[2019-2024]

The BENERO (Bentonite Erosion, BenEro) project, is funded by the Swedish radioactive waste management agency, SKB (Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Co.). The aim of this project is to analyse those physicochemical factors playing a major role in bentonite erosion, under relevant conditions for radioactive waste geological repositories.

Erosion of the bentonite barrier in a high-level radioactive waste repository may compromise the barrier performance. Bentonite erosion would cause mass loss that directly affects the barrier integrity. In addition, eroded particles of colloidal nature may contribute to radionuclide transport.

This project considers as starting point the recent advances within POSKBAR project, financed by SKB (Sweden): https://www.skb.se/publikation/2493587/TR-19-08.pdf

The main uncertainties still associated to bentonite erosion process, will be addressed. Different experimental studies are proposed to parameterize the effect of different factors on bentonite barrier erosion, such as the overall system chemistry, the fracture roughness or slope, amongst others.

The conceptual bentonite erosion models, developed by KTH (Sweden) and Amphos21 (Spain), have been considered for the definition of experimental plan. The experimental results and future developments of the models will be in continuous feedback, to facilitate the achievement of the project objectives.

This project allows us to continue developing one of the Unit's main lines of research, “Colloid-associated radionuclide migration”.