The Aube storage centre has a facility equipped with a press for compacting 200-litre metal drums containing low- and medium-level radioactive waste. The wafers obtained after compaction are then packaged in a 450-litre metal drum and immobilized by means of a hydraulic binder. This hydraulic binder is manufactured on site by mixing a dry product (called dry mortar) with water.

The purpose of the framework agreement with single-awarded purchase orders is the manufacture and delivery of dry mortar for the manufacture of hydraulic binders at the Aube storage centre in Soulaines-Dhuys (10).

The dry mortar is to be delivered in 800-litre cubic transport containers supplied by Andra. Andra has nearly 170 of them, allowing the rotation of deliveries made in batches of about twenty units.

The dry mortar must:

- be easily emptied into transport containers

- be transferable by an inflatable flushing system,

- be homogeneous and perfectly dry,

- respect a moisture content on delivery of less than 0,5 % and have no lumps.

- meet the requirements relating to the finished product (hydraulic binder) in particular in terms of mechanical strength

The delivery of dry mortar is made a maximum of 15 calendar days after manufacture.

The framework agreement with purchase orders will be concluded with a maximum quantity of 4 000 tonnes over its duration (48 months).

As an indication, 740 tons were ordered in 2020, 820 tons in 2021 and 700 tons in 2022.