Post-earthquake rapid resealing of bedrock flow-paths by concretion-forming resin

Yoshida, Hidekazu*; Yamamoto, Koshi*; Asahara, Yoshihiro*; Maruyama, Ippei*; Karukaya, Koichi*; Saito, Akane*; Matsui, Hiroya; Mochizuki, Akihito; Jo, Mayumi*; Katsuta, Nagayoshi*; et al.

Communications Engineering (Internet), 3, p.67_1 - 67_10, 2024/05

https://doi.org/10.1038/s44172-024-00216-1

A capability to permanently seal fluid flow-paths through bedrock, like boreholes or underground tunnels, is needed to ensure the long-term safety and effectiveness of many underground activities e.g. CO storage, hydrocarbon field abandonment, and nuclear waste disposal. Commonly used cementitious seals may not be sufficiently durable due to chemical and physical degradation. Learning from natural calcite (CaCO) concretion formation, a more durable sealing method was developed using a "concretion-forming solvent". The method was tested by sealing flow-paths next to a tunnel in an underground research laboratory at 350 meters depth. The flow-paths initially sealed rapidly, then resealed after disturbance by earthquakes (M5.4). The treated rock recovered its very low natural permeability, demonstrating permanent sealing that is robust.

Rapid and long-lasting bedrock flow-path sealing by a "concretion-forming resin"; Results from evaluation tests in an Underground Research Laboratory, Horonobe, Japan

Yoshida, Hidekazu*; Yamamoto, Koshi*; Asahara, Yoshihiro*; Maruyama, Ippei*; Karukaya, Koichi*; Saito, Akane*; Matsui, Hiroya; Mochizuki, Akihito; Katsuta, Nagayoshi*; Metcalfe, R.*

Powering the Energy Transition through Subsurface Collaboration; Proceedings of the 1st Energy Geoscience Conference (Energy Geoscience Conference Series, 1), 20 Pages, 2024/00

https://doi.org/10.1144/egc1-2023-35

A capability to permanently seal fluid flow-paths in bedrock, such as natural faults/fractures, and damaged zones around boreholes/excavations, is needed to ensure the long-term safety and effectiveness of many underground activities. Cementitious materials are commonly used as seals, however these materials unavoidably undergo physical and chemical degradation, therefore potentially decreasing seal durability. In order to solve these problems, a more durable sealing method using concretion-forming resin has been developed by learning from natural calcite (CaCO) concretion formation. The sealing capability of resin was tested by experiments on bedrock flow-paths in an underground research laboratory (URL), Hokkaido, Japan. The results showed a decrease the permeability rapidly down to 1/1,000 of the initial permeability due to calcite precipitation over a period of one year. During the experiment inland earthquakes occurred with foci below the URL (depths 2-7 km and maximum magnitude 5.4). Due to the earthquakes the hydraulic conductivities of the flow-paths sealed initially by concretion-forming resin increased. However, these flow-paths subsequently resealed rapidly, and within a few months recovered the same hydraulic conductivities as before the earthquakes. This new technique for rapidly producing long-lasting seals against fluid flow through rocks will be applicable to many kinds of underground activities.

General overview of the research project investigating the radionuclide solution behavior in mock mortar matrix modeled after conditions at the Fukushima-Daiichi Nuclear Power Station

Igarashi, Go*; Haga, Kazuko*; Yamada, Kazuo*; Aihara, Haruka; Shibata, Atsuhiro; Koma, Yoshikazu; Maruyama, Ippei*

Journal of Advanced Concrete Technology, 19(9), p.950 - 976, 2021/09

https://doi.org/10.3151/jact.19.950

New project on the analysis of contamination mechanisms of concrete at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station

Yamada, Kazuo*; Maruyama, Ippei*; Koma, Yoshikazu; Haga, Kazuko*; Igarashi, Go*; Shibuya, Kazutoshi*; Aihara, Haruka

Proceedings of International Waste Management Symposia 2019 (WM2019) (CD-ROM), 6 Pages, 2019/03

Quantification of water penetration into concrete through cracks by neutron radiography

Kanematsu, Manabu*; Maruyama, Ippei*; Noguchi, Takafumi*; Iikura, Hiroshi; Tsuchiya, Naoko*

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A, 605(1-2), p.154 - 158, 2009/06

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2009.01.206

Spherical concretion formation; Understandings and applications

Yoshida, Hidekazu*; Yamamoto, Koshi*; Maruyama, Ippei*; Asahara, Yoshihiro*; Minami, Masayo*; Shirono, Shinichi*; Hasegawa, Hitoshi*; Katsuta, Nagayoshi*; Nishimoto, Shoji*; Muramiya, Yusuke*; et al.

no journal, , 

no abstracts in English

Basic study on elucidation of the mechanism of concrete contamination and estimation of contamination distribution with radioactive materials; Experimental verification on effect of nature of concrete for migration of Cs and Sr

Maruyama, Ippei*; Shibuya, Kazutoshi*; Tomita, Sayuri*; Igarashi, Go*; Koma, Yoshikazu; Yamada, Kazuo*

no journal, , 

no abstracts in English

The Effects of cracks on the Cs and Sr penetration into concrete

Yamada, Kazuo*; Himori, Keita*; Tojo, Yasumasa*; Tomita, Sayuri*; Aihara, Haruka; Igarashi, Go*; Hosokawa, Yoshifumi*; Maruyama, Ippei*

no journal, , 

no abstracts in English

Basic study on elucidation of the mechanism of concrete contamination and estimation of contamination distribution with radioactive materials; Experimental verification on migration of Cs, Sr, and moisture

Maruyama, Ippei*; Yamada, Kazuo*; Ida, Masaya*; Shibuya, Kazutoshi*; Igarashi, Go*; Koma, Yoshikazu

no journal, , 

no abstracts in English

Study on the radionuclide contamination mechanisms of concrete and the estimation of distribution of radionuclides, 9; Penetration of alpha radionuclides into hardened cement paste

Aihara, Haruka; Shibata, Atsuhiro; Koma, Yoshikazu; Tomita, Sayuri*; Yamada, Kazuo*; Maruyama, Ippei*

no journal, , 

no abstracts in English