Long term monitoring and evaluation of the excavation damaged zone induced around the wall of the shaft applying optical fiber sensor (Cooperative research)

Hata, Koji*; Niunoya, Sumio*; Uyama, Masao*; Nakaoka, Kenichi*; Fukaya, Masaaki*; Aoyagi, Kazuhei; Sakurai, Akitaka; Tanai, Kenji

JAEA-Research 2020-010, 142 Pages, 2020/11

JAEA-Research-2020-010.pdf:13.74MB
JAEA-Research-2020-010-appendix(DVD-ROM).zip:149.9MB

In the geological disposal study of high-level radioactive waste, it is suggested that the excavation damaged zone (EDZ) which is created around a tunnel by the excavation will be possible to be one of the critical path of radionuclides. Especially, the progress of cracks in and around the EDZ with time affects the safety assessment of geological disposal and it is important to understand the hydraulic change due to the progress of cracks in and around EDZ. In this collaborative research, monitoring tools made by Obayashi Corporation were installed at a total of 9 locations in the three boreholes near the depth of 370 m of East Shaft at the Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory constructed in the Neogene sedimentary rock. The monitoring tool consists of one set of "optical AE sensor" for measuring of the mechanical rock mass behavior and "optical pore water pressure sensor and optical temperature sensor" for measuring of groundwater behavior. This tool was made for the purpose of selecting and analyzing of AE signal waveforms due to rock fracture during and after excavation of the target deep shaft. As a result of analyzing various measurement data including AE signal waveforms, it is able to understand the information on short-term or long-term progress of cracks in and around EDZ during and after excavation in the deep shaft. In the future, it will be possible to carry out a study that contributes to the long-term stability evaluation of EDZ in sedimentary rocks in the deep part of the Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory by evaluation based on these analytical data.

Synthesis report on the R&D for the Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory; Project carried out during fiscal years 2015-2019

Nakayama, Masashi; Saiga, Atsushi; Kimura, Shun; Mochizuki, Akihito; Aoyagi, Kazuhei; Ono, Hirokazu; Miyakawa, Kazuya; Takeda, Masaki; Hayano, Akira; Matsuoka, Toshiyuki; et al.

JAEA-Research 2019-013, 276 Pages, 2020/03

JAEA-Research-2019-013.pdf:18.72MB

The Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory (URL) Project is being pursued by the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) to enhance the reliability of relevant disposal technologies for geological disposal of High-level Radioactive Waste through investigations of the deep geological environment within the host sedimentary rock at Horonobe Town in Hokkaido, north Japan. The investigations will be conducted in three phases, namely "Phase 1: Surface based investigations", "Phase 2: Construction phase" (investigations during construction of the underground facilities) and "Phase 3: Operation phase" (research in the underground facilities). According to the research plan described in the 3rd Mid- and Long- term Plan of JAEA, "Near-field performance study", "Demonstration of repository design option", and "Verification of crustal-movement buffering capacity of sedimentary rocks" are important issues of the Horonobe URL Project, and schedule of future research and backfill plans of the project will be decided by the end of 2019 Fiscal Year. The present report summarizes the research and development activities of these 3 important issues carried out during 3rd Medium to Long-term Research Phase.

Adefining the mechanism of the gas-bubble AE characteristics by two-phase flow test

Niunoya, Sumio*; Hata, Koji*; Uyama, Masao*; Aoyagi, Kazuhei; Tanai, Kenji

Dai-47-Kai Gamban Rikigaku Ni Kansuru Shimpojiumu Koenshu (Internet), p.92 - 97, 2020/01

Since underground water at the Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory site includes the dissolved gas, it is important to understand the quantitative behavior of AE signal waveform clearly and to develop the criteria of sorting technique. In this report, we tried to perform two types of laboratory tests (Small pipe test and Flat-plate test) in order to obtain detail data of AE signal wave form under two-phase flow. As the result, we could understand that there exists the relationship between the pressure breathing and AE generation, and that the diameter of pipe did not affect the AE behavior.

A Study on the hydro-mechanical behavior in the excavation damaged zone in shaft sinking at the Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory

Aoyagi, Kazuhei; Sakurai, Akitaka; Tanai, Kenji

Dai-46-Kai Gamban Rikigaku Ni Kansuru Shimpojiumu Koenshu (CD-ROM), p.142 - 147, 2019/01

This research presents the hydro-mechanical behavior of EDZ in shaft sinking in the Horonobe underground Research Laboratory on the basis of the results of in situ hydraulic tests, acoustic emission (AE) measurements, and hydro-mechanical coupling numerical analysis. The AE sources were distributed within 1.5 m into the shaft wall; and hydraulic conductivity in the EDZ is 2 to 4 orders of magnitudes higher than that in no fractured area. On the other hand, on the basis of the result of numerical analysis, the maximum extent of the EDZ is 1.5 m into the gallery wall. This result is almost consistent with the trend of acoustic emission measurement and hydraulic test.

Basic properties of the concrete using the low alkaline cement (HFSC) developed by JAEA

Seno, Yasuhiro*; Nakayama, Masashi; Sugita, Yutaka; Tanai, Kenji; Fujita, Tomoo

JAEA-Data/Code 2016-011, 164 Pages, 2016/11

JAEA-Data-Code-2016-011.pdf:8.45MB
JAEA-Data-Code-2016-011-appendix(CD-ROM).zip:0.1MB

The cementitious materials are used as candidate materials for the tunnel support of the deep geological repository of high-level radioactive wastes (HLW).Generally the pH of leachate from concrete mixed Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) shows a range of 12 to 13. The barrier function of bentonite used as a buffer material and that of host rock might be damaged by the high alkaline leachate from cementitious materials. Therefore, low alkalinity that does not damage each barrier function is necessary for cementitious materials used for the tunnel support system of the HLW geological repository. JAEA has developed a low alkaline cement named as HFSC (Highly Fly-ash contained Silicafume Cement) which the pH of the cement leachate could lower approximately 11. We have confirmed the applicability of HFSC for the tunnel support materials, by using experimentally as the shotcreting materials to the part of gallery wall at 140m, 250m and 350m depth in Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory. And moreover, HFSC has been used as the cast-in-place concrete for the shaft lining concrete at the depth of 374m-380m. This Data/Code summarized the past HFSC mix proportion test results about the fresh concrete properties and hardened concrete properties, in order to offer the information as a reference for selecting the mix proportion of HFSC concrete adopted to the disposal galleries et al. in the future.

