Boom Clay is one of the potential host rocks for deep geological disposal of high-level radioactive nuclear waste in Belgium. In order to investigate the mechanism of hydraulic conductivity variation under complex the...Boom Clay is one of the potential host rocks for deep geological disposal of high-level radioactive nuclear waste in Belgium. In order to investigate the mechanism of hydraulic conductivity variation under complex thermo-mechanical coupling conditions and to better understand the thermo-hydromechanical(THM) coupling behaviour of Boom Clay, a series of permeability tests using temperaturecontrolled triaxial cell has been carried out on the Boom Clay samples taken from Belgian underground research laboratory(URL) HADES. Due to its sedimentary nature, Boom Clay presents acrossanisotropy with respect to its sub-horizontal bedding plane. Direct measurements of the vertical(Kv)and horizontal(Kh)hydraulic conductivities show that the hydraulic conductivity at 80℃ is about 2.4 times larger than that at room temperature(23℃), and the hydraulic conductivity variation with temperature is basically reversible during heatingecooling cycle. The anisotropic property of Boom Clay is studied by scanning electron microscope(SEM) tests, which highlight the transversely isotropic characteristics of intact Boom Clay. It is shown that the sub-horizontal bedding feature accounts for the horizontal permeability higher than the vertical one. The measured increment in hydraulic conductivity with temperature is lower than the calculated one when merely considering the changes in water kinematic viscosity and density with temperature. The nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR) tests have also been carried out to investigate the impact of microstructure variation on the THM properties of clay. The results show that heating under unconstrained boundary condition will produce larger size of pores and weaken the microstructure. The discrepancy between the hydraulic conductivity experimentally measured and predicted(considering water viscosity and density changes with temperature) can be attributed to the microstructural weakening effect on the thermal volume change behaviour of Boom Clay. Based on the experimental results, a hydraulic conductivity展开更多
In Belgium,the Boom clay was selected as a potential host formation for the disposal of high-level radioactive waste（HLW）.To demonstrate the suitability of Boom clay for bearing thermal load induced by the HLW,a lar...In Belgium,the Boom clay was selected as a potential host formation for the disposal of high-level radioactive waste（HLW）.To demonstrate the suitability of Boom clay for bearing thermal load induced by the HLW,a large-scale in-situ heater test,called PRACLAY heater test,will be conducted in the underground research laboratory（URL） in Mol.Owing to the limitations of the test（a short period of time compared with that considered in a real repository,different boundary conditions,etc.）,the test is designed to simulate,in a conservative way,the most critical state and phenomena that could occur in the host rock.The PRACLAY gallery was excavated at the end of 2007;the heating phase will begin in 2010 and will last for at least 10 years.The PRACLAY gallery itself leaves an opportunity to study the possibilities of sealing a disposal drift in Boom clay and testing the feasibility of hydraulic cut-off of any preferential pathway to the main access gallery through the excavation damage zone（EDZ） and the lining with a seal in a horizontal drift（horizontal seal）.Indeed,this is a generic problem for all deep geological disposal facilities for HLW.An annular seal made of compacted swelling bentonite will be installed in the front of the heated part of the PRACLAY gallery for these purposes.This paper provides detailed considerations on the thermo-hydro-mechanical（THM） boundary conditions for the design of the PRACLAY heater test and the seal test with the support of numerical calculations.It is believed that these important items considered in the PRACLAY heater test design also constitute key issues for the repository design.The outcome of the PRACLAY heater test will be an important milestone for the Belgian repository design.展开更多
In this paper, a critical state based thermo-elasto-plastic constitutive model is developed for destructured, naturally structured and artificially structured saturated clays. The model is an extension of the previous...In this paper, a critical state based thermo-elasto-plastic constitutive model is developed for destructured, naturally structured and artificially structured saturated clays. The model is an extension of the previously developed thermo-mechanical model by the authors for saturated clays, considering the effects of structure on the mechanical behaviors of the soil. It is based on change in the position of normal consolidation line(NCL) in a compression plane(e-ln p′) due to the soil’s structure and variation of temperature. The present model is able to simulate the mechanical behavior of structured saturated clays in a triaxial plane at elevated temperatures lower than the boiling point of water. An attempt has been made to use the lowest possible number of parameters compared with that of Came Clay model and to ensure that these new parameters have clear physical interpretations. The sufficiency of the model was verified by the test results on artificially and naturally structured soils using thermal triaxial tests.展开更多
A series of triaxial laboratory experiments are performed on thick-walled hollow cylindrical samples of boom clay.The aim of this testing program is to better understand the anisotropic deformation during the excavati...A series of triaxial laboratory experiments are performed on thick-walled hollow cylindrical samples of boom clay.The aim of this testing program is to better understand the anisotropic deformation during the excavation.The testing conditions are similar to those to be experienced by host rocks around disposal galleries for radioactive waste.X-ray computed tomography is performed at different steps for each test with the samples remaining inside the loading cell.Initial analysis of the tomography images allows of the observation of the deformation of the central hole.In addition,particles manual tracking and 3D volumetric digital image correlation processing methods are considered being used to analyze the particles displacements and the boundary deformation of the sample quantitatively.An unsymmetrical damaged zone is induced around the hole,with a reverse deformation trend being found at the boundary after unloading,which indicates that the significant anisotropic deformation of boom clay can be induced by mechanical unloading.展开更多
