Dynamic coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical problem for heterogeneous deep-sea sediments under vibration of mining vehicle

Due to the influence of deep-sea environment,deep-sea sediments are usually heterogeneous,and their moduli of elasticity and density change as depth changes.Combined with the characteristics of deep-sea sediments,the thermo-hydro-mechanical coupling dynamic response model of heterogeneous saturated porous sediments can be established to study the influence of elastic modulus,density,frequency,and load amplitude changes on the model.Based on the Green-Lindsay generalized thermoelasticity theory and Darcy’s law,the thermo-hydro-mechanical coupled dynamic response model and governing equations of heterogeneous deep-sea sediments with nonlinear elastic modulus and density are established.The analytical solutions of dimensionless vertical displacement,vertical stress,excess pore water pressure,and temperature are obtained by means of normal modal analysis,which are depicted graphically.The results show that the changes of elastic modulus and density have few effects on vertical displacement,vertical stress,and temperature,but have great effects on excess pore water pressure.When the mining machine vibrates,the heterogeneity of deep-sea sediments has great influence on vertical displacement,vertical stress,and excess pore water pressure,but has few effects on temperature.In addition,the vertical displacement,vertical stress,and excess pore water pressure of heterogeneous deep-sea sediments change more gently.The variation trends of physical quantities for heterogeneous and homogeneous deep-sea sediments with frequency and load amplitude are basically the same.The results can provide theoretical guidance for deep-sea mining engineering construction.

Main outcomes from in situ thermo-hydro-mechanical experiments programme to demonstrate feasibility of radioactive high-level waste disposal in the Callovo-Oxfordian claystone

In the context of radioactive waste disposal,an underground research laboratory(URL)is a facility in which experiments are conducted to demonstrate the feasibility of constructing and operating a radioactive waste disposal facility within a geological formation.The Meuse/Haute-Marne URL is a sitespecific facility planned to study the feasibility of a radioactive waste disposal in the Callovo-Oxfordian(COx)claystone.The thermo-hydro-mechanical(THM)behaviour of the host rock is significant for the design of the underground nuclear waste disposal facility and for its long-term safety.The French National Radioactive Waste Management Agency(Andra)has begun a research programme aiming to demonstrate the relevancy of the French high-level waste(HLW)concept.This paper presents the programme implemented from small-scale(small diameter)boreholes to full-scale demonstration experiments to study the THM effects of the thermal transient on the COx claystone and the strategy implemented in this new programme to demonstrate and optimise current disposal facility components for HLW.It shows that the French high-level waste concept is feasible and working in the COx claystone.It also exhibits that,as for other plastic clay or claystone,heating-induced pore pressure increases and that the THM behaviour is anisotropic.

Experiments on thermo-hydro-mechanical behaviour of Opalinus Clay at Mont Terri rock laboratory, Switzerland

Repositories for deep geological disposal of radioactive waste rely on multi-barrier systems to isolate waste from the biosphere.A multi-barrier system typically comprises the natural geological barrier provided by the repository host rock e in our case the Opalinus Clay e and an engineered barrier system(EBS).The Swiss repository concept for spent fuel and vitrified high-level waste(HLW)consists of waste canisters,which are emplaced horizontally in the middle of an emplacement gallery and are separated from the gallery wall by granular backfill material(GBM).We describe here a selection of five in-situ experiments where characteristic hydro-mechanical(HM)and thermo-hydro-mechanical(THM)processes have been observed.The first example is a coupled HM and mine-by test where the evolution of the excavation damaged zone(EDZ)was monitored around a gallery in the Opalinus Clay(ED-B experiment).Measurements of pore-water pressures and convergences due to stress redistribution during excavation highlighted the HM behaviour.The same measurements were subsequently carried out in a heater test(HE-D)where we were able to characterise the Opalinus Clay in terms of its THM behaviour.These yielded detailed data to better understand the THM behaviours of the granular backfill and the natural host rock.For a presentation of the Swiss concept for HLW storage,we designed three demonstration experiments that were subsequently implemented in the Mont Terri rock laboratory:(1)the engineered barrier(EB)experiment,(2)the in-situ heater test on key-THM processes and parameters(HE-E)experiment,and(3)the full-scale emplacement(FE)experiment.The first demonstration experiment has been dismantled,but the last two ones are on-going.

