Coupled THM modelling of engineered barriers for the final disposal of spent nuclear fuel isolation

This paper describes the thermohydromechanical (THM) simulation of engineered barrier systems (EBS) for the final disposal of nuclear spent fuel in Finland. The bentonite barriers were simulated with the Barcelona Basic Model and the model was calibrated from laboratory tests. The evolution of gap closure and the presence of a fracture intersecting the disposal were analysed. The simulations were performed in 2D axisymmetrical geometries. Full 3D simulations were carried out in order to check the effect of the third dimension. The time required for the barriers to reach full saturation, the maximum temperature, deformations and displacements at the buffer–backfill interface and the homogenization of components both locally and globally are the main interests. The effect of rock fracture and the hydraulic conductivity of the rock are subjected to 2D sensitivity analyses.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Three dimensional thermo-hydraulic modelling for KBS-3H alternative

The KBS-3H disposal alternative is composed by horizontally placed supercontainers comprising the canisters with the spent nuclear fuel surrounded in both drift axis and radial directions by compacted bentonite blocks (buffer) enclosed in a perforated shell. The different internal gaps between the supercontainer components and the one between the buffer blocks and the host rock have direct effects on the buffer behaviour. This paper presents a Thermo-Hydraulic (TH) Three-Dimensional (3D) numerical model developed to analyse a particular geometry assuming three different gap state conditions and providing results of the temperature, liquid pressure, and evolution of the degree of saturation. The material parameters, constitutive models, and assumptions made were carefully selected with regards to laboratory measurements reported in directly-related bibliography. The modelling settles the importance of understanding the groundwater flow through the rock mass and from fractures in the rock in order to achieve reliable predictions regarding buffer saturation, since it is known that the saturation times could range from few years to one thousand years depending on the hydrogeological conditions in the rock. The obtained results lead to full saturation times of 50 to 100 years. In addition to the rock hydraulic conductivity and fracture transmissivity, the saturation process was directly affected by the material properties of the buffer and gap presence between the buffer blocks and the host rock. Finally, in connection with thermal evolution, the thermal conductivity of repository components and the behaviour of air gaps in the buffer were key variables.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Small-strain shear stiffness of compacted bentonites for engineered barrier system

The shear modulus (G) of two different bentonites was measured by means of a resonant column apparatus. The samples were compacted at different dry densities and degrees of saturation and tested with different confinement pressures and strains levels for studying the influence of these parameters on the shear modulus. The results show similar tendencies in both bentonites: the shear modulus increases as the dry density increases and exhibits maximum shear modulus when degree of saturation is around 80%. An empirical equation, taking into account the microstructure of the clays, is used to evaluate the shear modulus at small strains as a function of dry density and degree of saturation. Although the values of the shear modulus measured are similar in both bentonites for a given stress and degree of saturation, there is difference in the elastic strain limit of the soil. Bentonite clay is going to be part of the Engineered Barrier System (EBS) in deep geological disposal facilities for the long-term confinement of spent nuclear fuel. In order to fully understand their long-term performance, their behaviour in shearing conditions should be assessed.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Caracterización del comportamiento termo-hidro-mecánico de arcillas expansivas

