Modeling of coupled processes in full-scale engineered barrier system performance experiment at Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory, Japan

Ono, Hirokazu; Takayama, Yusuke*

Geomechanics for Energy and the Environment, 41, p.100636_1 - 100636_14, 2025/03

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gete.2025.100636

The In-situ experiment for overpack corrosion at Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory; Production and setting simulated overpack, buffer material blocks and heater

Nakayama, Masashi

JAEA-Technology 2018-006, 43 Pages, 2018/08

JAEA-Technology-2018-006.pdf:5.32MB
JAEA-Technology-2018-006-appendix(CD-ROM).zip:29.19MB

The Horonobe URL Project has being pursued by JAEA to enhance the reliability of relevant disposal technologies through investigations of the deep geological environment within the host sedimentary formation at Horonobe, Hokkaido. The URL Project proceeds in 3 overlapping phases, "Phase I: Surface-based investigations", "Phase II: Investigations during tunnel excavation" and "Phase III: Investigations in the underground facilities", over a period of around 20 years. The OP corrosion test was prepared from 2013 FY at Niche No.3, and heating by electric heater in simulated overpack started in November, 2014. The objective of the test is acquiring data concerned with corrosion of carbon steel OP. These data will be used in order to confirm the performance of engineered barrier system. In the OP corrosion test, the diameter of simulated OP and buffer material are 100 mm and 300 mm, respectively. Concrete support using low alkaline cement was used in order to investigate the effect of cementitious materials to OP corrosion behavior. We will measure corrosion potential of carbon steel, natural potential, pH in buffer material for several years. In this report, we describe how to make simulated OP and buffer material blocks, and set sensors, and so on.

The In-situ experiment for performance confirmation of engineered barrier system at Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory; Production of casing drilling machine for large dimeter pit, simulated overpack, buffer material blocks and backfilling materials

Nakayama, Masashi; Matsuzaki, Tatsuji*; Niunoya, Sumio*

JAEA-Research 2016-010, 57 Pages, 2016/08

JAEA-Research-2016-010.pdf:10.81MB
JAEA-Research-2016-010-appendix(CD-ROM).zip:31.42MB

The Horonobe URL Project has being pursued by JAEA to enhance the reliability of relevant disposal technologies through investigations of the deep geological environment within the host sedimentary formation at Horonobe, northern Hokkaido. The in-situ experiment for performance confirmation of engineered barrier system (EBS experiment) had been prepared from 2013 to 2014 fiscal year at G.L.-350m gallery, and heating by electric heater in simulated overpack had started in January, 2015. One of objectives of the experiment is acquiring data concerned with Thermal -Hydrological - Mechanical - Chemical coupled behavior. These data will be used in order to confirm the performance of engineered barrier system. In this report, It is summarized the production of casing drilling machine for large diameter, simulated overpack, buffer material blocks and backfilling material for EBS experiment.

The In-situ experiment for performance confirmation of engineered barrier system at Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory; Examination of backfill material using muck from URL construction

Nakayama, Masashi; Ono, Hirokazu; Tanai, Kenji; Sugita, Yutaka; Fujita, Tomoo

JAEA-Research 2016-002, 280 Pages, 2016/06

JAEA-Research-2016-002.pdf:16.21MB

The Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory (URL) Project has being pursued by Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) to enhance the reliability of relevant disposal technologies through investigations of the deep geological environment within the host sedimentary formation at Horonobe, northern Hokkaido. The URL Project consists of two major research areas, "Geoscientific Research" and "Research and Development on Geological Disposal Technologies", and proceeds in three overlapping phases, "Phase I: Surface-based investigations", "Phase II: Investigations during tunnel excavation" and "Phase III: Investigations in the underground facilities", over a period of around 20 years. Phase III investigation was started in 2010 fiscal year. The in-situ experiment for performance confirmation of engineered barrier system (EBS experiment) had been prepared from 2013 to 2014 fiscal year at G.L.-350m gallery (Niche No.4), and heating by electric heater in simulated overpack had started in January, 2015. One of objectives of the experiment is acquiring data concerned with Thermal-Hydrological-Mechanical-Chemical (THMC) coupled behavior. These data will be used in order to confirm the performance of engineered barrier system. In EBS experiment, the backfill material using mixture of bentonite and muck from Horonobe URL construction was used for backfilling a part of Niche No.4. This report shows the results of properties of the backfill material, confirmation test of compaction method and making backfill material block, and so on. From these results, it was confirmed that the backfill material would satisfy target value of the permeability and the swelling pressure.

