ASSESSMENT OF HIGH-TEMPERATURE COUPLED EFFECTS IN MODELLING COMPACTED BENTONITES FOR NUCLEAR WASTE DISPOSAL

Gema URRACA, Ángel YUSTRES, Vicente NAVARRO, Laura ASENSIO

Abstract

The aim of this study is to examine thermo-hydro-mechanical and thermo-hydro-chemical effects in modelling bentonite at temperatures exceeding 100ºC. For this purpose, two numerical tools using a double porosity approach are used. The inspection case is a bench-scale experiment with Wyoming bentonite. The results of both exercises contribute to enhance the understanding of thermal coupled effects in bentonites at high temperatures under repository conditions, and highlight the advisability of including fully coupled THCM (thermo-hydro-chemo-mechanical) effects in future modelling.

Keywords

nuclear waste disposal, bentonite, double porosity model, multiphysics coupled modelling
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