Report on laboratory scale thermally-coupled processes experiments
Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Project (YMP) is studying Yucca Mountain, Nevada as a potential repository for high-level nuclear wastes. The studies include predictions of the quantity and composition of water in the repository near-field environment that will affect the release rate of radioactive nuclides from waste packages, and the transport of the nuclides through the rock mass adjacent to these packages. The radioactive decay heat from the high- level nuclear waste may increase the temperature in the rock mass to the extent that coupled thermal-mechanical-hydrological-chemical (TMHC) processes may exist in the originally -partially-saturated Topopah Spring tuff-the host rock for the potential repository in Yucca Mountain. Modeling the coupled TMHC processes is necessary to predict the quantity and quality of water in the near-field environment for the entire life span of a repository (tens of thousands of years). In situ thermal tests are required to build up the confidence level of the coupled TMHC models. The purposes of conducting the laboratory studies of the coupled TMHC processes are to enhance our understanding of those processes, and to assist the interpretation of the field test results. Laboratory experiments deal with controlled experimental and boundary conditions, smaller sample sizes, and simpler geometrical configurations (e.g., regular shape and single fracture). These characteristics make the laboratory results suitable for understanding the processes. This in turn will make incorporation of these processes in model calculations more manageable. However, it should be noted that small sample size and simple geometrical configuration make the results of the laboratory tests unsuitable for direct use in predicting behaviors of in situ rock mass. The laboratory tests included in this reporting period are summarized below, along with projection of future work. This report fulfills the level 4 Milestone ID: SPL7A5M4.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- OSTI ID:
- 305961
- Report Number(s):
- UCRL-ID--129843; ON: DE98057737; CNN: W-7405-Eng-48
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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