Clay Hydration, Drying, and Cracking in Nuclear Waste Repositories

Lead Research Organisation: British Geological Survey
Department Name: Minerals & Waste

Abstract

The design of geologic repositories for high-level waste (HLW) and spent nuclear fuel (SNF) remains an incompletely resolved question in the nuclear fuel cycle despite significant advances over the last several decades. A key theme in current designs is the multibarrier concept, whereby several layers of barrier materials, from canisters to EBS to low-permeability host rock, ensure the isolation of the waste. An important role is played by the Engineered Barrier System (EBS), which must maintain adequate sealing capacity (i.e., low hydraulic permeability, mechanical integrity) around the waste canisters for durations of thousands of years while exposed to (i) large thermal gradients caused by heat released by the waste; (ii) large geochemical gradients due to corrosion and ion-exchange reactions at the canister-EBS and EBS-host rock interfaces; and (iii) large geomechanical gradients driven by capillary stresses associated with the initial EBS rehydration, water evaporation and, later, with the possible generation of gases at the canister-EBS interface through corrosion and hydrolysis reactions. The objective of this project is to develop a new multi-scale simulation approach to predict the coupled thermal-hydrologic-mechanical-chemical (THMC) evolution of an engineered clay barrier in the near field of a geological repository for HLW and SNF.

Publications

10 25 50
 
Title Design of a novel symmetrical constant volume, swelling and flow apparatus 
Description Design of a new experimental system able to simultaneously measure the swelling and permeability properties of engineered barrier clays. This apparatus will enable testing of multiple samples in parallel producing larger datasets than previously possible. As the UK pivots towards a mudrock hosted radioactive waste repository, the capacity to conduct such testing is becoming increasing important. 
Type Of Material Improvements to research infrastructure 
Year Produced 2023 
Provided To Others? No  
Impact This new design has already been incorporated into a new project with Nuclear Waste Services, currently charged with the development of a UK geological facility for the disposal of radioactive waste, thereby reducing costs for this public sector organisation. This work needs to be delivered on a short timescale in order to meet the UK timeline, and this technique has helped to make that possible. 
 
Description Visiting post-doctoral student from Princeton 
Organisation Princeton University
Country United States 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Previous project work was presented by each organisation, results discussed and an initial test program agreed.
Collaborator Contribution BGS is tasked with providing new experimental data for model development and calibration by Princeton.
Impact None - too early in the project timeline.
Start Year 2023