Stress-Induced Permeability Alterations in an Argillaceous Limestone

Abstract

The paper presents the results of experiments that were conducted to determine the influence of a triaxial stress state on the evolution of the permeability of an argillaceous limestone. The limestone rock is found in the Ordovician rock formations above the Precambrian basement located in southern Ontario, Canada, which is being considered as a potential host rock for the construction of a deep ground repository for storing low- and intermediate-level nuclear waste. The paper presents the results of an extensive series of hydraulic pulse tests and steady-state tests that were conducted to determine the permeability alterations in zones that can experience levels of damage that can be present in vicinity of an excavated underground opening. A “state-space” relationship is developed to describe permeability evolution with the triaxial stress in the pre-failure regime. The permeability evolution in extensively damaged post-failure states of the rock is also investigated. It is shown that permeability alterations were four orders of magnitude higher as a result of significant damage to the material, which is an important consideration in establishing the efficiency of the host rock formation as a barrier for the long-term containment of radionuclide migration.