PIONIER
Implementierung und Weiterentwicklung von Stoffmodellen für Tongesteine und Bentonit zur Simulation THM-gekoppelter Prozesse im Rahmen sicherheitsanalytischer Untersuchungen
The safe containment of radioactive waste during the evaluation period, in accordance with §4(2) of the Repository Safety Requirements Ordinance (Endlagersicherheitsanforderungsverordnung), relies on a robust, multi-layered barrier system composed of geological, geotechnical, and technical barriers. The research project PIONIER aims to minimize existing uncertainties or knowledge gaps regarding the integrity of geological and geotechnical barriers, focusing on claystone as the geological barrier and bentonite as the geotechnical barrier. To achieve this, coupled thermal, hydraulic, and mechanical processes (referred to as THM processes) for claystone and bentonite are implemented and further developed using the numerical computation code OpenGeoSys (OGS).
The PIONIER research project is closely linked to the work of BGE (Federal Company for Radioactive Waste Disposal) within EURAD (European Joint Programme on Radioactive Waste Management). EURAD is a collaborative research program of the European Union aimed at supporting the safety-oriented implementation of national disposal programs through joint research activities on relevant and prioritized issues in the field of radioactive waste management. As part of the PIONIER research initiative, BGE TECHNOLOGY GmbH supports BGE in its EURAD activities, particularly in the EURAD projects GAS (Mechanistic Understanding of Gas Transport in Clay Materials) and HITEC (Influence of Temperature on Clay-Based Material Behavior).
The GAS research project aims to enhance understanding of gas transport processes in claystones and clay-based construction materials and to evaluate the gas transport processes that may occur in a geological repository system. Additionally, it seeks to study potential impacts on barrier integrity and repository properties. In collaboration with the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ, Leipzig) and the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR, Hannover), BGE is working on the implementation of material models for the advective transport of gas in clay materials. Within the scope of PIONIER, a THM material model for bentonite is also being developed to describe the swelling behavior of expandable clay materials under temperature influences. The combination of these material models is intended to enable the numerical analysis of general two-phase flow and thermomechanical (TH²M) behavior in clays in the future.
The HITEC research project investigates the influence of temperature on the behavior of clay-based materials. The primary goal is to improve understanding of the thermo-hydro-mechanical (THM) behavior of claystones and clay-based construction materials under high-temperature conditions. Suitable THM models for claystones and clay-based materials are to be derived. In this context, BGE aims to develop a time-dependent, anisotropic THM model for claystones that accounts for strength and stiffness anisotropy, time-dependent deformation, the dependence of permeability on irreversible stresses, hydro-mechanical coupling for saturated and/or unsaturated conditions, and thermomechanical coupling. This model is intended to predict thermally induced damage in claystone. Validation of the developed THM material model will be based on an in-situ benchmark experiment, thereby assessing the applicability of the model on a repository scale.
Contact
Research & Development
info@bge-technology.de
Short Infos
Runtime: 2019 - 2025
Client:
Federal Company for Radioactive Waste Disposal (BGE)
Publications
// Research report
EURAD - D7.6 HITEC Modelling report on the effect of temperature on clay host rocks behaviour
Author(s): C. Lesquen, N. Vu, C Plua, E. Simo, A. Tatomir, R. León Vargas, P. Bésuelle, S Dal Pont, A Di Donna, S. Raude, G. El Tabbal, A Dizier, S. Seetharam, A. Narkūnienė, G Poskas, P Poškas, F. Collin, H. Song, A Rawat, A. Gens, F. Song
Final version as of 06/06/2024 of deliverable 7.6 of the HORIZON 2020 project EURAD. EC Grant agreement N˚ 847593.
