Fei Song , Antonio Gens , Stefano Collico , Carlos Plúa , Gilles Armand , Huaning Wang
{"title":"Analysis of short- and long-term coupled THM behaviours in argillaceous rock for nuclear waste disposal","authors":"Fei Song , Antonio Gens , Stefano Collico , Carlos Plúa , Gilles Armand , Huaning Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.gete.2025.100660","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Deep geological disposal is recognised as the most feasible method for the management of High-level Nuclear Waste (HLW). This study involved the performance of numerical analyses to evaluate the short- and long-term Thermo-Hydro-Mechanical (THM) behaviour of HLW disposals at the repository scale. A far-field numerical model is analysed, considering geological profiles 1000 m deep from the surface. In the analyses, an elasto-viscoplastic constitutive model is employed to characterize the behaviour of the argillaceous host rock, taking into account hardening-softening behaviour, anisotropy of THM properties, as well as permeability variation due to damage. Generalized Darcy’s law and Fourier’s law are utilized to represent the liquid and heat fluxes, respectively. Wide-ranging parametric analyses are performed to investigate the effect of spacing between parallel microtunnels and of different multi-physics interactions on the evolution of THM behaviour at the repository scale. Variations in spacing significantly impact the temperature and pore pressure fields, which in turn influence the development of potential damage zones. An enhanced understanding of the THM mechanisms associated with the short-term and long-term stability of nuclear waste disposals has been achieved in this study, therefore, providing valuable insights for the design and optimization of the geological repositories.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56008,"journal":{"name":"Geomechanics for Energy and the Environment","volume":"42 ","pages":"Article 100660"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3000,"publicationDate":"2025-03-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Geomechanics for Energy and the Environment","FirstCategoryId":"5","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352380825000255","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"ENERGY & FUELS","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Deep geological disposal is recognised as the most feasible method for the management of High-level Nuclear Waste (HLW). This study involved the performance of numerical analyses to evaluate the short- and long-term Thermo-Hydro-Mechanical (THM) behaviour of HLW disposals at the repository scale. A far-field numerical model is analysed, considering geological profiles 1000 m deep from the surface. In the analyses, an elasto-viscoplastic constitutive model is employed to characterize the behaviour of the argillaceous host rock, taking into account hardening-softening behaviour, anisotropy of THM properties, as well as permeability variation due to damage. Generalized Darcy’s law and Fourier’s law are utilized to represent the liquid and heat fluxes, respectively. Wide-ranging parametric analyses are performed to investigate the effect of spacing between parallel microtunnels and of different multi-physics interactions on the evolution of THM behaviour at the repository scale. Variations in spacing significantly impact the temperature and pore pressure fields, which in turn influence the development of potential damage zones. An enhanced understanding of the THM mechanisms associated with the short-term and long-term stability of nuclear waste disposals has been achieved in this study, therefore, providing valuable insights for the design and optimization of the geological repositories.
期刊介绍:
The aim of the Journal is to publish research results of the highest quality and of lasting importance on the subject of geomechanics, with the focus on applications to geological energy production and storage, and the interaction of soils and rocks with the natural and engineered environment. Special attention is given to concepts and developments of new energy geotechnologies that comprise intrinsic mechanisms protecting the environment against a potential engineering induced damage, hence warranting sustainable usage of energy resources.
The scope of the journal is broad, including fundamental concepts in geomechanics and mechanics of porous media, the experiments and analysis of novel phenomena and applications. Of special interest are issues resulting from coupling of particular physics, chemistry and biology of external forcings, as well as of pore fluid/gas and minerals to the solid mechanics of the medium skeleton and pore fluid mechanics. The multi-scale and inter-scale interactions between the phenomena and the behavior representations are also of particular interest. Contributions to general theoretical approach to these issues, but of potential reference to geomechanics in its context of energy and the environment are also most welcome.