Shallow land burial technology - ARID

Scope of the tasks being performed by Los Alamos will be identified. Emphasis will be placed upon the geotechnical work. Important geotechnical properties of a low-level waste disposal site include hydraulic conductivity consolidation, and shear strength of the applicable medium. The hydraulic conductivity of crushed Bandelier tuff has been assessed using the instantaneous profile method. The best fit of hydraulic conductivity as a function of water content was found to be a power function. The coefficient of consolidation was difficult to measure because of the relatively high hydraulic conductivity. The repose angle for crushed tuff is higher than the normally expected range. This is probably because of a higher than average angularity and surface roughness. The high coefficient of consolidation and high internal friction angle make finely crushed tuff a material with ideal mechanical characteristics. The drawback is that a high coefficient of consolidation is linked to a high hydraulic conductivity.