Language: Englisch
Publication number: 7.6
01.06.2024
Lesquen, C. d.; Vu, N. M.; Plua, C.; Simo, E.; Tatomir, A.; León Vargas, R. P.; Bésuelle, P.; Dal Pont, S.; Di Donna, A.; Raude, S.; El Tabbal, G.; Dizier, A.; Seetharam, S.; Narkūnienė, A.; Poskas, G.; Poškas, P.; Collin, F.; Song, H.; Rawat, A.; Gens, A.; Song, F. (2024): EURAD - D7.6 HITEC Modelling report on the effect of temperature on clay host rocks behaviour. Final version as of 06/06/2024 of deliverable 7.6 of the HORIZON 2020 project EURAD. EC Grant agreement N˚ 847593.. PIONIER: Implementierung und Weiterentwicklung von Stoffmodellen für Tongesteine und Bentonit zur Simulation THM-gekoppelter Prozesse im Rahmen sicherheitsanalytischer Untersuchungen. 7.6. l'Agence Nationale pour la gestion des Déchets Radioactifs (Andra). Châtenay Malabry Cedex
// Forschungsbericht
EBS Domain Insight 3.4.1
Author(s): A. Lommerzheim, M. Jobmann, N. Müller-Hoeppe
Teilbericht des Verbundsprojekt EURAD - Domain Insight
Language: Englisch
14.11.2023
Lommerzheim, A.; Jobmann, M.; Müller-Hoeppe, N. (2023): EBS Domain Insight 3.4.1. Teilbericht des Verbundsprojekt EURAD - Domain Insight. PIONIER: Implementierung und Weiterentwicklung von Stoffmodellen für Tongesteine und Bentonit zur Simulation THM-gekoppelter Prozesse im Rahmen sicherheitsanalytischer Untersuchungen.
// Forschungsbericht
Scenario development and FEP analysis, Domain Insight
Author(s): A. Lommerzheim
Teilbericht des Verbundsprojekt EURAD
Language: Englisch
22.09.2022
Lommerzheim, A. (2022): Scenario development and FEP analysis, Domain Insight. Teilbericht des Verbundsprojekt EURAD. PIONIER: Implementierung und Weiterentwicklung von Stoffmodellen für Tongesteine und Bentonit zur Simulation THM-gekoppelter Prozesse im Rahmen sicherheitsanalytischer Untersuchungen.
// Journal article
EURAD state-of-the-art report: thermo-hydro-mechanical behaviour at high temperature of host clay formations
Author(s): P. Bésuelle, M. Villar, E. Simo, et al.
Language: Englisch
Publication number: DOI: 10.3389/fnuen.2025.1436490
28.03.2025
Bésuelle, P.; Villar, M. V.; Simo, E.; et al. (2025): EURAD state-of-the-art report: thermo-hydro-mechanical behaviour at high temperature of host clay formations. PIONIER: Implementierung und Weiterentwicklung von Stoffmodellen für Tongesteine und Bentonit zur Simulation THM-gekoppelter Prozesse im Rahmen sicherheitsanalytischer Untersuchungen. DOI: 10.3389/fnuen.2025.1436490. EURAD Partneers (EURAD). Frontiers in Nuclear Engineering
// Poster
Hydromechanical modelling of the gas transport in Clay samples
Author(s): A. Hassanzadegan, C. Müller, E. Simo, et al.
In: EURAD (ed.)Clay Conference 2022, Nancy, France, June 13 – June 16, 2022. Nancy: EURAD
Language: Englisch
13.06.2022
Hassanzadegan, A.; Müller, C.; Simo, E.; et al. (2022): Hydromechanical modelling of the gas transport in Clay samples. In: EURAD (ed.)Clay Conference 2022, Nancy, France, June 13 – June 16, 2022. Nancy: EURAD. PIONIER: Implementierung und Weiterentwicklung von Stoffmodellen für Tongesteine und Bentonit zur Simulation THM-gekoppelter Prozesse im Rahmen sicherheitsanalytischer Untersuchungen. BGE TECHNOLOGY GmbH (BGE TEC). Nancy, France
// Newsletter
BGE TECHNOLOGY NEWS 2024 Q1
Author(s): T. von Berlepsch, et al.
First newsletter of BGE TECHNOLOGY GmbH in 2024
- Strengthening of Bonds with Japanese Organisations
- Consultancy for the Sandy Ridge Deep Borehole Research Project
- Project HITEC: Analysis of High Temperature Effects on Clay Host Rocks
- 11th HotBENT Partner Meeting in Brunswick
- Project PRECODE: Quantification of the Dilatancy and Fluid Pressure Criteria in Crystalline Rock Formation
Language: Englisch
31.01.2024
// Annual Report
Annual Report 2022
BGE TECHNOLOGY GmbH's annual report for the year 2022
Language: Deutsch
01.03.2023