Temperature-controlled triaxial compression/creep test device for thermodynamic properties of soft sedimentary rock and corresponding theoretical prediction

• Published in: Journal of Rock Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering Vol. 2; no. 3; pp. 255 - 261
• Main Authors: Zhang, Sheng, Nakano, Hirotomo, Xiong, Yonglin, Nishimura, Tomohiro, Zhang, Feng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 15.09.2010; School of Civil Engineering and Architecture,Central South University,Changsha,410083,China%Department of Civil Engineering,Nagoya Institute of Technology,Nagoya,4668555,Japan
• Subjects: soft sedimentary rock; temperature control; thermal triaxial compression test; thermal triaxial creep test; thermal triaxial compression test; soft sedimentary rock; temperature control; thermal triaxial creep test
• ISSN: 1674-7755
• DOI: 10.3724/SP.J.1235.2010.00255

In deep geological disposal of high-level nuclear waste, one of the most important subjects is to estimate long-term stability and strength of host rock under high temperature conditions caused by radioactive decay of the waste. In this paper, some experimental researches on the thermo-mechanical characteristics of soft sedimentary rock have been presented. For this reason, a new temperature-controlled triaxial compression and creep test device, operated automatically by a computer-controlled system, whose control software has been developed by the authors, was developed to conduct the thermo-mechanical tests in different thermal loading paths, including an isothermal path. The new device is proved to be able to conduct typical thermo-mechanical element tests for soft rock. The test device and the related testing method were introduced in detail. Finally, some test results have been simulated with a thermo-elasto-viscoplastic model that was also developed by the authors.