Geomechanics for Energy and the Environment最新文献

{"title":"Numerical simulation of coupled THM behaviour of full-scale EBS in backfilled experimental gallery in the Horonobe URL","authors":"Yutaka Sugita ,&nbsp;Hirokazu Ohno ,&nbsp;Steffen Beese ,&nbsp;Pengzhi Pan ,&nbsp;Minseop Kim ,&nbsp;Changsoo Lee ,&nbsp;Carlos Jove-Colon ,&nbsp;Carlos M. Lopez ,&nbsp;Suu-yan Liang","doi":"10.1016/j.gete.2025.100668","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gete.2025.100668","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Bentonite-based engineered barrier system (EBS) is a key component of many repository designs for the geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste. Given the complexity and interaction of the phenomena affecting the barrier system, coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical (THM) numerical analyses are a potentially useful tool for a better understanding of their behaviour. In this context, a Task (the Horonobe EBS experiment) was undertaken to study, using numerical analyses, the thermo-hydro-mechanical (and thermo-hydro) interactions in bentonite based engineered barriers within the international cooperative project DECOVALEX 2023. One full-scale in-situ experiment and four laboratory experiments, largely complementary, were selected for modelling. The Horonobe EBS experiment is a temperature-controlled non-isothermal experiment combined with artificial groundwater injection. The Horonobe EBS experiment consists of the heating and cooling phases. Six research teams performed the THM or TH (depended on research team approach) numerical analyses using a variety of computer codes, formulations and constitutive laws. For each experiment, the basic features of the analyses are described and the comparison between calculations and laboratory experiments and field observations are presented and discussed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56008,"journal":{"name":"Geomechanics for Energy and the Environment","volume":"42 ","pages":"Article 100668"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-03-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143776650","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Numerical investigation of the gas-induced fracturing behavior of the Callovo-Oxfordian claystone","authors":"Carlos Plúa ,&nbsp;Rémi de La Vaissière ,&nbsp;Gilles Armand ,&nbsp;Sebastià Olivella ,&nbsp;Alfonso Rodriguez-Dono ,&nbsp;Zhan Yu ,&nbsp;Jian-fu Shao ,&nbsp;Eike Radeisen ,&nbsp;Hua Shao","doi":"10.1016/j.gete.2025.100669","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gete.2025.100669","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper presents a synthesis of the numerical approaches adopted by three research teams to reproduce gas fracturing initiation in the Callovo-Oxfordian claystone. This collaborative work has been carried out within the framework of the DECOVALEX-2023 project. First, the research teams investigated the impact of gas migration and fluid pressurization within the Callovo-Oxfordian claystone and the fracturing threshold pressure through a series of benchmark exercises under plane strain conditions with increasing complexity. The three numerical approaches accounted for couplings between the mechanical part and hydraulic parameters, such as permeability, through different variables such as damage, fracture aperture, or equivalent plastic strain. Then, the research teams utilized their models to reproduce two injection tests at the field-scale. A challenge faced by the research teams was dealing with a single study point per injection test, complicating the study of responses near the injection interval. This part included interpretative analyses with simplified approaches for a better understanding of gas pressure build-up. Overall, the numerical simulations yielded acceptable results in reproducing the in-tests after a calibration process and provided insights into the hydromechanical response of the Callovo-Oxfordian claystone under two-phase flow conditions. Nonetheless, the benchmark exercises showed that the numerical results using different mechanical constitutive models yielded different outcomes when reaching critical values leading to fracturing, which strongly depend on how the mechanical part influences the hydraulic response through the changes in hydraulic properties.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56008,"journal":{"name":"Geomechanics for Energy and the Environment","volume":"42 ","pages":"Article 100669"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-03-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143786026","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of chemical pollution from different pH solutions on evaporation and crack growth of granite residual soil","authors":"Yang Chen ,&nbsp;Liansheng Tang ,&nbsp;Weiya Ding ,&nbsp;Zihua Cheng","doi":"10.1016/j.gete.2025.100667","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gete.2025.100667","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In recent years, soil chemical pollution has emerged as a significant global environmental concern. Soil cracking induced by chemical pollution can alter the movement of water in the soil, consequently influencing the entire geological environment. Nevertheless, the consequences of diverse acid-alkali chemical pollutants on soil evaporation and cracking remain incompletely understood. In this investigation, the impact of varied pH chemical solutions on the evaporation and crack formation in granite residual soil (GRS) was examined. Mud samples were submerged in solutions of differing pH levels for 28 days while maintaining a constant temperature of 50°C. The findings demonstrate that as the