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Aoyagi, Kazuhei; Ozaki, Yusuke; Tamura, Tomonori; Ishii, Eiichi
Proceedings of 4th International Conference on Coupled Processes in Fractured Geological Media; Observation, Modeling, and Application (CouFrac2024) (Internet), 10 Pages, 2024/11
In high-level radioactive waste disposal, it is crucial to estimate the transmissivity of gallery excavation-induced fractures, i.e., excavation damaged zone (EDZ) fractures, because EDZ fractures can be a radionuclide migration pathway after the backfilling of the facility is completed. From previous research, the transmissivity of the fracture can be estimated through the empirical equation using the parameter ductility index (DI), which corresponds to the effective mean stress normalized to the tensile strength of the rock. In this research, we performed a hydromechanical coupling analysis of a gallery excavation at the Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory to estimate the transmissivity of the EDZ fracture before the excavation. At first, we simulated the gallery excavation at 350 m and showed that the measured transmissivity was within the range of the estimated transmissivity using the DI. After that, we also predicted the excavation of a gallery at 500 m by setting the hydromechanical parameters acquired from the laboratory tests before the excavation. The estimated transmissivity at 500 m was one order of magnitude less than that at 350 m. This result might be related to the closure of the fracture under high-stress conditions and low rock strength.
Aoyagi, Kazuhei; Ishii, Eiichi
Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering, 52(2), p.385 - 401, 2019/02
Times Cited Count：22 Percentile：70.36(Engineering, Geological)Excavation of deep underground openings induces permeable fractures around the opening due to stress redistribution. Such a zone is called excavation damaged zone (EDZ). In a high-level radioactive waste disposal project, the EDZ might provide pathways for the migration of radionuclides around the facility. Thus, this study focused on the development of a method for estimating the highest potential hydraulic conductivity in the EDZ around a gallery in the Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory, Japan. Borehole televiewer surveys, rock core observations, and hydraulic tests were undertaken to investigate the extent and magnitude of hydraulic conductivity in the EDZ around the gallery. The observed extent of the EDZ shows good agreement with the EDZ estimated from hydro-mechanical coupling analysis. The measured hydraulic conductivities of the EDZ are within the range of those based on the Mean Stress Index (MSI), which is defined as the ratio of the effective mean stress derived from numerical analyses to the tensile strength of intact rock. Given that the rock mass is relatively homogeneous and artificial damage (e.g., blasting-induced damage) can be neglected, as in the Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory, the MSI model is likely to be applicable in estimating the highest potential hydraulic conductivity in the EDZ.
Aoyagi, Kazuhei; Ishii, Eiichi
Dai-14-Kai Iwa No Rikigaku Kokunai Shimpojiumu Koen Rombunshu (Internet), 6 Pages, 2017/01
The objective of this research is to investigate the hydro-mechanical properties of excavation damaged zones (EDZs) along the galleries excavated in 250 m and 350 m depths. We conducted hydraulic tests, BTV observations and core analyses. As a result, in the 250 m gallery, the extent of the EDZ was 1.0 m into the gallery wall. The hydraulic conductivity was increased by 2 to 3 orders of magnitudes compared with that of intact rock. On the other hand, in the 350 m gallery, the extent of the EDZ was 0.4 m into the gallery wall; the hydraulic conductivity was increased by 5 orders of magnitudes compared with that of intact rock. We investaged the difference of the characteristics of the EDZs on the basis of competence factor and ductility index. As a result, it was estimated that an extent of an EDZ decreases with decrease of competence factor; a hydraulic conductivity in an EDZ increases with decrease of ductility index.
