• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.23-41
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• 2023

Coupled thermo-hydraulic-mechanical (THM) processes are essential for the long-term performance of deep geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste. In this study, a numerical sensitivity analysis was performed to analyze the effect of rock properties on THM responses after the execution of the heater test at the Kamaishi mine in Japan. The TOUGH-FLAC simulator was applied for the numerical simulation assuming a continuum model for coupled THM analysis. The rock properties included in the sensitivity study were the Young's modulus, permeability, thermal conductivity, and thermal expansion coefficients of crystalline rock, rock salt, and clay. The responses, i.e., temperature, water content, displacement, and stress, were measured at monitoring points in the buffer and near-field rock mass during the simulations. The thermal conductivity had an overarching impact on THM responses. The influence of Young's modulus was evident in the mechanical behavior, whereas that of permeability was noticed through the change in the temperature and water content. The difference in the THM responses of the three rock type models implies the importance of the appropriate characterization of rock mass properties with regard to the performance assessment of the deep geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.53 no.10
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• pp.3359-3366
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• 2021

An engineered barrier system (EBS) for the deep geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste (HLW) is composed of a disposal canister, buffer material, gap-filling material, and backfill material. As the buffer fills the empty space between the disposal canisters and the near-field rock mass, heat energy from the canisters is released to the surrounding buffer material. It is vital that this heat energy is rapidly dissipated to the near-field rock mass, and thus the thermal conductivity of the buffer is a key parameter to consider when evaluating the safety of the overall disposal system. Therefore, to take into consideration the sizeable amount of heat being released from such canisters, this study investigated the thermal conductivity of Korean compacted bentonites and its variation within a temperature range of 25 ℃ to 80-90 ℃. As a result, thermal conductivity increased by 5-20% as the temperature increased. Furthermore, temperature had a greater effect under higher degrees of saturation and a lower impact under higher dry densities. This study also conducted a regression analysis with 147 sets of data to estimate the thermal conductivity of the compacted bentonite considering the initial dry density, water content, and variations in temperature. Furthermore, the Kriging method was adopted to establish an uncertainty metamodel of thermal conductivity to verify the regression model. The R² value of the regression model was 0.925, and the regression model and metamodel showed similar results.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.13-23
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• 2001

Rock slope near the road or railroad is affected by the outside temperature and iterative freezing-thawing process during winter and early spring. The purpose of this study is to analyze the stability of rock slope which is iniluenced by deterioration due to the freezing-thawing. Method of analysis is homogenization method which find the strength property of discontinuous rock mass and as a strength failure criterion, Drucker-Prager failure criterion is used, The deterioration property of real rock is obtained by a freezing-thawing labordtory test of tuff and this quantitative property is used as a basic data of stability analysis of rock mass. To evaluate the deterioration depth due to the freezing-thawing in the field rock slope, one dimensional heat conductivity equation is used and as a a result we can find the depth of which is affected by a temperature. After determined the freezing-thawing depth of model slope, the pattern of rock mass strength value of model rock slope which excess the limit of self-load is analyzed.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.429-438
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• 2008

The objective of the present study is the depth and layout optimizations of a single layer, high level radioactive waste repository in a discontinuous rock mass with special joint set arrangements. A single layer repository model, considering variations in the repository depths, pitches, and tunnel spacings, is used to analyze the thermomechanical interaction behavior. It is assumed that the repository is constructed in saturated granite with joints; the PWR spent fuel in a disposal canister is installed in a deposition drift which is then sealed with compacted bentonite; and the backfill material is filled in the repository tunnel. The decay heat generated by the high level radioactive wastes governs the thermomechanical behavior of the near field rock mass of the repository. The temperature and displacement behavior of the repository is influenced more by the pitch variations than the tunnel spacing and repository depth. However, the stress behavior is influenced more by the repository depth variations than the pitch and tunnel spacing. For the final selection of the tunnel spacing, pitch, and repository depth, other aspects such as the nuclide migration through a groundwater flow path, construction costs, operation costs, and so on should be considered.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.321-329
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• 2003

The change of strain-dependent hydraulic conductivity around mined panels due to subsidence is examined where normal and shear strains, modulus reduction ratio and joint spacing are major factors controlling the changes of hydraulic conductivity. Modulus reduction ratio and joint spacing are defined through RMR and RQD, respectively. Utilizing these two empirical parameters, changes of hydraulic conductivity values of a full gamut of rock mass conditions are determined. The change of hydraulic conductivity is not apparent in the near surface area and more significant change takes place in the area around mined panels. A zone of strong influence from the subsidence extends to a height of approximately 20m above mined panels. The shear strain does also play the role of increasing a hydraulic conductivity around mined panels. As RMR of rock mass decreases, a hydraulic conductivity is found to be increased and this means that subsidence in a poor rock with low RMR has a great effect on a hydraulic conductivity field.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.211-221
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• 2003

