Thermodynamic modelling of BFS-PC cements under temperature conditions relevant to the geological disposal of nuclear wastes

Intermediate level waste produced in UK nuclear power generation is encapsulated or immobilised in blended cements comprising blast furnace slag (BFS) and Portland cement (PC), to be emplaced in a proposed geological disposal facility (GDF). The wasteforms are expected to be exposed to temperatures from 35 to 80 °C during the initial 150 years of GDF operation. Thermodynamic modelling is applied here to describe the phase assemblages of hydrated 1:1, 3:1 and 9:1 BFS-PC blends, with the participation of hydrogarnet as an important phase above 60 °C. The chemical composition of the main phase forming in these systems, an aluminium rich calcium silicate hydrate (C-A-S-H), was well described by a solid-solution model with explicit Al incorporation, although the Al/Si ratio was systematically slightly under-predicted. The developed thermodynamic model predicts the correct phase assemblage across varying temperature regimes, making it a valuable tool to assess the effects of temperature on cements.