e as correlações com as propriedades índices e as classificações geotécnicas. Poucos são os estudos na área de mapeamento geotécnico em média e grande escala, existindo um vazio nas metodologias de mapeamento geotécnico no que se refere a esta classe de solos. Durante o desenvolvimento desta pesquisa sobre as características expansivas da Fm. Libertad, Quaternário (Uruguai), foram combinados os produtos obtidos das técnicas de mapeamento com os propriedades identificadas nos ensaios de caracterização e as medidas de expansão. A técnica de avaliação de terreno usando Landforms para separar unidades homogêneas, resultou em um grande auxílio permitindo direcionar os trabalhos e observações de campo e diminuir o numero de amostras a serem coletadas. O ensaio de caracterização da Capacidade de Troca Catiônica (CTC) da fração argila, usando a técnica de Azul de Metileno, mostrou-se coincidente com a identificação de argilo-minerais usando Difração de Raios X (DRX). Esses dados, associados aos valores de Pressão de Expansão e Expansão livre de amostra indeformadas, com umidade natural e secas ao ar, e de amostras compactadas com diferentes massas específicas seca (pd) e umidade constante (w=15%) permitiram identificar unidades com diferentes potenciais de expansão na Fm. Libertad. A combinação desses dados permitiu a produção da Carta de Potencial de Expansão do Solos, numa região de desenvolvimento urbano no Município de Montevidéu, Uruguai. Este documento fornece aos planejadores do uso e ocupação da área o conhecimento dos diferentes graus de restrição que devem ser levados em conta devido à presença de solos potencialmente expansivos. Elaborou-se uma proposta metodológica para a execução de trabalhos de mapeamento geotécnico de solos expansivos. / The swelling phenomenon of the clay soils has been studied mainly in laboratory with the objective of undestand the behavior of the soil and the correlations with the index properties and with the geotechnical classifications. In Engineering Geotechnical Mapping there is a lack of methodology about swell soil mapping in medium or large scale. In this research the swelling characteristics of the Libertad Formation (Uruguay) were studied by combination of the information obtained in the Engineering Geotechnical Mapping (scale 1:10.000) and the soil properties identified in the characterization and swelling tests. The technique of land evaluation using Landforms to separate homogeneous units, it resulted in a great aid allowing to guide the works and field observations and to reduce the number of samples to be collected. The characterization tests of cationic exchange capacity (CEC) of the clay, using the technique of adsorption of methilene blue, it was shown coincident with the identification of clay using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). The swelling potentials of the Libertad Formation were determined based in the information of the values of swelling pressure and free swelling from undisturbed samples, both with natural moisture contents and air dried, besides the samples compacted with different apparent specific gravity (pd) and with constant moisture content (w= 15%). This procedure allowed the production of the Swelling Potential Chart of the soil in an suburban area of Montevideo City, Uruguay. This document can supply the information to the management of the area taken in account the different swelling potential of the soils. Finally it is presented a methodology to carry out Engineering Geological Mapping of the swelling soils.