Predictive and inverse modeling of a radionuclide diffusion experiment in crystalline rock at ONKALO (Finland)

Soler, J. M.*; Keklinen, P.*; Pulkkanen, V.-M.*; Moreno, L.*; Iraola, A.*; Trinchero, P.*; Hokr, M.*; ha, J.*; Havlov, V.*; Trpkoov, D.*; et al.

Nuclear Technology, 209(11), p.1765 - 1784, 2023/11

https://doi.org/10.1080/00295450.2023.2209234

Predictive modeling of a simple field matrix diffusion experiment addressing radionuclide transport in fractured rock. Is it so straightforward?

Soler, J. M.*; Neretnieks, I.*; Moreno, L.*; Liu, L.*; Meng, S.*; Svensson, U.*; Iraola, A.*; Ebrahimi, K.*; Trinchero, P.*; Molinero, J.*; et al.

Nuclear Technology, 208(6), p.1059 - 1073, 2022/06

https://doi.org/10.1080/00295450.2021.1988822

The SKB Task Force is an international forum on modelling of groundwater flow and solute transport in fractured rock. The WPDE experiments are matrix diffusion experiments in gneiss performed at the ONKALO underground facility in Finland. Synthetic groundwater containing several conservative and sorbing tracers was injected along a borehole interval. The objective of Task 9A was the predictive modelling of the tracer breakthrough curves from the WPDE experiments. Several teams, using different modelling approaches and codes, participated in this exercise. An important conclusion from this exercise is that the modelling results were very sensitive to the magnitude of dispersion in the borehole opening, which is related to the flow of water. Focusing on the tails of the breakthrough curves, which are more directly related to matrix diffusion and sorption, the results from the different teams were more comparable.

Evaluation report of Task 9B based on comparisons and analyses of modelling results for the sp HRL LTDE-SD experiments

Soler, J. M.*; Meng, S.*; Moreno, L.*; Neretnieks, I.*; Liu, L.*; Keklinen, P.*; Hokr, M.*; ha, J.*; Vetenk, A.*; Reimitz, D.*; et al.

SKB TR-20-17, 71 Pages, 2021/07

Task 9B of the SKB Task Force on Modelling of Groundwater Flow and Transport of Solutes in fractured rock focused on the modelling of experimental results from the LTDE-SD in situ tracer test performed at the sp Hard Rock Laboratory in Sweden. Ten different modelling teams provided results for this exercise, using different concepts and codes. Three main types of modelling approaches were used: (1) analytical solutions to the transport-retention equations, (2) continuum-porous-medium numerical models, and (3) microstructure-based models accounting for small-scale heterogeneity (i.e. mineral grains and microfracture distributions). The modelling by the different teams allowed the comparison of many different model concepts, especially in terms of potential zonations of rock properties (porosity, diffusion, sorption), such as the presence of a disturbed zone at the rock and fracture surface, the potential effects of micro- and cm-scale fractures.

3D geostatistical modeling of fracture system in a granitic massif to characterize hydraulic properties and fracture distribution

Koike, Katsuaki*; Kubo, Taiki*; Liu, C.*; Masoud, A.*; Amano, Kenji; Kurihara, Arata*; Matsuoka, Toshiyuki; Lanyon, B.*

Tectonophysics, 660, p.1 - 16, 2015/10

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tecto.2015.06.008

This study integrates 3D models of rock fractures from different sources and hydraulic properties aimed at identifying relationships between fractures and permeability. A geostatistical method (GEOFRAC) that can incorporate orientations of sampled data was applied to 50,900 borehole fractures for spatial modeling of fractures over a 12 km by 8 km area, to a depth of 1.5 km. GEOFRAC produced a plausible 3D fracture model, in that the orientations of simulated fractures correspond to those of the sample data and the continuous fractures appeared near a known fault. Small-scale fracture distributions with dominant orientations were also characterized around the two shafts using fracture data from the shaft walls. By integrating the 3D model of hydraulic conductivity using sequential Gaussian simulation with the GEOFRAC fractures from the borehole data, the fracture sizes and directions that strongly affect permeable features were identified.

Development of comprehensive techniques for coastal site characterisation, 3; Conceptualisation of long-term geosphere evolution

Niizato, Tadafumi; Amano, Kenji; Ota, Kunio; Kunimaru, Takanori; Lanyon, B.*; Alexander, W. R.*

Proceedings of 13th International Conference on Environmental Remediation and Radioactive Waste Management (ICEM 2010) (CD-ROM), p.97 - 106, 2010/10

https://doi.org/10.1115/ICEM2010-40052

A critical issue for building confidence in the long-term safety of geological disposal is to demonstrate the stability of the geosphere, taking into account its likely future evolution. This study aims to establish comprehensive techniques for characterising the overall evolution of coastal sites through studying the palaeohydrogeological evolution in the coastal system around the Horonobe area, Hokkaido, northern Japan. Information on natural events and processes related to the palaeohydrogelogical evolution of the area have been integrated into the conceptual models that indicates the temporal and spatial sequences of the events and processes, such as climatic and sea-level changes, palaeogeography, and geomorphological and geological evolution in the area. The methodology will be applied to other analogous coastal areas on Japan to produce comprehensive techniques to support understanding the geosphere evolution of potential coastal sites for the repositories.

Evaluation of the palaeohydrogeological evolution of the coastal site at Horonobe, 1; Project overview

Ota, Kunio; Amano, Kenji; Niizato, Tadafumi; Alexander, W. R.*; Lanyon, B.*

no journal, , 

Any assessment of repository safety will require development of a set of analyses and arguments to demonstrate the persistence of the safety functions of the geological environment for a long period of time. To this end, palaeohydrogeology can be used as a powerful tool in modelling temporal changes of various characteristics of a site over geological time, up to the present. This model will be used to define the likely site evolution and to assess the persistence of the safety functions into the future. Study is ongoing, focussing on the palaeohydrogeology of the coastal area around Horonobe in northern Hokkaido, with the main aim of establishing comprehensive techniques for characterising the coastal geological environment. A basic strategy for stepwise investigations has been established and a conceptual model for the geological and hydrogeological site evolution developed. The strategy will be optimised through specifying key issues and evaluating uncertainties based on this model.

SKB GWFTS task force; Predictive modeling of a matrix diffusion experiment in gneiss at ONKALO (Finland)

Soler, J. M.*; Lfgren, M.*; Nilsson, K.*; Lanyon, G. W.*; Gylling, B.*; Vidstrand, P.*; Neretnieks, I.*; Moreno, L.*; Liu, L.*; Meng, S.*; et al.

no journal, , 

The GWFTS Task Force is an international forum in the area of modeling of groundwater flow and solute transport in fractured rock. The WPDE experiments are matrix diffusion experiments in gneiss performed at the ONKALO underground facility in Finland. Synthetic groundwater containing several conservative and sorbing radiotracers was injected along a borehole interval. The objective of Task 9A of Task Force was the predictive modeling of the tracer breakthrough curves from the WPDE experiments. Several teams, using different modeling approaches, participated in this exercise. An important conclusion from this exercise is that the modeling results were very sensitive to the magnitude of dispersion in the borehole opening, which is related to the flow of water. Focusing on the tails of the breakthrough curves, which are more directly related to matrix diffusion and sorption, the results from the different teams were more comparable.