Clay-rock fracturing risk assessment under high gas pressures in repository systems

Research output: Contribution to journalConference articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Mostafa Mollaali - , Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (Author)
  • Jörg Buchwald - , Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Freiberg University of Mining and Technology (Author)
  • Vanessa Montoya - , Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (Author)
  • Olaf Kolditz - , Chair of Applied Environmental Systems Analysis, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (Author)
  • Keita Yoshioka - , Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, University of Manitoba (Author)

Abstract

At the interface between the steel canister and the bentonite in a nuclear waste repository, we expect generation of hydrogen gas because of corrosion processes. The pressurized gas might fracture the engineered or natural clay barrier system, enhancing radionuclide transport into the geosphere. To assess the long-term integrity of the clay host rock under various conditions and scenarios, we need a large number of numerical simulations. However, a simulation tool for complex fracture propagation is often prohibitively expensive to run many realizations. Here, we developed a risk analysis tool based on the Design of Experiments to overcome the computational challenges by generating a computationally inexpensive proxy fracture model using a set of critical factors known as heavy hitters. We provided parameters and their probability distributions that are subject to uncertainty, as well as an objective function that assesses the risk of fracturing due to high gas pressures. Through various scenarios, we found that the fracture toughness dominates the impact on the risk.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number012120
JournalIOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science
Volume1124
Issue number1
Publication statusPublished - 2023
Peer-reviewedYes

Conference

TitleEurock 2022 Symposium: Rock and Fracture Mechanics in Rock Engineering and Mining
Duration11 - 15 September 2022
CityHelsinki
CountryFinland