Testing and modelling of thermal, mechanical and hydrogeological properties of host rocks for deep geological disposal of radioactive waste

European Commission Directorate-General For Research And Innovation

Description

Proceedings of a workshop held in Brussels 12 to 13 January 1995
Nuclear energy and safety

Informations

• Publié par: EUROPEAN-COMMISSION-DIRECTORATE-GENERAL-FOR-RESEARCH-AND-INNOVATION
• Nombre de lectures: 26
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 15 Mo

Extrait

ISSN 1018-5593
European Commission
nuclear science
i technology
Testing and modelling of thermal, mechanical and
hydrogeologicai properties of host rocks for deep
geological disposal of radioactive waste
T& IT f Λ
i L
I
A European Commission
nuclear science
and technology
Testing and modelling of thermal,
mechanical and hydrogeological properties
of host rocks for deep geological disposal of
radioactive waste
Proceedings of a workshop held in Brussels
12-13 January 1995
Compiled by
B. Haijtink
European Commission
Rue de la Loi 200
B-1049 Brussels
R&D programme on management and storage of radioactive waste
Directorate-General
Science, Research and Development
1995 EUR 16219 EN LEGAL NOTICE
Neither the European Commission nor any person acting on
behalf of the Commission is responsible for the use which might be made of the
following information
Cataloguing data can be found at the end of this publication
Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 1995
ISBN 92-827-4548-1
© ECSC-EC-EAEC, Brussels · Luxembourg, 1995
Printed in Luxembourg Contents
Opening address
Session I: Argillaceous formations
Chairman: G. Rousset, G3S, Palaiseau (F)
THM characterisation of the Boom clay; Mine-by-test: eight years of geotechnical
measurements in and around the Test Drift.
D. de Bruyn, SCK/CEN, Mol (Β)
The thermo-hydro-mechanical aspects of the CERBERUS test: experimental results and
preliminary modelling.
L. Noynaert, G. Volckaert and P. de Cannière, SCK/CEN, Mol (Β)
Hydrous exchanges between underground atmosphere and disposal host rock; PHEBUS
project.
F. Plas and J.M. Palut, ANDRA, Fontenay-aux-Roses (F)
Testing and modelling of thermo-mechanical behaviour of clay. The CACTUS in-situ tests.
J.M. Picard, Β. Bazargan; G. Rousset, G3S, Palaiseau (F); F. Plas, ANDRA, Fontenay-aux-
Roses (F)
Hydro-thermo-mechanical and geochemical modelling of unsaturated swelling clay.
G. Volckaert, SCK/CEN, Mol (Β); Η. Thomas, UWCC, Cardiff (UK)
Interclay II. A coordinated benchmark exercise on the rheology of clays.
N.C. Knowles, WS Atkins Science and Technology, Epsom (UK)
Radioactive waste disposal in clays. A review of site characterisation, thermo-hydro-
mechanical effects and repository design.
F. Gera, ISMES, Rome (Ί)
Session II: Crystalline rocks
Chairman: J.D. Mather, Univ. London, Egham (UK)
An approach to the hydrogeological characterisation of hard fractured rock.
R.I. Jeffrey, M.A. Jones, Golder Associates, Nottingham (UK); A. Littleboy, UK Nirex Ltd,
Didcot (UK)
Experimental flow in a fracture to validate coupled chemical-thermo-hydromechanical
transport models for fractured media.
S. Gentier, P. Baranger, BRGM, Orleans (F); J. Riss, Univ. de Bordeaux, Talence (F);
L. Rouvreau, L. Bertrand, ANTEA, Orléans (F)
The international project DECOVALEX. Mathematical modelling of coupled THM processes
for nuclear waste repositories.
L. Dewiere, F. Plas, ANDRA, Fontenay-aux-Roses (F) Decovalex project: modelling of THM behaviour for fractured rocks.
J.C. Gros, A. Rejeb CEA/IPSN, Fontenay-aux-Roses (F)
A review of thermal, mechanical, and hydrogeologicai properties of hard, fractured rocks
(granite) for deep geological disposal of radioactive wastes.
B. Come, ANTEA, Orléans (F)
Session III: Saliferous formations
Chairman: E. Alonso, Univ. Politécnica de Catalunya, Barcelona (E)
Modelling of the thermo-mechanical behaviour of solid rocksalt and crushed salt.
J. Prij, L. Vons, ECN, Petten (NL); V. Graefe, T. Rothfuchs, GSF/IfT, Braunschweig (D)
Near field investigations in salt. CPPS and Permeability in situ Tests (Amélie Mine (MDPA)
- France).
M. Ghoreychi, G3S, Palaiseau (F)
Investigation and modelling of fluid release from rock salt at elevated temperature.
N. Jockwer, T. Rothfuchs, GSF/IfT, Braunschweig (D)
Review of R&D requirements on THM properties of salt.
M. Langer, BGR, Hannover (D)
Session TV: General discussion on future projects
Chairman: N. Chapman, Intera, Melton Mowbray (UK)
Summary recommendations for the contents and structure of THM projects with Nuclear
Fission Safety, Radioactive Waste Management programme.
N. Chapman, Intera, Melton Mowbray (UK)
List of participants
IV Opening address by
B. Haijtink, European Commission, Brussels (B)
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Good morning, I have the pleasure to welcome you here today on behalf of the
European Commission in Brussels to this workshop on "Testing and modelling of
thermal, mechanical and hydrogeological properties of host rocks for deep geological
disposal of radioactive waste".
As you know, the European Commission has supported in its subsequent R&D
programmes on Management and Storage of Radioactive Waste a number of research
activities dealing with the subject of this workshop.
Some of you may remember a first technical session we held in Brussels in April 1983
on rock mechanics entitled "Advance in laboratory sample testing". This was in the
middle of our second five-year programme 1980-1984. Now we are ten years later and
at the end of our 4th five-yeare 1990-1994 and at the beginning of a new
programme on Nuclear Fission Safety.
As the title of the technical session in 1983 indicates, at that time the main activities were
concentrated on testing at laboratories above ground, on rock samples taken from the
underground.
Since then, progress has been made by shifting the activities from sample testing to larger
in-situ field testing in underground facilities where available. In this context, a lot of
activities have been carried out on clay in the HADES faculty in the Boom clay at Mol
in Belgium, and on salt in the Asse salt mine in Germany and to a minor extent in the
Amélie potash mine in France. Moreover, field work is going on at the Sellafield site in
the United Kingdom for testing its suitability for hosting an underground repository for
low and intermediate level waste in the Borrowdale Volcanics Group. On some of these
recent activities, it will be reported upon during this workshop.
Apart from field testing the European Commission has supported modelling work. Here
I would like to remind you the two projects launched by the European Commission, resp.
COSA on salt and ESTTERCLAY on clay, and the participation in the international
project DECOVALEX on fractured media, launched by the Swedish Nuclear Power
Inspectorate. So you see a lot of activities have been performed and/or are ongoing.
It is therefore and also with a view to the preparation of the new programme that the
European Commission has commissioned a team of experts to review the THM related
activities and obtained data to be used for site characterisation, repository design and
construction and performance assessment. This review team was also asked to identify
needs for further research and to formulate recommendations for EC actions to be
possibly undertaken in the next programme. The findings of these experts will be
presented in the various sessions today and tomorrow and subject of discussion, in
particular in Session IV tomorrow afternoon.
v Session I
Argillaceous formations
Chairman
G. Rousset, G3S, Palaiseau (F)