En los últimos años, se ha estado analizando la posibilidad de almacenar los residuos radioactivos de alta actividad procedentes del combustible gastado procedente de las centrales nucleares de producción de energía eléctrica, en galerías excavadas en roca. Entre la cápsula que contiene el residuo radioactivo y la roca, se estudia colocar una arcilla expansiva tipo bentonita (proyecto FEBEX; Alonso et al., 2000). Esta tesis se ha concentrado en el estudio y caracterización termo-hidro-mecánico de dicha arcilla. Para realizar este estudio, primero se hicieron una serie de ensayos de laboratorio convencionales, idénticos a los utilizados para caracterizar todo tipo de suelos. Sin embargo, dadas las especiales características del material (una arcilla expansiva) y las condiciones de trabajo que tendría en un repositorio nuclear (altas temperaturas producidas por la degradación del material radioactivo y altas presiones debidas al confinamiento), se han tenido que desarrollar nuevos equipos y procedimientos de ensayo: una célula edométrica con succión controlada mediante un flujo forzado de aire húmedo, un equipo para la medida de dilatación por efectos térmicos y un equipo para estudiar la respuesta del suelo frente a flujos de calor. Los resultados obtenidos son consistentes con los deducidos por otros autores en el mismo material (Villar, 2000) y han permitido profundizar en el conocimiento del comportamiento de la bentonita (Lloret et al., 2002).El desarrollo y mejora de las técnicas de cálculo numérico, ha permitido que recientemente, se hayan podido desarrollar una serie de códigos numéricos que permiten la simulación de procesos de flujo multifásico y resolver las ecuaciones constitutivas que regulan el comportamiento mecánico del suelo. En esta tesis, se han analizado los ensayos de laboratorio realizados simulándolos con ayuda de un código de elementos finitos desarrollado por el Departamento de Ingeniería del Terreno de la Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, CODE_BRIGHT (Olivella, 1995), que resuelve el problema citado anteriormente. De este modo, se han podido estudiar los diferentes fenómenos ligados al movimiento de agua, de calor y a los cambios de volumen en los ensayos realizados. Tradicionalmente, la cuantificación de parámetros que se realiza a partir de los ensayos de laboratorio, consiste básicamente en aplicar de manera directa la ley constitutiva que regula el comportamiento de la muestra en las condiciones del ensayo. Generalmente, consiste en deducir un parámetro de una ecuación relativamente sencilla (ensayos de permeabilidad) o dibujar los resultados obtenidos en el ensayo en sistemas de coordenadas especiales que permiten evaluar parámetros de manera gráfica (ensayos edométricos). Sin embargo, hay parámetros que no se pueden medir directamente (parámetros que regulan el flujo acoplado de agua y vapor debido a gradientes térmicos en un ensayo de flujo de calor), esto hace necesario que se deban utilizar otras técnicas para identificar los parámetros que los regulan. En esta tesis se han aplicado técnicas de identificación muy utilizadas en otros campos como son la hidrogeología o la sismología, para deducir parámetros que regulan el problema termo-hidráulico. Para ello ha sido necesario desarrollar un algoritmo de cálculo que, utilizando CODE_BRIGHT como rutina para resolver el problema directo, minimiza la diferencia entre los valores medidos en los ensayos y los valores calculados por el código (Pintado et al., 1998, 2002).In the last years, the possibility of storing high level nuclear waste from nuclear power stations inside tunnels in host rock has been analysed. In these repositories, swelling clay located between the rock and the canisters is used to isolate the waste (FEBEX project; Alonso et al., 2000). In this PhD Thesis an experimental study carried out to characterize the thermo-hydro-mechanical behaviour of a compacted bentonite is presented. Due to the highly expansive character of the bentonite and the high temperatures and confining pressures in the repository, it was necessary to develop new test equipments and procedures: - A suction controlled oedometric cell, where suction is applied controlling the relative humidity of the air in contact with the soil. This relative humidity was fixed by a solution of sulphuric acid or salts. In this way, suctions up to 400 MPa could be reached and the maximum vertical stress that could be applied was of about 9 MPa. - An equipment to measure the thermal dilatation coefficient in partially saturated bentonite, which maintains its water content unaltered in a range of temperatures between 30ºC and 65ºC. - A cylindrical cell, where a controlled heat flux is applied to one of the ends, while in the other end a constant temperature is maintained in order to measure thermal and hydraulic parameters. The results of the tests are consistent with other results obtained on the same material by other authors (Villar, 2000) and increase the knowledge we have of this material (Lloret et al., 2003).In some of the tests carried out, important couplings between thermal and multiphase flows and the mechanical behaviour of bentonite are observed. In order to analyse the tests, the numerical model CODE_BRIGHT (Olivella, 1995) was used to simulate the tests as a boundary problem and to obtain values of the variables that were not measured or parameters of the numerical model that cannot be obtained directly. Finally, this PhD Thesis presents a general methodology to perform backanalysis of laboratory tests, which also involves the thermohydraulic behaviour of bentonite in a systematic manner as well. The procedure is based on a maximum likelihood approach that defines a probabilistic framework, in which error measurements and the reliability of the parameters identified can be estimated (Pintado et al., 1998, 2002). The method is applied to the identification of some of the thermal and hydraulic properties of a bentonite specimen, using temperature and water content measurements as input data.Postprint (published version

Direct measurement of thermal expansion in unsaturated soils

A method designed to measure the thermal dilatation coefficient of unsaturated soils is presented. It is based on the ASTM 4535-85 standard with some important considerations taken into account. A number of tests following this methodology were performed on unsaturated swelling clay. Thermal dilatation coefficients were measured over a temperature range from 25 to 65°C for material dry densities and saturation degrees varying between 16–17 kN/m3 and 60–95%, respectively. The results are somewhat disperse, nevertheless, a clear trend with regard to temperature can be observed and thermal dilatation coefficient values can be extracted.Postprint (published version

Direct measurement of thermal expansion in unsaturated soils

A method designed to measure the thermal dilatation coefficient of unsaturated soils is presented. It is based on the ASTM 4535-85 standard with some important considerations taken into account. A number of tests following this methodology were performed on unsaturated swelling clay. Thermal dilatation coefficients were measured over a temperature range from 25 to 65°C for material dry densities and saturation degrees varying between 16–17 kN/m3 and 60–95%, respectively. The results are somewhat disperse, nevertheless, a clear trend with regard to temperature can be observed and thermal dilatation coefficient values can be extracted

Monitoring of swelling pressure in bentonite

This paper presents a methodology for determining the radial swelling pressure that develops in a cylindrical plastic cell when the bentonite sample it contains is hydrated. Strains in the cylindrical cell wall are measured using strain gauges fixed to its external surface. The plastic cell material is assumed to behave in an elastic manner at the level of strain developed, and a best-fit solution for the pressure that results in the measured strains is calculated using an algorithm of optimisation. Even though the solution obtained is unique, it is also checked to verify that the calculated radial pressure results in the quantity of elastic energy developed in the cylindrical cell wall being a minimum. While the measurements obtained using the strain gauges allow the evolution of swelling pressure to be monitored from a qualitative viewpoint, the precise quantification of swelling pressure is difficult because not all the required pressure measurements were available. This paper demonstrates that the proposed methodology allows the qualitative monitoring of swelling pressures in bentonite cores during hydration. It also provides the basis for a quantitative procedure to be developed in the future.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft