ORNL/TM-2004/296 Cost-Effective Cementitious Material Compatible with Yucca Mountain Repository Geochemistry December 2004 Prepared by Les Dole1 Catherine Mattus1 Mostafa Fayek2 Lawrence M. Anovitz1 Juan J. Ferrada1 David J. Wesolowski1 Don Olander3 Don A. Palmer1 Lee R. Riciputi1 Lætitia Delmau1 Sergé Ermichev4* Vyacheslav I. Shapovalov4* ___________________ 1 Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 2 University of Tennessee, 3 University of California Berkeley, 4 MINATOM VNIIEF, Sarov, * funded by ISTC programs ORNL/TM-2004/296 COST-EFFECTIVE CEMENTITIOUS MATERIAL COMPATIBLE WITH YUCCA MOUNTAIN REPOSITORY GEOCHEMISTRY December 2004 Les Dole1 , Catherine Mattus1, Mostafa Fayek2, Lawrence M. Anovitz1, Juan J. Ferrada1, David J. Wesolowski1, Don Olander3, Don A. Palmer1, Lee R. Riciputi1, Lætitia Delmau1, Sergé Ermichev4*, Vyacheslav I. Shapovalov4* 1 Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 2 University of Tennessee, 3 University of California Berkeley, 4 MINATOM VNIIEF, Sarov, *funded by ISTC programs. Contact: Les Dole, 865-576-4319, [email protected], Nuclear Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory Prepared by OAK RIDGE NATIONAL LABORATORY P.O. Box 2008 Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831-6254 managed by UT-Battelle, LLC for the U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY under contract DE-AC05-00OR22725 TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Figures .............................................................................................................................................vii List of Tables ...............................................................................................................................................ix Acroynyms ...................................................................................................................................................xi Summary of Needed Research......................................................................................................................1 Introduction...............................................................................................................................................1 Meeting YMP Needs ................................................................................................................................1 Recommended Experimental Studies and Analyses.................................................................................3 Natural Analog Studies.............................................................................................................................4 Responsibilities.........................................................................................................................................5 Introduction...................................................................................................................................................5 Scientific Basis for Using High-Silica Cements ...........................................................................................6 Yucca Mountain Project Concerns with the Uses of Cements in the YM Repository .............................6 Summary of Concerns..........................................................................................................................6 Addressing YMP Concerns ..................................................................................................................7 Silicates Suppress the Formation of Calcium Hydroxide ................................................................7 Fine Pore Distribution in High-Silica Cements Reduces the Release of Moisture........................19 Silica-Saturated Cement Leachates Will Not Dissolve Adjacent Vitreous Tuff............................22 Pozzolanic Additives Are Water-Reducing Agents and Minimize the Need for Surfactants........22 High-Silica Cements Limit the Bioavailability of Nutrients..........................................................23 Natural and Anthropogenic Analogs Can Predict Long-Term Performance .................................24 Research Needs...........................................................................................................................................25 Need 1: Develop and Test Cost-Effective, High-Silica Cementitious Materials for Construction of Yucca Mountain (YM) Inverts, Drift Liners, and Bulkheads.................................................................25 Preliminary Analysis of Potential Cost Savings.................................................................................29 Potential Economic Impacts of Substituting a Conservative 100-mm Thickness of Fiber- Rreinforced Shotcrete ....................................................................................................................31 Economic Impact of Using a More Likely 50-mm Thickness of Shotcrete...................................31 Summary and Comparisons of Preliminary Economic Analyses ..................................................31 The Laboratory Tasks to Support these Objectives............................................................................31 Need 2: Establish Long-Term Performance of High-Silica Concretes by Studying and Characterizing Natural and Anthropogenic Analogs in order To Predict the Long-Term Performance (>300,000 years) of these Materials ..................................................................................32 Anthropogenic Analog Studies...........................................................................................................33 Roman Cements .............................................................................................................................35 Natural Analogs .............................................................................................................................36 Need 3: Negotiate and Coordinate Work Plans with Parallel Russian Program under an International Science and Technology Center (ISTC) Agreement with the Russian Federation ...........38 Description of Tasks ...............................................................................................................................38 Laboratory Studies .............................................................................................................................39 Selection of Materials and Formulations............................................................................................39 Preparation of Test Specimens and Physical Testing.........................................................................40 Fresh Paste .....................................................................................................................................40 Exposure Testing Using Intact Cement Monoliths ........................................................................43 Flow-Through Exposure Testing ...................................................................................................47 Effects of High Temperatures on High-Silica Concretes...............................................................50 Biodegradation Studies ..................................................................................................................51 Chemical Analyses of Solid and Liquid Phases and Mineralogical Changes................................51 v Characterize and Detect the Phases that Form due to Interaction with Groundwater....................51 Cost Comparison Study .................................................................................................................51 Models of the Aging of Cementitious Materials............................................................................52 Anthropogenic Analog Tasks.............................................................................................................53 Natural Analog Tasks.........................................................................................................................53 Laboratory Examination on Anthropogenic and Natural Samples ................................................54 Work Breakdown, Costs, and Schedule......................................................................................................55 References...................................................................................................................................................61 Appendix A: Letters and Messages of Support...........................................................................................71 Appendix B: Natural Analog Site Detailed Descriptions............................................................................79 Marble Canyon, West Texas...................................................................................................................81 Hueco Limestone....................................................................................................................................82 Bone Springs Limestone.........................................................................................................................82 Christmas Mountains, West Texas .........................................................................................................84 Hatrurim Formation (Mottled Zone), Israel............................................................................................87 Scawt Hill, Larne, Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland, UK .......................................................................89 Appendix C: Annotated Bibliography.........................................................................................................93