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An Illustrative Study of the Potential Sensitivity, of Predicted Long-Term EDZ Development, to Internal Fabric of Argillaceous Limestone

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Abstract

Ultra-long-term storage of spent nuclear fuel and other waste products is most likely to be accomplished through the construction and safe closure of deep geological repositories (DGRs). Around the world, numerous countries are planning, designing and in some cases, building such repositories in sound rock between 400 and 1000 m below surface. In Ontario, Canada, both crystalline (granite, gneiss, etc.) and sedimentary (limestone) are being considered as host formations. A critical element of the host rock (the geo-barrier) is the susceptibility to excavation-induced damage and the long-term evolution of this fracture damage over the lifetime of the repository. The excavation damage zone, EDZ, can form a pathway for the migration of radionuclides from the repository, bypassing seals and internal barrier structures. The Cobourg Limestone is a candidate formation for DGR construction in Ontario, Canada. The long-term performance of this barrier rock may be controlled in part by internal structures including pseudo-bedding in the form of varying clay mineral content and an argillaceous/calcite nodular structure. Typically, geotechnical assessment, analysis and design are based on standard rock properties obtained from laboratory testing on 50–75 mm diameter samples and the occurrence (if any) of jointing. Neglected are the impacts of the internal texture within the limestone. The potential impacts of these structures on EDZ evolution are numerically explored in this paper to provide a schematic illustration of their potential importance for ultra-long-term behaviour. It is evident from this scoping study that the physical (and geological) nature of the bedding structures as well as the internal intra-bed fabric plays as significant a role in behaviour as does the nominal as-measured bulk properties.

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Acknowledgements

The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada through CRD grants held by Dr. Mark S. Diederichs, P.Eng., FEIC and the Nuclear Waste Management Organization of Canada have financially supported this research.

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Diederichs, M.S., Day, J.J. An Illustrative Study of the Potential Sensitivity, of Predicted Long-Term EDZ Development, to Internal Fabric of Argillaceous Limestone. Rock Mech Rock Eng 55, 2805–2819 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-021-02602-z

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