Abstract
This paper focuses on hydraulic-mechanical effects in the Mont Terri rock laboratory (Switzerland) and investigates their impact on pore pressure, the convergence of a niche and the evolution of pre-existing cracks in the wallrock of the niche. A comparison of measurements with numerical simulation results is conducted. The presented in situ measurements include long-term data on temperature, relative humidity, and niche convergence, as well as crackmeter and jointmeter measurements determining the aperture of a bedding-parallel crack. Furthermore, timedomain-reflectometry measurements were carried out in a borehole located in the niche wall close to the crack. They provide information on the water content of the claystone. The numerical simulation is carried out with OpenGeoSys. It contains a 2-dimensional coupled hydraulic-mechanical model considering orthotropy, swelling and shrinkage effects, linear elastic material behaviour and an excavation damaged zone characterized by a zone of lower rock strength. An additional focus is laid on the evolution of cracks in the wallrock of the niche. The presented model approach allows a prediction of the temporal evolution of a desaturated zone incorporating a seasonally influenced part. The comparison with measured water contents yields good agreement. Simulation results and measurements consistently predict a convergence of the niche. The evolution of the crack aperture is influenced by long-term as well as seasonallyinfluenced effects. Due to the convergence of the niche, the long-term trend is characterized by closure of the crack. Furthermore, the seasonally influenced desaturation in winter results in opening of the crack, while the resaturation in the warm and wet summer months leads to closure of the crack. Finally, the comparison of simulation results with measurements indicates qualitative agreement. As a matter of fact, the numerical model seems to represent significant effects concerning the evolution of the crack aperture of a single crack.
Editorial handling: P. Bossart and A. G. Milnes.
This is paper #9 of the Mont Terri Special Issue of the Swiss Journal of Geosciences (see Bossart et al. (2017), Table 3 and Fig. 7).
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Acknowledgements
The Mont Terri Project comprises a great variety of experiments, conducted by the 14 project partners. These partners contribute technical and scientific knowledge as well as financial support. Without these partners it would not be possible to generate such a comprehensive and diverse set of field measurements as well as laboratory and numerical data to obtain an increased understanding of the complex processes in claystone. Therefore we would like to extend our sincere gratitude to all of them. The CD experiment was initiated in 2006 by swisstopo (Paul Bossart). The following partners contributed considerably to this experiment: BGR (Hans-Joachim Alheid and Kristof Schuster), ENSI (Erik Frank and Martin Herfort), IRSN (Jean-Michel Matray), Nagra (Peter Blümling and Tim Vietor), and swisstopo (A. Möri). We would like to take this opportunity to express our particular gratitude to all of them. We are also grateful to Dr. Susanne Stadler for her English proof reading and Dr. Peter Vogel for the fruitful discussions. Furthermore, special thanks go to Herbert Kunz for the great support concerning the preparation of the finite element mesh with his GINA software and to David Jaeggi who provided the measured data. Finally, very special thanks goes to the reviewers Dr. Alain Millard, CEA, Paris-Saclay, France and Dr. Alex Bond, Quintessa, Warrington, UK for many constructive and helpful comments and suggestions.
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Ziefle, G., Matray, JM., Maßmann, J., Möri, A. (2018). Coupled hydraulic-mechanical simulation of seasonally induced processes in the Mont Terri rock laboratory (Switzerland). In: Bossart, P., Milnes, A. (eds) Mont Terri Rock Laboratory, 20 Years. Swiss Journal of Geosciences Supplement, vol 5. Birkhäuser, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-70458-6_10
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