Testing Advanced Sealants to Address Wellbore Seepage of Co2 Behind Casing at the Mont Terri Underground Research Laboratory

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Harvey Goodman ◽  
Tony Espie ◽  
Christian Minnig ◽  
Ursula Rösli ◽  
Jocelyn Gisiger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Research Laboratory ◽  
Mont Terri ◽  
Underground Research Laboratory

scholarly journals Impact of the heterogeneity of the sandy Opalinus clay facies at the Mont Terri underground research laboratory on radionuclide migration

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 141-142
Author(s):  
Naila Ait-Mouheb ◽  
Yuankai Yang ◽  
Luc R. Van Loon ◽  
Martin A. Glaus ◽  
Guido Deissmann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Research Laboratory ◽  
Radioactive Wastes ◽  
Coupled Processes ◽  
Opalinus Clay ◽  
Nuclear Waste Repository ◽  
Radionuclide Transport ◽  
Mont Terri ◽  
Underground Research Laboratory ◽  
Host Rocks ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. The assessment of the safety of a deep geological repository (DGR) for high-level radioactive wastes over assessment time scales of up to 1 million years requires an in-depth understanding of the multi-scale coupled processes that affect the repository system evolution over time, to reduce uncertainties and conservatism in safety analyses. This is in particular required with respect to the challenges of a comparative assessment of different repository concepts in different host rocks within the process of a site selection for a DGR for heat-generating radioactive wastes in Germany. The collaborative project “Integrity of nuclear waste repository systems – Cross-scale system understanding and analysis (iCross)” conducted jointly by five research centres of the Helmholtz Association and co-funded by the Initiative and Networking Fund of the Helmholtz Association and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) has been initiated with the overall objective to improve the understanding of coupled thermal-hydraulic-mechanical-chemical-(micro)biological (THMCB) processes and to develop simulation tools that enable a holistic close to reality description of the long-term evolution of the repository system. Geological formations, such as those foreseen as potential host rocks for DGRs, and their surroundings are heterogeneous on various length scales ranging from nanometers to kilometers. Therefore, the aim of this work in the context of iCross is to evaluate the effects of mineralogical, geochemical and microstructural heterogeneities of repository host rocks on radionuclide transport in the repository far field, using the sandy facies of the Opalinus clay (SF-OPA) from the Mont Terri underground research laboratory (St. Ursanne, Switzerland) as an example. Here, we address in particular the migration behaviour of Ra-226 as an important radionuclide to be considered in safety cases for deep geological disposal of spent nuclear fuel. To assess the impact of the heterogeneities in SF-OPA on radionuclide transport, a complementary approach combining microstructural characterisation methods, experimental techniques for the determination of transport parameters of the rock matrix and the mobility of Ra-226 with innovative developments in reactive transport modelling on the pore and continuum scales was pursued. One of the results was that although the limited clay content in SF-OPA decreases the total amount of Ra bound to the illite phase, the solid solutions of sulphate and carbonate compensate for this and provide a major fixation mechanism.

scholarly journals Large Rock Mass Experimentation @ Mont Terri Underground Research Laboratory – CO2 Containment Assurance Experiments

2017 ◽  
Vol 114 ◽  
pp. 5139-5150 ◽  
Author(s):  
H.E. Goodman ◽  
S.W. Imbus ◽  
T. Espie ◽  
C. Minnig ◽  
U. Rösli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rock Mass ◽  
Research Laboratory ◽  
Mont Terri ◽  
Underground Research Laboratory

scholarly journals In-situ diffusion of HTO, 22Na+, Cs+ and I- in Opalinus Clay at the Mont Terri underground rock laboratory

2004 ◽  
Vol 92 (9-11) ◽  
Author(s):  
Luc R. Van Loon ◽  
P. Wersin ◽  
J. M. Soler ◽  
J. Eikenberg ◽  
Th. Gimmi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Research Laboratory ◽  
Opalinus Clay ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Diffusion Data ◽  
Rock Laboratory ◽  
In Situ Diffusion ◽  
Mont Terri ◽  
Underground Research Laboratory ◽  
Diffusion Properties

SummaryThe diffusion properties of the Opalinus Clay were studied in the underground research laboratory at Mont Terri (Canton Jura, Switzerland) and the results were compared with diffusion data measured in the laboratory on small-scale samples. The diffusion of HTO,

Low Alkaline Cement Used in the Construction of a Gallery in the Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masashi Nakayama ◽  
Haruo Sato ◽  
Yutaka Sugita ◽  
Seiji Ito ◽  
Masashi Minamide ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fly Ash ◽  
Research Laboratory ◽  
Concrete Lining ◽  
Energy Agency ◽  
Tunnel Support ◽  
Long Term Stability ◽  
Alkaline Conditions ◽  
High Level ◽  
Underground Research Laboratory

In Japan, any high level radioactive waste (HLW) repository is to be constructed at over 300 m depth below surface. Tunnel support is used for safety during the construction and operation, and shotcrete and concrete lining are used as the tunnel support. Concrete is a composite material comprised of aggregate, cement and various admixtures. Low alkaline cement has been developed for the long term stability of the barrier systems whose performance could be negatively affected by highly alkaline conditions arising due to cement used in a repository. Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) has developed a low alkaline cement, named as HFSC (Highly Fly-ash Contained Silicafume Cement), containing over 60 wt% of silica-fume (SF) and fly-ash (FA). HFSC was used experimentally as the shotcrete material in construction of part of the 140m deep gallery in the Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory (URL). The objective of this experiment was to assess the performance of HFSC shotcrete in terms of mechanics, workability, durability, and so on. HFSC used in this experiment is composed of 40 wt% OPC (Ordinary Portland Cement), 20 wt% SF, and 40 wt% FA. This composition was determined based on mechanical testing of various mixes of the above components. Because of the low OPC content, the strength of HFSC tends to be lower than that of OPC. The total length of tunnel using HFSC shotcrete is about 73 m and about 500 m3 of HFSC was used. The workability of HFSC shotcrete was confirmed in this experimental construction.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document