At Aspo hard rock laboratory in Sweden, an in-situ heater experiment called "$\"{A}"{s}"{p}"{o}$ Pillar Stability Experiment (APSE)" is prepared to assess capability to predict spatting and stability in a rock mass between deposition holes for radioactive waste. To Predict reasonably fracturing process at rock pillar under a planned configuration before testing, a boundary element code FRACOD has been applied for modelling. The code has been improved to simulate explicitly fracture evolution both at rock boundaries and in intact rocks. A new inverse stress reconstruction technique using boundary element has been also developed to transfer stress field by excavation and thermal loading into the FRACOD model. This article presents the results from predictive modelling far the planned in-situ test condition. Excavation induced stresses might cause slight fracturing in the pillar walls. Typical shear fractures have been initiated and propagated near central pillar walls during 120 days of heating, but overall rock mass remained stable under the considered configuration. The effects of pre-existing joints and properties of fractures are also discussed. It is found from the results that FRACOD can properly model essential rock spatting and propagation at deep tunnels and boreholes.at deep tunnels and boreholes.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.51-59
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• 2009

This study is based on field data obtained from rock grouting such as RQD value, Unit cement grout volume, Lugeon value(Lu), and Maximum grout pressure in four different dam sites. The relationship were analyzed and compared as follow. The cut-off effect after rock grouting in dam-foundation which are mostly consist of metamorphic rock is better than that of Sedimentary rock. And the impermeable effect after consolidation grouting is more efficiency than the impermeable effect after curtain grouting. The unit cement grout volume are increased as RQD value is higher in rock mass. But there is no relationship between RQD value and Lugeon value. In the sedimentary rock, which is more permeable than metamorphic rock, Lugeon value (Lu) is a linear function (Lu=0.22Vc) of unit cement grout volume (Vc). Cut-off effect of curtain grouting is less influential at each near holes which are already grouted than that of consolidation grouting. And the behavior characteristics of Lugeon value vs. the unit cement grout volume as the order of installations are almost the same.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.411-434
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• 2022

In deep geological disposal concept for spent nuclear fuel, it is well-known that rock mass at near-field experiences the thermal-hydraulic-mechanical (THM) coupled behavior. The mechanical properties of rock changes during the coupled process, and it is important to consider the changes into the analysis of numerical simulation and in-situ tests for long-term stability evaluation of nuclear waste disposal repository. This report collected the previous studies on indirect coupled behaviors of rock. The effects of water saturation and temperature on some mechanical properties of rock was considered, while the change in hydraulic conductivity of rock due to stress was included in the indirect coupled behavior.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2000.11b
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• pp.155-180
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• 2000

The pattern of domestic slope construction has been steadily changed from the simpled and small-scale to the large-scale and complicated one, frequently near the existing structures, as the density of population and the traffic increases. In some cases, the slopes become steeper and larger due to the road improvement and construction. For the rock slope, the existence of discontinuity cannot be disregarded and acts as an important factor on the slope stability. Most of the existing methods for stabilizing the slope were focused on reducing the slope angle. Under the specific geographic condition, it is necessary to concentrate more efforts on the research and development of supporting system for the slope stability. As a supporting system, it is often very advantageous to use the FRP pipe grouting method that is similar to the existing soil nailing method or the rock bolting method but uses the high strength FRP pipe as a principal reinforcement in place of steel bar. Through the FRP pipe, the grout material can be injected into the rock mass to improve its shear strength to the required value. .In this study, the characteristics of FRP are investigated by the laboratory tests and the field tests. And, the practical aspects of FRP method are reviewed and analyzed.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.75-85
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• 2021

Evaluating the quantitative damage to rocks through acoustic emission (AE) has become a research focus. Most studies mainly used one or two AE parameters to evaluate the degree of damage, but several AE parameters have been rarely used. In this study, several data-driven models were employed to reflect the combined features of AE parameters. Through uniaxial compression tests, we obtained mechanical and AE-signal data for five granite specimens. The maximum amplitude, hits, counts, rise time, absolute energy, and initiation frequency expressed as the cumulative value were selected as input parameters. The result showed that gradient boosting (GB) was the best model among the support vector regression methods. When GB was applied to the testing data, the root-mean-square error and R between the predicted and actual values were 0.96 and 0.077, respectively. A parameter analysis was performed to capture the parameter significance. The result showed that cumulative absolute energy was the main parameter for damage prediction. Thus, AE has practical applicability in predicting rock damage without conducting mechanical tests. Based on the results, this study will be useful for monitoring the near-field rock mass of nuclear waste repository.