pH of the solution increases, chemical pollution alters the inter-particle forces within soil, leading to an accelerated evaporation rate of GRS. At pH values of 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, and 13, the constant rate stage of soil water evaporation represented 78.9 %, 78.0 %, 76.1 %, 73.9 %, 69.6 %, and 69.0 % of the total evaporation time, respectively. Acid-alkali pollution significantly accelerates the development of cracks in GRS. For instance, at pH values of 3, 5, 9, 11, and 13, the final crack rate in soil samples increased by 56.56 %, 38.44 %, 19.06 %, 112.81 %, and 305.31 %, respectively, when compared to pH 7. The final fractal dimension of cracks increased by 2.29 %, 0.84 %, 0.63 %, 7.22 %, and 9.52 %, correspondingly. Varied pH levels in chemical solutions influence evaporation characteristics and crack development by altering the contact angle, the electric double layer (EDL), mineral composition, and the soil's microstructure. The research has uncovered an inverse relationship between the thickness of the EDL and contact angle or time of initial crack formation. Building upon this finding, a novel method is introduced to assess changes in EDL thickness. The findings of this study have practical implications for a range of applications related to hydrology and soil stability in the presence of acid-alkali pollution.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56008,"journal":{"name":"Geomechanics for Energy and the Environment","volume":"42 ","pages":"Article 100667"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143734573","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Energy quay walls: Performance analysis and optimisation","authors":"Marco Gerola ,&nbsp;Francesco Cecinato ,&nbsp;Vincent Leclercq ,&nbsp;Philip J. Vardon","doi":"10.1016/j.gete.2025.100664","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gete.2025.100664","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Energy Quay Walls (EQWs) are innovative energy geostructures with the unique capability to exchange heat with both soil and open water. Although previous laboratory testing demonstrated a promising energy efficiency for this type of system, its novelty necessitated thorough research to advance comprehension of its thermal behaviour and optimise energy efficiency. This paper conducts an in-depth examination of EQWs, employing numerical models validated against real data from a full scale test in Delft, The Netherlands.</div><div>Two Finite Element numerical models were developed to (i) reconstruct the undisturbed (i.e. pre-geothermal activation) temperature profile within the soil and (ii) conduct a comprehensive (3D) analysis of heat exchange processes in an EQW application (i.e. during geothermal activation), calibrating relevant parameters with field test data, providing valuable insights into its energy efficiency. Following validation, the geothermal activation model was employed to assess the impact of the flow regime within the heat exchanger pipes and the velocity of the open water on the energy efficiency of the EQW system. Additionally, the contributions of soil, water, and air to the energy gain are investigated. The results indicate that the primary source of energy gain is from open water, and the dominance of this contribution is further increased by the presence of turbulent flow within the heat exchanger pipes. However, the soil can play a key role in short term energy delivery. Furthermore, this study emphasises the importance of the open water movement, revealing a 48<span><math><mtext>%</mtext></math></span> reduction in energy extraction for fully stationary water scenarios.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56008,"journal":{"name":"Geomechanics for Energy and the Environment","volume":"42 ","pages":"Article 100664"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-03-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143739880","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect of multifractal characteristics of pore structure in coal adsorbed by low pressure gas on thermal conductivity and thermal diffusion","authors":"Xiuming Jiang ,&nbsp;Caifang Wu ,&nbsp;Xiaojie Fang ,&nbsp;Yi Cheng","doi":"10.1016/j.gete.2025.100666","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gete.2025.100666","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity are critical physical properties influencing safe mining operations, geothermal field studies, and underground coal gasification technologies. This study investigates the pore structure and multifractal characteristics of coal with varying metamorphic degrees in southwest China using low-pressure N₂ and CO₂ adsorption techniques. The thermal conductivity and diffusivity of coal samples were measured using the transient plane source method. Furthermore, we analyzed the relationship between multifractal parameters and the thermal properties of coal. Our results indicate a weak correlation between industrial parameters and the thermal properties of coal. We found that the pore volume and specific surface area of intermediate pores in coal are positively correlated with thermal conductivity and negatively correlated with thermal diffusivity. Both thermal conductivity and diffusivity increase with the pore volume and specific surface area. Multifractal self-similarity analysis reveals that coal samples exhibit strong multifractal characteristics, with micropores displaying stronger multifractal features than intermediate pores. The distribution of pores in coal primarily influences thermal conductivity and diffusivity, whereas the structure and complexity of the pores themselves have a negligible effect compared to pore