A Thermomechanical Far-Field Model of Yucca Mountain

Technical Report · Mon Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1991

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/138096· OSTI ID:138096

Brandshaug, Terje ^[1]

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1. RE/SPEC, Inc., Albuquerque, NM (United States)

Thermal and mechanical finite element far-field models have been constructed for a potential repository site in the Topopah Spring Thermal/mechanical Unit at Yucca Mountain on the Nevada Test Site. The models reflect site-specific information that was available at the time of the study on the material properties and structural character of Yucca Mountain. The thermal model simulates transient heat transfer resulting from the emplacement of heat-generating nuclear waste in the repository. Simulation of boiling of the pore water is included in the model. The mechanical model simulates the tuff at Yucca Mountain as being an elastic/plastic, isotropic, heterogeneous continuum with one ubiquitous vertical joint set. The initial conditions of the mechanical model are based on a gravitational stress field. The model uses the temperatures predicted by the thermal finite element model as input to predict thermal stresses and displacements induced by the presence of the repository. Plasticity is incorporated in shear (fracture slip) and tension (fracture opening) by using a Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); RE/SPEC, Inc., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP00789
• OSTI ID: 138096
• Report Number(s): SAND--85-7101; ON: DE91012134
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
58 GEOSCIENCES
FINITE ELEMENT METHOD
GEOLOGY
HEAT TRANSFER
INTERSTITIAL WATER
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
PLASTICITY
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
SIMULATION
SITE CHARACTERIZATION
SPENT FUELS
STRATIGRAPHY
STRESS ANALYSIS
THERMAL STRESSES
TUFF
YUCCA MOUNTAIN
Yucca Mountain Project