Application of X-Ray Diffraction Analysis for Determining Residual Stresses on Soil Particles Due to Thermal Treatment

摘要

With an intention to investigate the influence of heat on the soil particles when they get exposed to thermal flux, six soils of entirely different characteristics were subjected to temperatures up to 300℃ (this being the maximum temperature associated with the nuclear wastes to be disposed in geoenvironment), in steps of 50℃. After each step of thermal treatment, the residues were characterized for their crystal size, lattice strain, normal stress (tensile and compressive), and shear stress, by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. Based on a critical synthesis of the results, it has been demonstrated that the stresses on the soil particles change from tensile to compressive while the strains are insignificant. It is believed that such a study would be quite useful in predicting the response and engineering properties of soils at elevated temperatures.