A fully coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical model for unsaturated porous media

In examining potential host rocks for such purposes as the disposal of high-level radioactive wastes,it is important to understand the coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical（THM） behavior of a porous medium.A rigorous and fully unified coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical model for unsaturated porous media is required to simulate the complex coupling mechanisms involved.Based on modified Darcy＇s and Fourier＇s laws,equations of mechanical equilibrium,mass conservation and energy conservation are derived by introducing void ratio and volumetric liquid water content into the model.The newly derived model takes into account the effects of temperature on the dynamic viscosity of liquid water and void ratio,the influence of liquid flow on temperature gradient（thermo-osmosis）,the influence on mass and heat conservation equations,and the influence of heat flow on water pressure gradient and thermal convection.The new coupled THM constitutive model is constructed by a finite element program and is used to simulate the coupled behavior of a tunnel during excavation,ventilation and concrete lining stages.Oil and gas engineering,underground disposal of nuclear waste and tunnel engineering may be benefited from the development of the new model.

Formulation of thermo-hydro-mechanical coupling behavior of unsaturated soils based on hybrid mixture theory

Thermo-Hydro-Mechanical （THM） coupling pro- cesses in unsaturated soils are very important in both theoretical researches and engineering applications. A coupled formulation based on hybrid mixture theory is derived to model the THM coupling behavior of unsaturated soils. The free-energy and dissipative functions for different phases are derived from Taylor＇s series expansions. Constitutive relations for THM coupled behaviors of unsaturated soils, which include deformation, entropy change, fluid flow, heat conduction, and dynamic compatibility conditions on the interfaces, are then established. The number of field equations is shown to be equal to the number of unknown variables; thus, a closure of this coupling problem is established. In addition to modifications of the physical conservation equations with coupling effect terms, the constitutive equations, which consider the coupling between elastoplastic deformation of the soil skeleton, fluid flow, and heat transfer, are also derived.

Research on coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical dynamic response characteristics of saturated porous deep-sea sediments under vibration of mining vehicle

The excessive deformation of deep-sea sediments caused by the vibration of the mining machine will adversely affect the efficiency and safety of mining.Combined with the deep-sea environment,the coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical problem for saturated porous deep-sea sediments subject to the vibration of the mining vehicle is investigated.Based on the Green-Lindsay(G-L)generalized thermoelastic theory and Darcy’s law,the model of thermo-hydro-mechanical dynamic responses for saturated porous deep-sea sediments under the vibration of the mining vehicle is established.We obtain the analytical solutions of non-dimensional vertical displacement,excess pore water pressure,vertical stress,temperature,and change in the volume fraction field with the normal mode analysis method,and depict them graphically.The normal mode analysis method uses the canonical coordinate transformation to solve the equation,which can quickly decouple the equation by ignoring the modal coupling effect on the basis of the canonical mode.The results indicate that the vibration frequency has obvious influence on the vertical displacement,excess pore water pressure,vertical stress,and change in volume fraction field.The loading amplitude has a great effect on the physical quantities in the foundation,and the changes of the physical quantities increase with the increase in loading amplitude.

Analysis of coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical behavior of unsaturated soils based on theory of mixtures I

This paper analyzes a coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical behavior of unsaturated soils based on the theory of mixtures. Unsaturated soil is considered as a mixture composed of soil skeleton, liquid water, vapor, dry air, and dissolved air. In addition to the mass and momentum conservation equations of each component and the energy conservation equation of the mixture, the system is closed using other 37 constitutive （or restriction） equations. As the change in water chemical potential is identical to the change in vapor chemical potential, a thermodynamic restriction relationship for the phase transition between pore water and pore vapor is formulated, in which the impact of the change in gas pressure on the phase transition is taken into account. Six final govern- ing equations are given in incremental form in terms of six primary variables, i.e., three displacement components of soil skeleton, water pressure, gas pressure, and temperature. The processes involved in the coupled model include thermal expansions of soil skeleton and soil particle, Soret effect, phase transition between water and vapor, air dissolution in pore water, and deformation of soil skeleton.

Coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical modeling of frost heave and water migration during artificial freezing of soils for mineshaft sinking

Artificial freezing of water-bearing soil layers composing a sedimentary deposit can induce frost heave and water migration that affect the natural stress-strain state of the soil layers and freezing process.In the present paper,a thermo-hydro-mechanical(THM)model for freezing of water-saturated soil is proposed to study the effects of frost heave and water migration in frozen soils on the formation of a frozen wall and subsequent excavation activity for sinking a vertical shaft.The governing equations of the model are formulated relative to porosity,temperature,and displacement which are considered as primary variables.The relationship between temperature,pore water,and ice pressure in frozen soil is established by the Clausius-Clapeyron equation,whereas the interaction between the stress-strain behavior and changes in porosity and pore pressure is described with the poromechanics theory.Moreover,constitutive relations for additional mechanical deformation are incorporated to describe volumetric expansion of soil during freezing as well as creep strain of soil in the frozen state.The ability of the proposed model to capture the frost heave of frozen soil is demonstrated by a comparison between numerical results and experimental data given by a one-sided freezing test.Also to validate the model in other freezing conditions,a radial freezing experiment is performed.After the validation procedure,the model is applied to numerical simulation of artificial freezing of silt and sand layers for shaft sinking at Petrikov potash mine in Belarus.Comparison of calculated temperature with thermal monitoring data during active freezing stage is presented.Numerical analysis of deformation of unsupported sidewall of a shaft inside the frozen wall is conducted to account for the change in natural stress-strain state of soil layers induced by artificial freezing.

Numerical thermo-hydro-mechanical modeling of compacted bentonite in China-mock-up test for deep geological disposal

The China-mock-up test is to evaluate the performance of the compacted Gaomiaozi （GMZ） bentonite under coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical （THM） conditions in deep geological disposal. A numerical study of the test is conducted in this paper. The principal THM characteristics of the bentonite are presented at first. A THM model is then presented to tackle the complex coupling behavior of the bentonite. The model of Alonso-Gens is incorporated to reproduce the mechanical behavior of the bentonite under unsaturated conditions. With the proposed model, numerical simulations of the China-mock-up test are carried out by using the code of LAGAMINE. The time variations associated with the temperature, degree of saturation, suction and swelling pressure of the compacted bentonite are studied. The results suggest that the proposed model is able to reproduce the mechanical behavior of the bentonite, and to predict moisture motion under coupled THM conditions.

Coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical simulation of CO2 enhanced gas recovery with an extended equation of state module for TOUGH2MP-FLAC3D

As one of the most important ways to reduce the greenhouse gas emission,carbon dioxide（CO2）enhanced gas recovery（CO2-EGR） is attractive since the gas recovery can be enhanced simultaneously with CO2sequestration.Based on the existing equation of state（EOS） module of TOUGH2 MP,extEOS7C is developed to calculate the phase partition of H2O-CO2-CH4-NaCl mixtures accurately with consideration of dissolved NaCI and brine properties at high pressure and temperature conditions.Verifications show that it can be applied up to the pressure of 100 MPa and temperature of 150℃.The module was implemented in the linked simulator TOUGH2MP-FLAC3 D for the coupled hydro-mechanical simulations.A simplified three-dimensional（3D）1/4 model（2.2 km×1 km×1 km） which consists of the whole reservoir,caprock and baserock was generated based on the geological conditions of a gas field in the North German Basin.The simulation results show that,under an injection rate of 200,000 t/yr and production rate of 200,000 sm3/d,CO2breakthrough occurred in the case with the initial reservoir pressure of 5 MPa but did not occur in the case of 42 MPa.Under low pressure conditions,the pressure driven horizontal transport is the dominant process;while under high pressure conditions,the density driven vertical flow is dominant.Under the considered conditions,the CO2-EGR caused only small pressure changes.The largest pore pressure increase（2 MPa） and uplift（7 mm） occurred at the caprock bottom induced by only CO2injection.The caprock had still the primary stress state and its integrity was not affected.The formation water salinity and temperature variations of ±20℃ had small influences on the CO2-EGR process.In order to slow down the breakthrough,it is suggested that CO2-EGR should be carried out before the reservoir pressure drops below the critical pressure of CO2.