uniformity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56008,"journal":{"name":"Geomechanics for Energy and the Environment","volume":"42 ","pages":"Article 100666"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-03-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143683855","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Three-dimensional elastoplastic modelling for deformation property of sandstone with dilatancy","authors":"Jiacun Liu ,&nbsp;Xing Li ,&nbsp;Ying Xu ,&nbsp;Kaiwen Xia","doi":"10.1016/j.gete.2025.100665","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gete.2025.100665","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Due to the development of plastic strains, the strain path within the meridian plane deviates from the reference line corresponding to elastic state. Similarly, under true triaxial stress conditions, the strain path within the deviatoric plane deviates from the reference line corresponding to the constant Lode angle. This deviation is attributed to the plastic shear strain associated with the Lode angle. To account for these phenomena, a novel three-dimensional elastoplastic constitutive model incorporating Lode angle is proposed to characterize the deformation behavior of sandstone. The yield and potential functions within this model incorporate parameters that vary with the plastic internal variable, enabling the evolution of the yield and plastic potential surfaces in both the meridian and deviatoric planes. The comparison between experimental data and the analytic solution derived from the constitutive model validates its reliability and accuracy. To examine the differences between yield surface and plastic potential surface, a comparison between the associated and non-associated flow rules is conducted. The results indicate that the associated flow rule tends to overestimate the dilatancy of sandstone. Furthermore, the role of Lode angle dependence in the potential function is explored, highlighting its importance in accurately describing the rock's deformation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56008,"journal":{"name":"Geomechanics for Energy and the Environment","volume":"42 ","pages":"Article 100665"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-03-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143698121","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Study on novel alkali-activated cementitious grout for scour control of offshore foundation","authors":"Fei Sha ,&nbsp;Yulong Dong ,&nbsp;Shijiu Gu ,&nbsp;Xiaochen Fan ,&nbsp;Wenwen Xiao","doi":"10.1016/j.gete.2025.100663","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gete.2025.100663","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>To address scour hazards surrounding offshore foundations, a new method employing novel alkali-activated cementitious grout (AACG) has been proposed for improvement of seabed soil. Ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBFS) was replaced by fly ash (FA), steel slag (SS) or FA + SS to prepare precursors, the replacement amounts were 10 %, 20 %, 30 % and 40 %. Fresh-state and mechanical properties, minerals and microstructures were investigated. A novel scour simulation test device was developed to simulate engineering conditions of scour and remediation. Flow-soil coupled scour resistance tests were conducted, shear tests and SEM measurements of solidified soil were carried out. The results showed that the optimal ratio of GGBFS:FA:SS was 6:2:2 for AACG. The optimized AACG has better fluidity and lower brittleness, and its 28 d unconfined compressive strength (UCS) achieves 13.5 MPa. For AACG solidified soil, the maximum scour depth was reduced by 33.3 % and the maximum sediment transport amount was decreased by 53.2 %, which were compared to those of cement - sodium silicate (C-S) double slurry. Moreover, the increase degrees of internal friction angle, cohesion and critical shear stress were 700 %, 7.9 % and 786 %, respectively. The scour resistance of AACG solidified soil was superior. The inherent relationship between UCS and critical shear stress was discussed. UCS can be used to rapidly assess the scour resistance of consolidated soil. This study introduced an eco-friendly AACG as an innovative stabilizer for soil reinforcement around offshore structural foundations, offering significant application and environmental values for scour control.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56008,"journal":{"name":"Geomechanics for Energy and the Environment","volume":"42 ","pages":"Article 100663"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-03-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143629224","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Designing a repository in domal salt: The influence of design variants in different modelling environments","authors":"Jeroen Bartol ,&nbsp;Dirk-Alexander Becker ,&nbsp;Steven Benbow ,&nbsp;Alexander Bond ,&nbsp;Tanja Frank ,&nbsp;Tara LaForce ,&nbsp;Josh Nicholas ,&nbsp;Richard Jayne ,&nbsp;Philip H. Stauffer ,&nbsp;Emily Stein ,&nbsp;Jodie Stone ,&nbsp;Jens Wolf","doi":"10.1016/j.gete.2025.100659","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gete.2025.100659","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>To understand the long-term environmental impact of disposing radioactive waste of in a deep geological repository and to optimise its design, performance assessments are used. In this study, four teams (COVRA, GRS, Quintessa, and DOE) modified the previously developed generic repository of DECOVALEX task F2 to identify commonalities and differences between the teams for specific changes in repository design. The teams tested six design modifications: (1) Replacing concrete