• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.323-338
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• 2007

For the assessment of the performance and safety of a deep underground radioactive repository system, the thermal, hydraulic, mechanical, and chemical behaviors and their coupling should be studied. In order to analyze the THMC coupling behavior more effectively, which requires complex mathematical models and modelling techniques, DECOVALEX international cooperation project was launched in 1992. Since its beginning, four major stages of the project were successfully completed and THMC modelling techniques for various conditions could be developed. In this study, the current status and major achievements from the project were reviewed and possible benefits of the participation to the project were discussed.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.17 no.1 s.66
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• pp.32-42
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• 2007

Severe damage can occur around deposition holes due to complex interaction of thermo-hydro-mechanical (THM) loading during the long term operation of high level radioactive waste repository. Many candidate sites for repository are located in crystalline rock mass, therefore mechanism of damage follows the form of brittle fracture and failure. This paper briefly introduces major outcomes from 15 years international collaborative project, DECOVALEX, and presents major study results for current ongoing benchmark test study from DECOVALEX-THMC, to evaluate the effect of THM loading to rock mass in excavation damaged zone (EDZ) near deposition holes. Through benchmark test model by simplifying THM loading to boundary loading obtained numerical results are compared, and discrete fracture interaction after up to 1 million years operation is discussed.