A 1-D Thermo-Hydro-Mechanical model of the middle section of canister retrieval test

Abstract

In this papera 1-D model simulation of the middle section of Canister Retrieval Test, conducted at the Áspo Hard Rock Laboratory, is presented. The model considers the MX-80 bentonite block, the bentonite-rock interface filled with pellets and the gap between canister and bentonite. The thermo-hydro-mechanical simulation of the model was performed using the Code-Bright finite element program. For the simulation of the opening-closure of the gap a joint element with non-linear elastic mechanical law was implemented in the code. The formulation of this element also incorporates the thermal and hydraulically laws existing in the code. The results from the numerical analysis are compared with the instrumentation data obtained during the test. Also, the final state of bentonite and pellets is compared with data measured after the test dismantling. From these comparísons it is concluded that the model can satisfactorily reproduce the observed behaviour ofthe materials in the test.