Geological Isolation Research and Development

The thermo–hydro–mechanical coupled process and the mechanical behavior in engineered barriers and the surrounding rock (near–field) are major issues for the performance of engineered barriers.

Heats from wastes, groundwater penetrating from rock and stress fields established underground and/or from the swelling pressure of buffer material interact well with each other in the near–field.

COUPLE was designed to study the T–H–M coupled process, permeability, stress, temperature, and excavation effects are measured under controlled stress and a thermal boundary.

The corrosion of carbon steel overpack in groundwater is accompanied with the evolution of hydrogen gas which may affect the performance of the multibarrier system.

HYDROGEN was designed to study the behavior of hydrogen gas in compacted bentonite or effect on buffer material. Data related to the permeability of hydrogen gas are obtained.