BARC/PUB/2011/1296

 
 

3D instability analysis of an underground geological repository-an Indian case study

 
     
 
Author(s)

Verma, A. K.; Bajpai, R. K.; Singh, T. N.; Narayan, P. K.; Dutt, A.

Source

Arabian Journal of Geosciences, 2011. Vol. 4 (7-8): pp. 1173-1188

ABSTRACT

Conceptual geological repositories are generally used for disposing spent nuclear wastes containing both high and low level of nuclear radiation and heat. Due to its  long-lasting effect, it is imperative to analyze its long-term effect on the surrounding rock. Before analyzing radiation and thermal effect, it is important to have structurally stable cavern because designing an opening in rock is a more difficult problem than designing the structure made of steel.Underground rocks are under stress because of the weight of the overlying rock, and in addition, an underground opening will produce a stress concentration and stress relaxation in the surrounding rock. If the induced stress in the surrounding rock exceeds its strength, the opening will fail either by fracturing or by deforming more than the tolerable limit. In this paper, the stability of four different shapes of excavation has been examined for conceptual geological repositories in Indian context. This has been done using equivalent continuum numerical model which has been incorporated in the commercial finite difference

 
 
SIRD Digital E-Sangrahay