Analysis of geomechanical behavior for the drift scale test
The Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Project is conducting a drift scale heater test, known as the Drift Scale Test (DST), in an alcove of the Exploratory Studies Facility at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. The DST is a large-scale, long-term thermal test designed to investigate coupled thermal-mechanical-hydrological-chemical behavior in a fractured, welded tuff rock mass. The general layout of the DST is shown in Figure 1a, along with the locations of several of the boreholes being used to monitor deformation during the test. Electric heaters are being used to heat a planar region of rock that is approximately 50 m long and 27 m wide for 4 years, followed by 4 years of cooling. Both in-drift and ''wing'' heaters are being used to heat the rock. The heating portion of the DST was started in December, 1997, and the target drift wall temperature of 200 C was reached in summer 2000. A drift-scale distinct element model (DSDE) is being used to analyze the geomechanical response of the rock mass forming the DST. The distinct element method was chosen to permit explicit modeling of fracture deformations. Shear deformations and normal mode opening of fractures are expected to increase fracture permeability and thereby alter thermal-hydrologic behavior in the DST. This paper will describe the DSDE model and present preliminary results, including comparison of simulated and observed deformations, at selected locations within the test.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- US Department of Energy (US)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- OSTI ID:
- 15005970
- Report Number(s):
- UCRL-JC-141552; TRN: US0400189
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 2001 International High-Level Radioactive Waste Management Conference, Las Vegas, NV (US), 04/29/2001--05/03/2001; Other Information: PBD: 17 Nov 2000
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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