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TIMODAZ enters second year

27ASC is currently involved as a research partner of the TIMODAZ project (Thermal Impact on the Damaged Zone Around a Radioactive Waste Disposal in Clay Host Rocks). The TIMODAZ Project is co-funded by the European Commission (EC) as part of the sixth Euratom research and training Framework Programme (FP6) on nuclear energy. The project focuses on the study of the combined effect of the EDZ (Excavation Damaged Zone) and the thermal impact on the repository host rock. Three types of clay will be investigated: the Boom Clay, the Opalinus Clay and the Callovo-Oxfordian argilitte. To assess the impact of the different stages of development of the repository on the host rock, numerical tools will be developed allowing a good prognosis of the THMC host rock behaviour at the time and spatial scale of a repository. These developments will build on an experimental programme including laboratory and in-situ tests.

The knowledge gained within the TIMODAZ project will allow an assessment of the significance of the TDZ (Thermal Damaged Zone) in the safety for disposal in clay host rock. An important objective of the project will be to perform predictive simulations of the large scale heater test PRACLAY that will be performed in the HADES underground laboratory at Mol. A microseismic network consisting of 18 transmitters and receivers has been installed around the plug in three boreholes between 8 m and 12 m deep. In addition to these sensors, a further 15 transmitters and receivers will be installed in the lining of the PRACLAY gallery.

The role of ASC is to interpret the seismic measurements performed around the PRACLAY heater test. Ultrasonic surveys will be used to ‘actively’ examine the rock velocity changes. Amplitude and velocity changes on the ray paths can be interpreted in terms of changes in the properties of the rock affecting its capability for sealing and isolating the repository volume.

Further information on the TIMODAZ ptoject can be found at www.timodaz.eu and on the PRACLAY experiment at www.euridice.be.



 


The PRACLAY experiments (from SIXTH FRAME WORK PROGRAMME EURATOM Management of Radioactive Waste- Annex I “Description of Work”).

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