Thermo-hydro-mechanical modeling of fault discontinuities using zero-thickness interface element

In this paper,a coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical(THM)simulation in a faulted deformable porous medium is presented.This model involves solving the mass conservation,linear momentum balance,and energy balance equations which are derived from the Biot’s consolidation theory.Fluid pore pressure,solid displacement,and temperature are chosen as initial variables in these equations,and the finite element method in combination with the interface element is used for spatial discretization of continuous and discontinuities(fault)parts of the medium to solve the equations.The main purpose of this study is providing precise formulations,applicability,and ability of the triple-node zero-thickness interface element in THM modeling of faults.It should be noted that the system of equations is solved using a computer code written in Matlab program.In order to verify the developed method,simulations of index problems such as Mandel’s problem,and coupled modeling of a faulted porous medium and a faulted aquifer are presented.The modeling results obtained from the developed method show a very good agreement with those by other modeling methods,which indicates its accuracy.

Joints in unsaturated rocks:Thermo-hydro-mechanical formulation and constitutive behaviour

A formulation for the coupled analysis of thermo-hydro-mechanical （THM） problems in joints is first presented. The work involves the establishment of equilibrium and mass and energy balance equations. Balance equations were formulated taking into account two phases： water and air. The joint element developed was implemented in a general purpose finite element computer code for THM analysis of porous media （Code_Bright）. The program was then used to study a number of cases ranging from laboratory tests to large scale in situ tests. A numerical simulation of coupled hydraulic shear tests of rough granite joints is first presented. The tests as well as the model show the coupling between permeability and the deformation of thejoints. The experimental investigation was focused on the effects of suction on the mechanical behaviour of rock joints. Laboratory tests were performed in a direct shear cell equipped with suction control. Suction was imposed using a vapour forced convection circuit connected to the cell and controlled by an air pump. Artificial joints of Lilla claystone were prepared.Joint roughness of varying intensity was created by carving the surfaces in contact in such a manner that rock ridges of different tip angles were formed. These angles ranged from 0° （smooth joint） to 45° （very rough joint profile）. The geometric profiles of the two surfaces in contact were initially positioned in a ＂matching＂ situation. Several tests were performed for different values of suctions （200, 100, and 20 MPa） and for different values of vertical stresses （30, 60, and 150 kPa）. A constitutive model including the effects of suction and joint roughness is proposed to simulate the unsaturated behaviour of rock joints. The new constitutive law was incorporated in the code and experimental results were numerically simulated.

Parametric study of thermo-hydro-mechanical response of claystone with consideration of steel corrosion

In this paper,the thermo-hydro-mechanical(THM)response of claystone is studied via a series of parametric studies,considering the evolution of mechanical properties and deformation behavior of corroded steel.The numerical simulations are performed by using a coupled THM finite element code and two different constitutive models:a visco-elastoplastic model for geological formation and a von Mises type model for steel liner.The mechanical properties and deformation behavior of corroded steel are described in a conceptual model.Finally,a disposal tunnel supported by a steel liner is studied and a series of parametric studies is defined to demonstrate the corrosion effects of steel liner on the THM response of the claystone.The comparison of different numerical calculations exhibits that the volumetric expansion related to corrosion products has an important impact on the stress and displacement fields in the claystone surrounding the disposal tunnel.However,the evolutions of temperature and liquid pressure in the claystone are essentially controlled by its THM properties and independent of the steel corrosion.

Comparison of numerical codes for coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical simulations of fractured media

