THM-modelling benchmark initiative on the effects of temperature on the disposal of heat-generating radioactive waste in clay formations

Eric Simo; Christophe de Lesquen; Rocio Paola Leon-Vargas; Minh Ngoc Vu; Simon Raude; Ginger El Tabbal; Arnaud Dizier; Suresh Seetharam; Asta Narkuniene; Frédéric Collin; Hangbiao Song; Antonio Gens; Fei Song; Alexandru Bogdan Tatomir; Thomas Nagel; Jörg Buchwald

doi:10.1007/s11440-024-02502-w

THM-modelling benchmark initiative on the effects of temperature on the disposal of heat-generating radioactive waste in clay formations

Eric Simo, Christophe de Lesquen, Rocio Paola Leon-Vargas, Minh Ngoc Vu, Simon Raude, Ginger El Tabbal, Arnaud Dizier, Suresh Seetharam, Asta Narkuniene, Frédéric Collin, Hangbiao Song, Antonio Gens, Fei Song, Alexandru Bogdan Tatomir, Thomas Nagel, Jörg Buchwald

Engineered and Geosystems Analysis

Research output › peer-review

Abstract

Understanding the thermo-hydro-mechanical (THM) behaviour of clay formations, which are being considered as potential hosts for the disposal of radioactive waste in Europe, is important for the feasibility and the safe disposal of heat-generating radioactive waste in deep geological clayey formations. To ensure the reliability of numerical models and tools used to predict the THM evolution of such systems over long periods of time, it is necessary to verify and validate these tools through benchmarking initiatives. As part of the joint European Programme on Radioactive Waste Management (EURAD), the Influence of Temperature on Clay-based Material Behaviour (HITEC) work package invited seven teams from across Europe to participate in a benchmark initiative to assess the expertise and capabilities of these teams and their numerical tools to predict THM evolution in different clay materials. The results of this benchmark showed that all teams involved were able to adequately model the THM behaviour of heat-generating repository systems in clay formations, and the tools they used can be considered verified for the solution of coupled THM equations under variable boundary conditions relevant for nuclear waste disposal.

Original language	English
Article number	105097
Pages (from-to)	1621-1642
Number of pages	22
Journal	Acta Geotechnica
Volume	20
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s11440-024-02502-w
State	Published - Apr 2025

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Geotechnical Engineering and Engineering Geology
Earth and Planetary Sciences (miscellaneous)

Access to Document

10.1007/s11440-024-02502-w

Cite this

Simo, E., de Lesquen, C., Leon-Vargas, R. P., Vu, M. N., Raude, S., El Tabbal, G., Dizier, A., Seetharam, S., Narkuniene, A., Collin, F., Song, H., Gens, A., Song, F., Tatomir, A. B., Nagel, T., & Buchwald, J. (2025). THM-modelling benchmark initiative on the effects of temperature on the disposal of heat-generating radioactive waste in clay formations. Acta Geotechnica, 20(4), 1621-1642. Article 105097. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11440-024-02502-w

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title = "THM-modelling benchmark initiative on the effects of temperature on the disposal of heat-generating radioactive waste in clay formations",

abstract = "Understanding the thermo-hydro-mechanical (THM) behaviour of clay formations, which are being considered as potential hosts for the disposal of radioactive waste in Europe, is important for the feasibility and the safe disposal of heat-generating radioactive waste in deep geological clayey formations. To ensure the reliability of numerical models and tools used to predict the THM evolution of such systems over long periods of time, it is necessary to verify and validate these tools through benchmarking initiatives. As part of the joint European Programme on Radioactive Waste Management (EURAD), the Influence of Temperature on Clay-based Material Behaviour (HITEC) work package invited seven teams from across Europe to participate in a benchmark initiative to assess the expertise and capabilities of these teams and their numerical tools to predict THM evolution in different clay materials. The results of this benchmark showed that all teams involved were able to adequately model the THM behaviour of heat-generating repository systems in clay formations, and the tools they used can be considered verified for the solution of coupled THM equations under variable boundary conditions relevant for nuclear waste disposal.",

keywords = "Boom clay, Callovo–Oxfordian clay, Geological disposal, High-level radioactive waste, Opalinus Clay, Safety assessment, Thermo-hydro-mechanical modelling",

author = "Eric Simo and {de Lesquen}, Christophe and Leon-Vargas, {Rocio Paola} and Vu, {Minh Ngoc} and Simon Raude and {El Tabbal}, Ginger and Arnaud Dizier and Suresh Seetharam and Asta Narkuniene and Fr{\'e}d{\'e}ric Collin and Hangbiao Song and Antonio Gens and Fei Song and Tatomir, {Alexandru Bogdan} and Thomas Nagel and J{\"o}rg Buchwald",

note = "Score=10 Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} The Author(s) 2025.",

year = "2025",

month = apr,

doi = "10.1007/s11440-024-02502-w",

language = "English",

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Simo, E, de Lesquen, C, Leon-Vargas, RP, Vu, MN, Raude, S, El Tabbal, G, Dizier, A , Seetharam, S, Narkuniene, A, Collin, F, Song, H, Gens, A, Song, F, Tatomir, AB, Nagel, T & Buchwald, J 2025, 'THM-modelling benchmark initiative on the effects of temperature on the disposal of heat-generating radioactive waste in clay formations', Acta Geotechnica, vol. 20, no. 4, 105097, pp. 1621-1642. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11440-024-02502-w

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AU - Simo, Eric

AU - de Lesquen, Christophe

AU - Leon-Vargas, Rocio Paola

AU - Vu, Minh Ngoc

AU - Raude, Simon

AU - El Tabbal, Ginger

AU - Dizier, Arnaud

AU - Seetharam, Suresh

AU - Narkuniene, Asta

AU - Collin, Frédéric

AU - Song, Hangbiao

AU - Gens, Antonio

AU - Song, Fei

AU - Tatomir, Alexandru Bogdan

AU - Nagel, Thomas

AU - Buchwald, Jörg

N1 - Score=10 Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2025.

PY - 2025/4

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N2 - Understanding the thermo-hydro-mechanical (THM) behaviour of clay formations, which are being considered as potential hosts for the disposal of radioactive waste in Europe, is important for the feasibility and the safe disposal of heat-generating radioactive waste in deep geological clayey formations. To ensure the reliability of numerical models and tools used to predict the THM evolution of such systems over long periods of time, it is necessary to verify and validate these tools through benchmarking initiatives. As part of the joint European Programme on Radioactive Waste Management (EURAD), the Influence of Temperature on Clay-based Material Behaviour (HITEC) work package invited seven teams from across Europe to participate in a benchmark initiative to assess the expertise and capabilities of these teams and their numerical tools to predict THM evolution in different clay materials. The results of this benchmark showed that all teams involved were able to adequately model the THM behaviour of heat-generating repository systems in clay formations, and the tools they used can be considered verified for the solution of coupled THM equations under variable boundary conditions relevant for nuclear waste disposal.

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KW - Callovo–Oxfordian clay

KW - Geological disposal

KW - High-level radioactive waste

KW - Opalinus Clay

KW - Safety assessment

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