(GRS 295) Fe-Bentonite - Experiments and Modelling of the Interactions of Bentonites with Iron

The main objectives of this study were to enhance the understanding of the interactions of bentonites with steel containers in the near field of a repository in salt formations and to determine missing experimental thermo-hydraulical-chemical and mineralogical data needed for the THC modelling of the interactions of bentonites with iron. At the beginning of this project a literature review helped to clarify the state of the art regarding the above mentioned objectives prior to the start of the experimental work. In the following experimental programme the hydraulic changes in the pore space of compacted MX80 bentonites containing metallic iron powder and in contact with three solutions of different ionic strength containing different concentrations of Fe2+ have been investigated. The alterations of MX80 and several other bentonites have been assessed in contact with the low ionic strength Opalinus Clay Pore Water (OCPW) and the saturated salt solutions NaCl solution and IP21 solution. Under repository relevant boundary conditions we determined on compacted MX80 samples with the raw density of 1.6 g/cm3 simultaneously interdependent properties like swelling pressures, hydraulic parameters (permeabilities and porosities), mineralogical data (changes of the smectite composition and iron corrosion products), transport parameters (diffusion coefficients) and thermal data (temperature dependent reaction progresses). The information and data resulting from the experiments have been used in geochemical modelling calculations and the existing possibilities and limitations to simulate these very complex near field processes were demonstrated.