Comparative modeling of an in situ diffusion experiment in granite at the Grimsel Test Site

Soler, J. M.*; Landa, J.*; Havlov, V.*; Tachi, Yukio; Ebina, Takanori*; Sardini, P.*; Siitari-Kauppi, M.*; Eikenberg, J.*; Martin, A. J.*

Journal of Contaminant Hydrology, 179, p.89 - 101, 2015/08

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jconhyd.2015.06.002

Matrix diffusion is a key process for radionuclide retention in crystalline rocks. An in-situ diffusion experiment in granite matrix was performed at the Grimsel Test Site (Switzerland). Several tracers (HTO, Na, Cs) were circulated through a borehole and the decrease in tracer concentrations was monitored for 2.5 years. Then, the borehole section was overcored and the tracer profiles in the rock were analyzed. Transport distances in the rock were 20 cm for HTO, 10 cm for Na and 1 cm for Cs. The dataset was analyzed with diffusion-sorption models by different teams using different codes, with the goal of obtaining effective diffusivities (De) and rock capacity factors. There was a rather good agreement between the values from different teams, implied that De and capacity factors in the borehole damaged zone are larger than those in the bulk rock. However, HTO seems to display large discrepancies between measured and modeled results.

Experimental Studies of Scattered Particle Phenomena During In-Situ Coating Process

; ; ; ;

JAERI-M 83-087, 16 Pages, 1983/06

JAERI-M-83-087.pdf:0.6MB

no abstracts in English

The In-situ experiment for verification of performance of engineered barrier system in Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory, 7; Development drilling machine for large-diameter disposal pit

Niunoya, Sumio*; Shimohara, Masahiro*; Jo, Mayumi*; Nago, Makito*; Nakayama, Masashi; Tanai, Kenji; Hashimoto, Yuta; Nejigane, Nobuto

no journal, , 

no abstracts in English

Study of the effect on surrounding rock and groundwater from shotcrete using low alkaline cement in Horonobe URL

Nakayama, Masashi; Okamoto, Reiko*; Shirase, Mitsuyasu*

no journal, , 

In Japan, high-level radioactive waste repository will be constructed in a stable host rock formation more than 300m underground. Tunnel support is used for safety during the construction and operation, and shotcrete and concrete lining are used as the tunnel support. Low alkaline cement has been developed for the long term stability of the barrier systems whose performance could be negatively affected by highly alkaline conditions arising due to cement used in a repository. JAEA has developed a low alkaline cement, named as HFSC (Highly fly-ash contained silicafume cement), containing over 60wt% of silica-fume and coal ash. HFSC was used experimentally as the shotcrete material in construction of part of the 140m, 250m and 350m deep gallery in Horonobe URL. JAEA has been carrying out the investigation about interaction among cement, rock and groundwater using core samples of shotcrete and rock. In this report, the effect on surrounding rock and groundwater from shotcrete using HFSC is described through comparison with that from shotcrete using OPC.

The GTS-LTD MONOPOLE-2 experiment at grimsel; Predictive modeling and comparison with monitoring data

Soler, J. M.*; Martin, A. J.*; Lanyon, G. W.*; Havlov, V.*; Siitari-Kauppi, M.*; Tachi, Yukio

no journal, , 

An in-situ long-term diffusion (LTD) project has been performed at the Grimsel Test Site, Switzerland, to realistically evaluate matrix diffusion of radionuclides in crystalline rock with minimal disturbance to in-situ conditions. A second in situ diffusion experiment (monopole 2) has been performed. Predictive calculations for the monopole-2 experiment, based on results from monopole 1 or from through-diffusion experiments have been compared to monitoring data from the injection and observation boreholes. For the non-sorbing tracers (HTO, Cl), the diffusion parameters from the through-diffusion experiments provide a better match for the measurements, especially in the injection borehole. The initial drop in activities for Cs and Ba shows clearly the effect of sorption. Bulk rock parameters for Cs from monopole 1 seem to be applicable to monopole 2. However, Ba seems to sorb more strongly than expected.