Abstract
This paper presents the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission’s modelling of coupled thermal, hydraulic and mechanical (THM) processes and their influence on the performance of the engineered barrier system (EBS) and the host rock. The coupled THM processes were monitored during a heater experiment called HE-E, performed in an Opalinus Clay formation at the Mont Terri Rock Laboratory in Switzerland. The HE-E experimental set-up consisted of two EBS sections emplaced in an existing tunnel of the Underground Rock Laboratory. This paper focuses on the model development, parametric analysis, model calibration and verification with the field test data. The influence of THM processes on the EBS and host rock performance and the implications on the design and safety assessment of geological disposal repository systems are discussed.
Highlights
Many countries that use nuclear power for the production of electricity, including Canada, are currently considering the disposal of radioactive wastes in deep geological formations
Monitoring points In the HE-E test, extensive monitoring of temperature (T), pressure (P) and relative humidity (RH) was conducted in both the engineered barrier system (EBS) and the host rock during the heating period
The temperature at the central position (T-C) is somewhat overpredicted, the one in the middle (T-M) is somewhat underpredicted; excellent agreement is found for the point at the interface (T-H) between the EBS and the host rock
Summary
Many countries that use nuclear power for the production of electricity, including Canada, are currently considering the disposal of radioactive wastes in deep geological formations. Geological disposal relies on multiple barriers – for example, engineered clay barriers and thick layers of natural sedimentary rocks – to contain and isolate the radioactive wastes for very long periods of time. The long-term performance of those barriers is crucial to the safety. Published with permission by the ICE under the CC-BY license. Modelling a heater experiment for radioactive waste disposal Nguyen, Li, Garitte and Barnichon of the geological disposal system and is investigated collaboratively by interdisciplinary researchers
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