Centrifuge modelling of heat-generating waste disposal

A set of experiments, conducted on the Cambridge geotechnical centrifuge and which model the free-fall option for the subseabed disposal of heat-generating waste, is reported. The results reported relate to the morphological effects of model penetration (depth of penetration, deformation patterns, and closure) as well as to the pore pressure changes associated with this penetration. Results regarding the effect of heat emission (from the model penetrators) upon the surrounding soil are also presented. These results are discussed and compared with theoretical analyses and field tests, and conclusions are presented regarding both the processes attendant upon penetration and heating and the relevance of the modeling to the prototype event