Performance evaluation of soil mixtures treated with graphite and used as barrier fill material for high-level radioactive waste repository

Buffer/backfill material is an important engineering barrier in a deep geological repository of high-level radioactive waste (HLW). Its thermo-hydro-mechanical (THM) performance is very important for the safe and stable operation of the HLW repository system. Natural graphite powder mixed with sodium bentonite forms a buffer/backfill material that can dissipate heat quickly and provide strong isolation. In this paper, the THM characteristics of bentonite–sand–graphite–polypropylene fiber (BSGF) mixtures, used as a buffer/backfill material, were studied through a series of laboratory tests. The influence of graphite and polypropylene fiber contents on thermal conductivity, swelling pressure, hydraulic conductivity, and strength properties of BSGF mixtures with different sand contents was analyzed. Experimental results indicated that the graphite content, the maximum graphite mesh number, and the initial dry density of bentonite–graphite mixtures influenced the thermal conductivity of bentonite–graphite mixtures. The addition of polypropylene fiber was found to enhance the shear strength and inhibit cracking without significantly affecting the expansivity, permeability, and thermal conductivity of the BSGF mixtures. This study provides a new buffer/backfill material that can improve the stability, functionality, and thermal efficiency of the HLW repository.