Many concepts for the geological storage of radioactive waste incorporate cement based materials, which act to provide a chemical barrier, impede groundwater flow or provide structural integrity of the underground structures. Thus, it is important to understand the long-term behaviour of these materials when modelling scenarios for the potential release and migration of radionuclides. In the presence of invasive groundwater, the chemical and physical properties of cement, such as its pH buffering capacity, resistance to flow, and its mechanical properties, are expected to evolve with time.