Geo-energy and geo-engineering applications,such as improved oil recovery(IOR),geologic carbon storage,and enhanced geothermal systems(EGSs),involve coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical(THM)processes that result from fluid injection and production.In some cases,reservoirs are highly fractured and the geomechanical response is controlled by fractures.Therefore,fractures should explicitly be included into numerical models to realistically simulate the THM responses of the subsurface.In this study,we perform coupled THM numerical simulations of water injection into naturally fractured reservoirs(NFRs)using CODE_BRIGHT and TOUGH-UDEC codes.CODE_BRIGHT is a finite element method(FEM)code that performs fully coupled THM analysis in geological media and TOUGH-UDEC sequentially solves coupled THM processes by combining a finite volume method(FVM)code that solves nonisothermal multiphase flow(TOUGH2)with a distinct element method(DEM)code that solves the mechanical problem(UDEC).First,we validate the two codes against a semi-analytical solution for water injection into a single deformable fracture considering variable permeability based on the cubic law.Then,we compare simulation results of the two codes in an idealized conceptual model that includes one horizontal fracture and in a more realistic model with multiple fractures.Each code models fractures differently.UDEC calculates fracture deformation from the fracture normal and shear stiffnesses,while CODE_BRIGHT treats fractures as equivalent porous media and uses the equivalent Young’s modulus and Poisson’s ratio of the fracture.Finally,we obtain comparable results of pressure,temperature,stress and displacement distributions and evolutions for the single horizontal fracture model.Despite some similarities,the two codes provide increasingly different results as model complexity increases.These differences highlight the challenging task of accurately modeling coupled THM processes in fractured media given their high nonlinearity.

Design and development of large-scale in-situ PRACLAY heater test and horizontal high-level radioactive waste disposal gallery seal test in Belgian HADES

In Belgium,the Boom clay was selected as a potential host formation for the disposal of high-level radioactive waste（HLW）.To demonstrate the suitability of Boom clay for bearing thermal load induced by the HLW,a large-scale in-situ heater test,called PRACLAY heater test,will be conducted in the underground research laboratory（URL） in Mol.Owing to the limitations of the test（a short period of time compared with that considered in a real repository,different boundary conditions,etc.）,the test is designed to simulate,in a conservative way,the most critical state and phenomena that could occur in the host rock.The PRACLAY gallery was excavated at the end of 2007;the heating phase will begin in 2010 and will last for at least 10 years.The PRACLAY gallery itself leaves an opportunity to study the possibilities of sealing a disposal drift in Boom clay and testing the feasibility of hydraulic cut-off of any preferential pathway to the main access gallery through the excavation damage zone（EDZ） and the lining with a seal in a horizontal drift（horizontal seal）.Indeed,this is a generic problem for all deep geological disposal facilities for HLW.An annular seal made of compacted swelling bentonite will be installed in the front of the heated part of the PRACLAY gallery for these purposes.This paper provides detailed considerations on the thermo-hydro-mechanical（THM） boundary conditions for the design of the PRACLAY heater test and the seal test with the support of numerical calculations.It is believed that these important items considered in the PRACLAY heater test design also constitute key issues for the repository design.The outcome of the PRACLAY heater test will be an important milestone for the Belgian repository design.

A pseudo-coupled numerical approach for stability analysis of frozen soil slopes based on finite element limit analysis method

To simplify the stability analysis of frozen soil slope, a pseudo-coupled numerical approach is developed. In this approach, the coupled heat transfer and water flow in frozen soils are simulated first, and based on the computed thermal-hydro field, the stability of frozen soil slope is evaluated. Although the shear strength for frozen soil is very complicated and is usually represented by a nonlinear MC failure criterion, a simple linear MC yield criterion is utilized. In this method, the internal friction angle is expressed as a function of volumetric ice content and the cohesion is fitted as a simple bilinear expression of Tand volumetric water content. To assess slope stability, the limit analysis is employed in conjunction with the recently developed a-section search algorithm. A frozen soil slope example is used to examine the proposed pseudo-coupled numerical approach, and numerical studies validate its effectiveness. Based on numerical results, it is seen that slope stability may be remarkably influenced by warming air （or grotmd surface） temperature. With increasing ground surface temperature, slope stability indicated by FOS may reduce to 1.0, implying that wanning air temperature could be a trigger of frozen soil slope failure.

Simulations of THM processes in buffer-rock barriers of high-level waste disposal in an argillaceous formation

The main objective of this paper is to investigate and analyse the thermo-hydro-mechanical（THM） coupling phenomena and their influences on the repository safety.In this paper,the high-level waste（HLW） disposal concept in drifts in clay formation with backfilled bentonite buffer is represented numerically using the CODE BRIGHT developed by the Technical University of Catalonia in Barcelona.The parameters of clay and bentonite used in the simulation are determined by laboratory and in situ experiments.The calculation results are presented to show the hydro-mechanical（HM） processes during the operation phase and the THM processes in the after-closure phase.According to the simulation results,the most probable critical processes for the disposal project have been represented and analyzed.The work also provides an input for additional development regarding the design,assessment and validation of the HLW disposal concept.

