Results of a laboratory test program in support of containment modeling efforts for Nevada Test Site materials

A laboratory test technique has been developed that simulates and quantifies shock conditioning. The potential effect of shock conditioning has been simulated and measured on essentially unshocked core. With these core, strength reductions of one half and greater were observed after shock conditioning simulation. In addition, stress strain response during triaxial compression was altered. Samples tended to be less stiff and then yield and strain harden rather than failing brittlely. Field shocked core have also been tested. Triaxial strength of the field shocked core was low (approx. 0.02 Kbar). Subjecting the field shocked core to simulated shock conditioning in the laboratory had little effect on the already low strength. 8 figures