Influence of fracture networks on radionuclide transport from solidified waste forms

Abstract

Analysis of the effect of fractures in porous media on fluid flow and mass transport is of great interest in many fields including geotechnical, petroleum, hydrogeology and waste management. This paper presents sensitivity analyses examining the effect of various hypothetical fracture networks on the performance of a planned near surface disposal facility in terms of radionuclide transport behaviour. As it is impossible to predict the initiation and evolution of fracture networks and their characteristics in concrete structures over time scales of interest, several fracture networks have been postulated to test the sensitivity of radionuclide release from a disposal facility. Fluid flow through concrete matrix and fracture networks are modelled via Darcy's law. A single species radionuclide transport equation is employed for both matrix and fracture networks, which include the processes advection, diffusion, dispersion, sorption/desorption and radioactive decay. The sensitivity study evaluates variations in fracture network configuration and fracture width together with different sorption/desorption characteristics of radionuclides in a cement matrix, radioactive decay constants and matrix dispersivity. The effect of the fractures is illustrated via radionuclide breakthrough curves, magnitude and time of peak mass flux, cumulative mass flux and concentration profiles. For the investigated system, radionuclide properties and the imposed water flow boundary conditions, results demonstrate that: (i) magnitude of peak radionuclide fluxes is less sensitive to the fracture network geometry, (ii) timing of the peak radionuclide fluxes is possibly sensitive to the fracture networks, (iii) a uniform flow model represents a limiting case of a porous medium with large number of fine fractures, (iv) the effect of fracture width on the radionuclide flux depends on the ratio of fracture to matrix conductivity and is less sensitive if the ratio is large and the width is higher than a certain critical size, and (v) increased dispersivity in fractured media influences the transport behaviour differently compared to non-fractured media; in particular, the behaviour depends on the nature of fracture network.