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Rock Joint Description and Modelling for Prediction of Near-Field Repository Performance

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 February 2011

Nick Barton ,
Khosrow Bakhtar  and
Stavros Bandis
Nick Barton
Affiliation:
Terra Tek, Inc., 400 Wakara Way, Salt Lake City, Utah 84108, USA
Khosrow Bakhtar
Affiliation:
Terra Tek, Inc., 400 Wakara Way, Salt Lake City, Utah 84108, USA
Stavros Bandis
Affiliation:
Consultant, 83 Kassandrou St., Thessaloniki, Greece
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Abstract

The shear behavior and normal closure behavior of rock joints have a major influence on the changes in joint conductivity to be expected during the life of a repository. Methods are described for obtaining the joint parameters required to model these conductivity perturbations. They include the joint roughness and the wall strength, which can both be obtained from simple tests on jointed drill core. Examples are shown that illustrate the shear stress-displacement, dilation and conductivity coupling that occurs when a joint of given size is subjected to shear under various levels of effective normal stress. Major increases in conductivity may occur. Examples are also shown that illustrate the stress-closure-conductivity coupling. This comprehensive joint behavior model indicates that important size-effects exist in shear behavior which are related to the joint spacing or effective in situ block size. The discrete modelling of near-field joint and fracture performance is essential for predicting the long-term integrity of a nuclear waste repository.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 26: Symposium D – Scientific Basis for Nuclear Waste Management VII , 1983 , 1047
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1984

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References

REFERENCES

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