abutments with run-of-mine salt; (2) Replacing the salt seal with a concrete abutment and using run-of-mine salt instead for the two concrete abutments in each drift seal; (3) Halving the size of the infrastructure area; (4) Using run-of-mine salt instead of gravel for backfilling the infrastructure area; (5) Disposal of spent nuclear fuel without the POLLUX-10 containers (6); Lower initial saturation of the spent nuclear fuel and vitrified waste disposal drifts. Despite different modelling strategies used, models agreed that a smaller infrastructure area has a limited effect on radionuclide transport. Responses to the absence of the two concrete abutments in each seal, the use of single large concrete abutments (200 m each), or the use of run-of-mine salt in the infrastructure area differ between teams due to differing modelling assumptions. Based on these results, the estimated efficacy of containment depends strongly on the model assumptions of each team. More specifically, it appears to depend on the compaction model used and therefore on the backfill material used in different areas of the repository. However, the drift seal appears to be a critical design element in all models, effectively limiting radionuclide transport by hydrologically disconnecting sections of the repository. Additional beneficial design choices include the use of dry salt in disposal drifts to limit radionuclide transport and reducing the infrastructure area costs and minimizing host rock damage.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56008,"journal":{"name":"Geomechanics for Energy and the Environment","volume":"42 ","pages":"Article 100659"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-03-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143637805","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Experimental study of evaporation from soil-atmosphere interfaces","authors":"Jaime E. Granados ,&nbsp;Catalina Lozada ,&nbsp;Bernardo Caicedo","doi":"10.1016/j.gete.2025.100658","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gete.2025.100658","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Experimental evaporation tests on 2–20 mm soil samples were performed under a wide range of atmospheric conditions using a climatic chamber. The relatively thin thickness of the samples was intended to represent the soil-atmosphere interface layer. Atmospheric conditions of wind velocity, air temperature, relative humidity and irradiance were imposed on bare soil surfaces of sand, compacted clay and kaolin slurry. The results of an extensive number of experimental tests show a good correlation between the atmospheric conditions measured near the soil surface and Potential Evaporation (PE) and soil initial evaporation rates. An empirical model based on an inverse sigmoid function is proposed to express the ratio between Actual Evaporation (AE) and Potential Evaporation (AE/PE) rates versus soil suction. The evaporation results of the present study may be used to predict PE and AE rates from soil surfaces of different textures under a broad range of environmental conditions. The empirical model may be used in soil-atmosphere interaction models to estimate water flux across soil-atmosphere boundaries.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56008,"journal":{"name":"Geomechanics for Energy and the Environment","volume":"42 ","pages":"Article 100658"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-03-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143644529","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Settlement analysis in the context of underground climate change","authors":"Anjali N. Thota,&nbsp;Alessandro F. Rotta Loria","doi":"10.1016/j.gete.2025.100662","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gete.2025.100662","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Subsurface urban heat islands are a pressing global issue responsible for an underground climate change beneath cities. Over the past two decades, this phenomenon has been identified as a threat to subsurface ecosystems, hydrogeological systems, transportation systems, and public health. Recently, underground climate change has also been reported as a silent hazard for civil infrastructure due to thermally induced ground deformations. This paper expands the study of the impacts of underground climate change on civil infrastructure by presenting a simplified, one-dimensional settlement analysis that simulates the deformations driven by subsurface urban heat islands as a viscous process driven by thermally accelerated creep. Specifically, this investigation focuses on the vertical displacements of the ground surrounding a caisson foundation supporting a 39-storey building located in the Chicago Loop district under the influence of underground climate change for 100 years. The results reveal that the thermally induced ground displacements caused by underground climate change can be substantial and strongly depend on the ground warming rate and the spatial extent of subterranean temperature variations. The study provides new evidence about the relevance of underground climate change for the serviceability performance of civil infrastructure, motivating future research to identify which types of earth-contact structures and infrastructures may be particularly affected by thermally induced ground deformations caused by this phenomenon.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56008,"journal":{"name":"Geomechanics for Energy and the Environment","volume":"42 ","pages":"Article 100662"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-03-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143619897","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}