Numerical simulation of seasonal snow in Tianshan Mountains

Snowfall in the Tianshan Mountains in China is frequent during winter;thus,avalanches have become a severe issue in snow-covered areas.Accumulation and metamorphosis,as well as hydrothermal exchanges with the environment,considerably affect the stability of snow on slopes.Therefore,a hydrothermal model of snow cover and its underlying surfaces must be developed on the basis of meteorological data to predict and help manage avalanches.This study adopted the conceptual model of snow as a porous medium and quantitatively analysed its internal physical processes on the basis of the thermal exchanges amongst its components.The effects of local meteorological factors on snow structure and the redistribution of energy and mass inside the snow cover in the Tianshan Mountains were simulated.Simulation results showed that deformation as a result of overlying snow and sublimation of snow cover at the bottom is the main cause of density variation in the vertical profile of snow cover.Temperature drives water movement in snow.The low-density area of the bottom snow is the result of temperature gradient.The simulation results of the long-term snow internal mass distribution obtained by the method established in this study are highly consistent with the actual observed trend of variation.Such consistency indicates an accurate simulation of the physical characteristics of snow cover in small and microscale metamorphism in the Tianshan Mountains during the stable period.

THM Coupled Modeling in Near Field of an Assumed HLW Deep Geological Disposal Repository

One of the most suitable ways under study for the disposal of high-level radioactive waste (HLW) is isolation in deep geological repositories. It is very important to research the thermo-hydro- mechanical (THM) coupled processes associated with an HLW disposal repository. Non-linear coupled equations, which are used to describe the THM coupled process and are suited to saturated-unsaturated porous media, are presented in this paper. A numerical method to solve these equations is put forward, and a finite element code is developed. This code is suited to the plane strain or axis-symmetry problem. Then this code is used to simulate the THM coupled process in the near field of an ideal disposal repository. The temperature vs. time, hydraulic head vs. time and stress vs. time results show that, in this assumed condition, the impact of temperature is very long (over 10 000 a) and the impact of the water head is short (about 90 d). Since the stress is induced by temperature and hydraulic head in this condition, the impact time of stress is the same as that of temperature. The results show that THM coupled processes are very important in the safety analysis of an HLW deep geological disposal repository.

Numerical analysis of thermal impact on hydro-mechanical properties of clay

As is known, high-level radioactive waste （HLW） is commonly heat-emitting. Heat output from HLWwilldissipate through the surrounding rocks and induce complex thermo-hydro-mechanical-chemical（THMC） processes. In highly consolidated clayey rocks, thermal effects are particularly significantbecause of their very low permeability and water-saturated state. Thermal impact on the integrity of thegeological barriers is of most importance with regard to the long-term safety of repositories. This studyfocuses on numerical analysis of thermal effects on hydro-mechanical properties of clayey rock using acoupled thermo-mechanical multiphase flow （TH2M） model which is implemented in the finite elementprogramme OpenGeoSys （OGS）. The material properties of the numerical model are characterised by atransversal isotropic elastic model based on Hooke＇s law, a non-isothermal multiphase flow model basedon van Genuchten function and Darcy＇s law, and a transversal isotropic heat transport model based onFourier＇s law. In the numerical approaches, special attention has been paid to the thermal expansion ofthree different phases： gas, fluid and solid, which could induce changes in pore pressure and porosity.Furthermore, the strong swelling and shrinkage behaviours of clayey material are also considered in thepresent model. The model has been applied to simulate a laboratory heating experiment on claystone.The numerical model gives a satisfactory representation of the observed material behaviour in thelaboratory experiment. The comparison of the calculated results with the laboratory findings verifies thatthe simulation with the present numerical model could provide a deeper understanding of the observedeffects. 2014 Institute of Rock and Soil Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Production and hosting byElsevier B.V. All rights reserved.