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.

Research on engineering technology in the full-scale demonstration of EBS and operation technology for HLW disposal; Research report in 2013 (Joint research)

Fujita, Tomoo; Tanai, Kenji; Nakayama, Masashi; Sawada, Sumiyuki*; Asano, Hidekazu*; Saito, Masahiko*; Yoshino, Osamu*; Kobayashi, Masato*

JAEA-Research 2014-031, 44 Pages, 2015/03

JAEA-Research-2014-031.pdf:16.11MB

Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) and Radioactive Waste Management Funding and Research Center (RWMC) concluded the letter of cooperation agreement on the research and development of radioactive waste disposal in April, 2005, and have been carrying out the collaboration work based on the agreement. JAEA have been carrying out the Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory (URL) Project which is intended for a sedimentary rock in the Horonobe town, Hokkaido, since 2001. In the project, geoscientific research and research and development on geological disposal technology are being promoted. Meanwhile, the government (the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry) has been promoting construction of equipments for the full-scale demonstration of engineered barrier system (EBS) and operation technology for high-level radioactive waste (HLW) disposal since 2008, to enhance public's understanding to the geological disposal of HLW, e.g. using underground facility. RWMC received an order of the project in fiscal year 2012 (2011/2012) continuing since fiscal year 2008 (2008/2009). Since topics in this project are included in the Horonobe URL Project, JAEA carried out this project as collaboration work continuing since fiscal year 2008. This report summarizes the results of engineering technology carried out in this collaboration work in fiscal year 2013. In fiscal year 2013, emplacement tests using buffer material block for the vertical emplacement concept were carried out and visualization tests for water penetration in buffer material were carried out.

Research on engineering technology in the full-scale demonstration of EBS and operation technology for HLW disposal; Research report in 2012 (Joint research)

Nakatsuka, Noboru; Sato, Haruo; Tanai, Kenji; Nakayama, Masashi; Sawada, Sumiyuki*; Asano, Hidekazu*; Saito, Masahiko*; Yoshino, Osamu*; Tsukahara, Shigeki*; Hishioka, Sosuke*; et al.

JAEA-Research 2013-034, 70 Pages, 2014/01

JAEA-Research-2013-034.pdf:9.11MB

Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) and Radioactive Waste Management Funding and Research Center (RWMC) concluded the letter of cooperation agreement on the research and development of radioactive waste disposal in April, 2005, and have been carrying out the collaboration work based on the agreement. JAEA have been carrying out the Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory (URL) Project which is intended for a sedimentary rock in the Horonobe town, Hokkaido, since 2001. In the project, geoscientific research and research and development on geological disposal technology are being promoted. Meanwhile, the government (the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry) has been promoting construction of equipments for the full-scale demonstration of engineered barrier system and operation technology for high-level radioactive waste (HLW) disposal since 2008, to enhance public's understanding to the geological disposal of HLW, e.g. using underground facility. RWMC received an order of the project in fiscal year 2012 (2011/2012) continuing since fiscal year 2008 (2008/2009). Since topics in this project are included in the Horonobe URL Project, JAEA carried out this project as collaboration work continuing in fiscal year 2008. This report summarizes the results of engineering technology carried out in this collaboration work in fiscal year 2012. In fiscal year 2012, part of the equipments for emplacement of buffer material was produced and visualization test for water penetration in buffer material were carried out.

Planning of in-situ experiment for understanding of gas migration behaviour in sedimentary rock, 1; Setting of gas injection procedure

Tanai, Kenji; Fujita, Tomoo; Noda, Masaru*; Yamamoto, Shuichi*; Shimura, Tomoyuki*; Sato, Shin*

Dai-13-Kai Iwa No Rikigaku Kokunai Shimpojiumu Koen Rombunshu (CD-ROM), p.167 - 172, 2013/01

Japan Atomic Energy Agency has been planning in-situ gas migration test in Horonobe URL, Hokkaido. This paper discusses the optimum gas injection procedure for the test to understand gas migration behaviour in surrounded rock. The stepwise constant gas injection was selected, taking into account domestic and overseas gas related research results. Hydro-mechanical-gas coupling analysis which is able to consider the dissolved methane in Horonobe groundwater was applied to evaluate the gas behaviour. The results have indicated no significant mechanical damages to the rock and have supported the sppropriateness of selected gas injection procedure for the test.

The Distinct element analysis for swelling pressure test of bentonite; Discussion on the effects of wall friction force and aspect ratio of specimen

Shimizu, Hiroyuki*; Kikuchi, Hirohito; Tanai, Kenji; Fujita, Tomoo

JAEA-Research 2011-024, 74 Pages, 2011/10

JAEA-Research-2011-024.pdf:7.23MB

For geological isolation systems for HLW, due to the lack of standardization of swelling test method for bentonite as a buffer material, the accuracy and reproducibility of the results are not sufficiently proved. In this study, bentonite swelling pressure test were simulated by newly developed distinct element method, and the effects of wall friction force and aspect ratio of bentonite specimen were discussed.