Soil–water characteristic curves and hydraulic conductivity of Gaomiaozi bentonite pellet-contained materials

The bentonite pellet-contained material (PCM) is a desired joint sealer for high-level radioactive waste repositories. During the operation of repository, however, PCM unsaturated most period. water retention capacity and permeability can thus directly affect buffer barrier seepage, nuclide migration, healing. Moreover, performance be strongly influenced by particle size pellets dry density. In this work, pressure plate method vapor equilibrium technique were both utilized to test soil–water characteristic curves (SWCCs) PCMs with varying sizes densities. hydraulic conductivity was then predicted combining SWCC model saturated conductivity. results showed that in low suction range (20–1150 kPa), density are anti-correlated content. high (4200–309,000 almost insensitive variation size. Gardner suitable describing PCM. addition, increases rise size, while it decreases as grows. Finally, influence mechanism further discussed based on scanning electron microscopy images pore distribution curves.