EB experiment. Contribution of CIEMAT to EB dismantling report. Physical state of the bentonite

Abstract

The EB experiment (ENRESA 2005), was run by ENRESA at the Mont Terri Underground Research Laboratory in Switzerland, starting in October 2000, with the aim of demonstrating that automated production of a Granular Bentonite Material (GBM) and its emplacement in the upper part of a clay barrier were feasible. The test run under isothermal conditions for 10.5 years. The dismantling of the test started on October 2012 with the demolition of the concrete plug, which took almost a month, and went on until February 2013. This report summarises the physical characterisation performed at CIEMAT laboratories of bentonite samples taken during the EB experiment dismantling. Water content, dry density and degree of saturation values have been presented, along with some suction measurements.