Analysis of the mine-by experiment, climax granite, Nevada test site

Technical Report · Mon Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1981

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6137091· OSTI ID:6137091

Heuze, F E; Butkovich, T R; Peterson, J C

The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) is conducting a generic test of retrievable geologic storage of nuclear spent fuel assemlbies, in an underground chamber, at the Nevada Test Site, Nye County, Nevada. This generic test is located 420 m below the surface, in the Climax granitic stock. Eleven canisters of spent fuel approximately 2.5 years out of reactor core (about 1.6 kW/canister thermal output) are now emplaced in a storage drift, along with 6 electrical heaters which simulate fuel canisters. Two adjacent drifts contain other electrical heaters, which will be operated to simulate the thermal field of a large repository. An analysis of the mine-by at SFT-C was performed by means of refined finite element models using the JPLAXD code (Jointed, PLane and AXisymmetric, Dilatant). The input for the new models was derived from our field program, which is reported separately. Stress results obtained by modeling methods are compared. All models show that, during mining of the center drift, all caverns close vertically, and the center drift closes horizontally. The walls of the two heater drifts move toward the center drift, with a slight opening or a slight closing of the heater drifts, depending upon the geology. All calculations show both pillars expanding laterally during mine-by. The field-reported lateral contraction of the pillars leads to the very suspicious conclusion that the pillars end up in a state of tension. The field-reported values from horizontal MPEs and horizontal tapes appear to be inconsistent with each other. (DMC)

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 6137091
• Report Number(s): UCRL-53133; ON: DE81028902
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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DEFORMATION
ENERGY SOURCES
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