An overview of the recent findings about the chemo-hydro-mechanical behaviour of materials used for both geological and engineered barriers in nuclear waste disposal is presented, through some examples about the natur...An overview of the recent findings about the chemo-hydro-mechanical behaviour of materials used for both geological and engineered barriers in nuclear waste disposal is presented, through some examples about the natural Boom Clay （BC） and compacted bentonite-based materials. For the natural BC, it was found that compression index identified from both oedometer and isotropic compression tests is sim- ilar and the compressibility of BC from the Mol site is higher than that of BC from the Essen site： the shear strength of Mol BC is also higher than that of the Essen BC, suggesting a significant effect of carbo- nates content; the thermal volume change is strongly overconsolidation ratio （OCR） dependent-low OCR values promote thermal contraction while high OCR values favour thermal dilation; the volume change behaviour is also strongly time dependent and this time dependent behaviour is governed by the stress level and temperature; the effect of pore-water salinity on the volume change behaviour can be signif- icant when the smectite content is relatively high. For the bentonite-based materials, it was found that thermal contraction also occurs at low OCR values, but this is suction dependent--suction promotes ther- mal dilation. Under constant volume conditions, wetting results in a decrease of hydraulic conductivity, followed by an increase. This is found to be related to changes in macro-pores size-wetting induces a decrease of macro-pores size, followed by an increase due to the aggregates fissuring. The presence of technological voids can increase the hydraulic conductivity but does not influence the swelling pressure.展开更多
Boom clay formation is a potential natural host rock for geological disposal of high-level nuclear waste in Belgium.Heating pulse tests with controlled power supply（maximum temperature was limited to 85℃） and contr...Boom clay formation is a potential natural host rock for geological disposal of high-level nuclear waste in Belgium.Heating pulse tests with controlled power supply（maximum temperature was limited to 85℃） and controlled hydraulic boundary conditions were performed under nearly constant volume conditions to study the impact of thermal loading on the clay formation.Selected test results of intact borehole samples retrieved in horizontal direction are presented and discussed.The study focuses on the time evolution of temperature and pore water pressure changes along heating and cooling paths,i.e.pore pressure build-up during quasi-undrained heating and later dissipation at constant temperature.展开更多
基金financial support of the National Science Foundation for Distinguished Young Scholars (Grant No. 51225902)Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 51479190)EURIDICE (European Underground Research Infrastructure for Disposal of Nuclear Waste in Clay Environment, Mol, Belgium) for the work presented in this paper
文摘Boom Clay is one of the potential host rocks for deep geological disposal of high-level radioactive nuclear waste in Belgium. In order to investigate the mechanism of hydraulic conductivity variation under complex thermo-mechanical coupling conditions and to better understand the thermo-hydromechanical(THM) coupling behaviour of Boom Clay, a series of permeability tests using temperaturecontrolled triaxial cell has been carried out on the Boom Clay samples taken from Belgian underground research laboratory(URL) HADES. Due to its sedimentary nature, Boom Clay presents acrossanisotropy with respect to its sub-horizontal bedding plane. Direct measurements of the vertical(Kv)and horizontal(Kh)hydraulic conductivities show that the hydraulic conductivity at 80℃ is about 2.4 times larger than that at room temperature(23℃), and the hydraulic conductivity variation with temperature is basically reversible during heatingecooling cycle. The anisotropic property of Boom Clay is studied by scanning electron microscope(SEM) tests, which highlight the transversely isotropic characteristics of intact Boom Clay. It is shown that the sub-horizontal bedding feature accounts for the horizontal permeability higher than the vertical one. The measured increment in hydraulic conductivity with temperature is lower than the calculated one when merely considering the changes in water kinematic viscosity and density with temperature. The nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR) tests have also been carried out to investigate the impact of microstructure variation on the THM properties of clay. The results show that heating under unconstrained boundary condition will produce larger size of pores and weaken the microstructure. The discrepancy between the hydraulic conductivity experimentally measured and predicted(considering water viscosity and density changes with temperature) can be attributed to the microstructural weakening effect on the thermal volume change behaviour of Boom Clay. Based on the experimental results, a hydraulic conductivity
文摘In Belgium,the Boom clay was selected as a potential host formation for the disposal of high-level radioactive waste（HLW）.To demonstrate the suitability of Boom clay for bearing thermal load induced by the HLW,a large-scale in-situ heater test,called PRACLAY heater test,will be conducted in the underground research laboratory（URL） in Mol.Owing to the limitations of the test（a short period of time compared with that considered in a real repository,different boundary conditions,etc.）,the test is designed to simulate,in a conservative way,the most critical state and phenomena that could occur in the host rock.The PRACLAY gallery was excavated at the end of 2007;the heating phase will begin in 2010 and will last for at least 10 years.The PRACLAY gallery itself leaves an opportunity to study the possibilities of sealing a disposal drift in Boom clay and testing the feasibility of hydraulic cut-off of any preferential pathway to the main access gallery through the excavation damage zone（EDZ） and the lining with a seal in a horizontal drift（horizontal seal）.Indeed,this is a generic problem for all deep geological disposal facilities for HLW.An annular seal made of compacted swelling bentonite will be installed in the front of the heated part of the PRACLAY gallery for these purposes.This paper provides detailed considerations on the thermo-hydro-mechanical（THM） boundary conditions for the design of the PRACLAY heater test and the seal test with the support of numerical calculations.It is believed that these important items considered in the PRACLAY heater test design also constitute key issues for the repository design.The outcome of the PRACLAY heater test will be an important milestone for the Belgian repository design.
