Effect of simulated earthquake loading on radon exhalation from uranium tailings dam

• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-20758-1
• Publication Date: 2022-06-17T16:03:00Z
• Authors: Yan Chen; Changshou Hong; Xiangyang Li; Yong Liu; Yifan Chen; Xingwang Dai; Hong Wang; Dongying Lin
• Keywords: Exhalation; Sand; Radon; Radiation Monitoring; Earthquakes; Uranium; 01 natural sciences; 6. Clean water; 0105 earth and related environmental sciences

Uranium tailings sand will continuously release radon-222. When the external condition changes, the exhalation of radon will also change. Thus, radon is being recommended as a tracer for dam damage assessment. When an earthquake is simulated on the uranium tailings dam with a shaking table test and the change in radon concentration is measured, it is observed that the earthquake causes micro-fissures in the uranium tailings dam, which aggregate to form fractures. During the process, the radon concentration will climb dramatically, as will the radon exhalation rate. To verify that the radon monitoring date is accurate, the acceleration response, surface displacement, and interior displacement are all monitored. The results show that radon can be utilized as a tracer to evaluate uranium tailings dam damage.