MECHANICAL DEGRADATION OF EMPLACEMENT DRIFTS AT YUCCA MOUNTAIN - A CASE STUDY IN ROCK MECHANICS, PART 1: NONLITHOPHYSAL ROCK, PART 2: LITHOPHYSAL ROCK

This paper outlines rock mechanics investigations associated with mechanical degradation of planned emplacement drifts at Yucca Mountain, which is the designated site for a US high-level nuclear waste repository. The factors leading to drift degradation include stresses from the overburden, stresses...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inInternational journal of rock mechanics and mining sciences (Oxford, England : 1997)
Main Author M. Lin, D. Kicker, B. Damjanac, M. Board, and M. Karakouzian
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 27.02.2006
Subjects
CAVITIES
FRACTURES
GROUND MOTION
MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE WASTES, AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
OVERBURDEN
POSITIONING
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
ROCK MECHANICS
SIMULATION
STRESSES
TUFF
YUCCA MOUNTAIN
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Summary:This paper outlines rock mechanics investigations associated with mechanical degradation of planned emplacement drifts at Yucca Mountain, which is the designated site for a US high-level nuclear waste repository. The factors leading to drift degradation include stresses from the overburden, stresses induced by the heat released from the emplaced waste, stresses due to seismically related ground motions, and time-dependent strength degradation. The welded tuff emplacement horizon consists of two groups of rock with distinct engineering properties: nonlithophysal units and lithophysal units, based on the relative proportion of lithophysal cavities. Part I of the paper concentrates on the generally hard, strong, and fractured nonlithophysal rock. The degradation behavior of the tunnels in the nonlithophysal rock is controlled by the occurrence of keyblocks. A statistically equivalent fracture model was generated based on extensive underground fracture mapping data from the Exploratory Studies Facility at Yucca Mountain. Three-dimensional distinct block analyses, generated with the fracture patterns randomly selected from the fracture model, were developed with the consideration of in situ, thermal, seismic loads. In this study, field data, laboratory data, and numerical analyses are well integrated to provide a solution for the unique problem of modeling drift degradation throughout the regulatory period for repository performance.
Bibliography:USDOE
DE-AC08-91RW00134
ISSN:1365-1609
1873-4545