文摘In this paper, a critical state based thermo-elasto-plastic constitutive model is developed for destructured, naturally structured and artificially structured saturated clays. The model is an extension of the previously developed thermo-mechanical model by the authors for saturated clays, considering the effects of structure on the mechanical behaviors of the soil. It is based on change in the position of normal consolidation line(NCL) in a compression plane(e-ln p′) due to the soil’s structure and variation of temperature. The present model is able to simulate the mechanical behavior of structured saturated clays in a triaxial plane at elevated temperatures lower than the boiling point of water. An attempt has been made to use the lowest possible number of parameters compared with that of Came Clay model and to ensure that these new parameters have clear physical interpretations. The sufficiency of the model was verified by the test results on artificially and naturally structured soils using thermal triaxial tests.
基金supported by Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (No.FRF-TP-14-033A1)TIMODAZ project as part of the sixth EURATOM framework programme for nuclear research and training activities (2002–2006)The Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology of the CHUV and the collaboration with Laboratoire 3S-R,Grenoble are gratefully acknowledged
文摘A series of triaxial laboratory experiments are performed on thick-walled hollow cylindrical samples of boom clay.The aim of this testing program is to better understand the anisotropic deformation during the excavation.The testing conditions are similar to those to be experienced by host rocks around disposal galleries for radioactive waste.X-ray computed tomography is performed at different steps for each test with the samples remaining inside the loading cell.Initial analysis of the tomography images allows of the observation of the deformation of the central hole.In addition,particles manual tracking and 3D volumetric digital image correlation processing methods are considered being used to analyze the particles displacements and the boundary deformation of the sample quantitatively.An unsymmetrical damaged zone is induced around the hole,with a reverse deformation trend being found at the boundary after unloading,which indicates that the significant anisotropic deformation of boom clay can be induced by mechanical unloading.
文摘An overview of the recent findings about the chemo-hydro-mechanical behaviour of materials used for both geological and engineered barriers in nuclear waste disposal is presented, through some examples about the natural Boom Clay （BC） and compacted bentonite-based materials. For the natural BC, it was found that compression index identified from both oedometer and isotropic compression tests is sim- ilar and the compressibility of BC from the Mol site is higher than that of BC from the Essen site： the shear strength of Mol BC is also higher than that of the Essen BC, suggesting a significant effect of carbo- nates content; the thermal volume change is strongly overconsolidation ratio （OCR） dependent-low OCR values promote thermal contraction while high OCR values favour thermal dilation; the volume change behaviour is also strongly time dependent and this time dependent behaviour is governed by the stress level and temperature; the effect of pore-water salinity on the volume change behaviour can be signif- icant when the smectite content is relatively high. For the bentonite-based materials, it was found that thermal contraction also occurs at low OCR values, but this is suction dependent--suction promotes ther- mal dilation. Under constant volume conditions, wetting results in a decrease of hydraulic conductivity, followed by an increase. This is found to be related to changes in macro-pores size-wetting induces a decrease of macro-pores size, followed by an increase due to the aggregates fissuring. The presence of technological voids can increase the hydraulic conductivity but does not influence the swelling pressure.
基金support provided by EIG EURIDICE/SCK.CEN(Belgium)through a PhD collaboration project with International Centre for Numerical Methods in Engineering(CIMNE,Spain)
文摘Boom clay formation is a potential natural host rock for geological disposal of high-level nuclear waste in Belgium.Heating pulse tests with controlled power supply（maximum temperature was limited to 85℃） and controlled hydraulic boundary conditions were performed under nearly constant volume conditions to study the impact of thermal loading on the clay formation.Selected test results of intact borehole samples retrieved in horizontal direction are presented and discussed.The study focuses on the time evolution of temperature and pore water pressure changes along heating and cooling paths,i.e.pore pressure build-up during quasi-undrained heating and later dissipation at constant temperature.
