Abstract Summary
A fully instrumented vertical infiltration column has been recently developed using independent fast infiltration systems on top and slow infiltration rates at the lateral boundaries to mimic the peculiar saturation of the Vertical Sealing Systems VSS. A binary mixture of high-density MX80 bentonite pellets (80% mass) and powder is proposed as engineered barrier for these VSS. A 2D plane-strain numerical model based on the discretisation of pellets and powder using Code_Bright FEM has been used to gain insight into the coupled hydro-mechanical response of this multi-porosity material upon hydration.
