Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-wzw2p Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-30T17:01:33.392Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Importance of the Excavation Damaged Zone (EDZ) in the General Performance of the Near-Field of a Geological Disposal System; Input of the EDZ Component to the EC Integrated Project on the Near-Field (NF-PRO)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 March 2011

Jean François Aranyossy ,
Peter Blümling ,
Hans Joachim Alheid ,
Maarten Van Geet ,
Juan Carlos Mayor ,
Paul Marschall  and
Frederic Plas
Jean François Aranyossy
Affiliation:
Agence nationale pour la gestion des déchets radioactifs (Andra) Parc de la Croix Blanche, F-92298 Châtenay-Malabry, France
Peter Blümling
Affiliation:
National Cooperative for the Disposal of Radioactive Waste (Nagra) Hardstrasse, 73, CH-5430 Wettingen, Switzerland
Hans Joachim Alheid
Affiliation:
Bundesanstalt für Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe (BGR) Stilleweg 2, PO box 510153, 30631 Hannover, Germany
Maarten Van Geet
Affiliation:
Studiecentrum voor Kernenergie - Centre d'étude de l'énergie nucléaire (SCK•CEN) Waste & Disposal Department, Boeretang 200, B-2400 Mol, Belgium
Juan Carlos Mayor
Affiliation:
Empresa Nacional de Residuos Radiactivos S.A (Enresa) Emilio Vargas, 7, 28043 Madrid, Spain
Paul Marschall
Affiliation:
National Cooperative for the Disposal of Radioactive Waste (Nagra) Hardstrasse, 73, CH-5430 Wettingen, Switzerland
Frederic Plas
Affiliation:
Agence nationale pour la gestion des déchets radioactifs (Andra) Parc de la Croix Blanche, F-92298 Châtenay-Malabry, France
Get access

Abstract

In order to tackle the particular issues presented by the existence of an Excavation Damaged Zone (EDZ) along disposal cells and tunnels and the subsequent potential occurrence of preferential flow paths and radionuclide migration, a specific Component on the EDZ has been incorporated into the EC Integrated Project on the Near-Field (NF-PRO)1. This Component is organised into several Work Packages matching the foreseeable EDZ evolution during the repository lifetime: (i) the “initial phase”, corresponding to EDZ development induced by underground excavations and rock stress release; (ii) the “transient phase”, corresponding to the repository operating phase, mainly characterised by desaturation, temperature increase and resaturation processes; (iii) the “long-term phase”, corresponding to the post-closure repository period, mainly characterised by EDZ self-sealing / self-healing and gas transport processes.

The scientific results obtained through the numerous tasks included in the Component cover various aspects of EDZ investigation (desk studies, experimental work on representative rock samples, in situ experiments in URLs, numerical modelling) and are integrated into a global EDZ impact evaluation to be forwarded to the Component of the project devoted to process coupling and integration in the general performance assessment of the near-field.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 932: Symposium – Scientific Basis for Nuclear Waste Management XXIX , 2006 , 127.1
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2006

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

[1] Bossart, P., Trick, T., Meier, P.M., Mayor, J.C. (2004). Structural and hydrogeological characterization of the excavation disturbed zone in the Opalinus Clay (Mont Terri Project, Switzerland), Applied Clay Science 26 (2004) 429–448.Google Scholar
[2] Blümling, P., Bernier, F., Lebon, P., Martin, D. (2005). The Excavation-Damaged Zone in clay formations - time-dependent behaviour and influence on performance assessment. Proc. Meeting on Clays in natural & Engineered Barriers for Radioactive Waste Confinement, Tours (March 2005). Submitted to Physics and Chemistry of the Earth (Elsevier, ed.)Google Scholar
[3] European Commission (2003). Impact of the excavation disturbed or damaged zone (EDZ) on the performance of radioactive waste geological repositories, Proceedings of a European Commission Cluster conference and workshop, Luxembourg, 3 to 5 November 2003. EUR 21028 ENGoogle Scholar
[4] Delay, J., Krieguer, J.M., Vinsot, A., Rebours, H., Armand, G. (2005). Underground experimental program at the Meuse/Haute-marne Underground research Laboratory, North Eastern France. Proc. Meeting on Clays in natural & Engineered barriers for radioactive Waste Confinement, Tours (March 2005). Submitted to Physics and Chemistry of the Earth (Elsevier, ed.)Google Scholar
[5] Zhang, C. & Rothfuchs, T. (2004). Experimental study of the hydro-mechanical behaviour of the Callovo-Oxfordian argillite, Applied Clay Science, 26, 325–336.Google Scholar
[6] Mayor, J. C., Velasco, M., García-Siñeriz, J. L. (2005) - Ventilation experiment in the Mont-Terri Underground Laboratory. Proc. Meeting on Clays in natural & Engineered Barriers for Radioactive Waste Confinement, Tours (March 2005). Submitted to Physics and Chemistry of the Earth (Elsevier, ed.)Google Scholar
[7] Gens, A., Guimareas, L. do, N., Garcia-Mollina, A., Alonso, E.E. (2002). Factors controlling rock-clay buffer interaction in a radioactive waste repository, Engineering Geology 64, 297–308.Google Scholar