Fracture growth leading to mechanical spalling
around deposition boreholes of an underground nuclear waste repository
Sauceanu MC, A Paluszny, RW Zimmerman and D Mas Ivars. (2022) Fracture growth leading to mechanical spalling around deposition boreholes of an underground nuclear waste repository. Fracture growth leading to mechanical spalling around deposition boreholes of an underground nuclear waste repository (Sciencedirect.com)
This study presents a three-dimensional numerical analysis of multiple fracture growth leading to spalling around nuclear waste deposition boreholes. Mechanical spalling due to stress amplification after drilling is simulated using a finite element-based fracture growth simulator.
The effect of spalling on the structural integrity of the deposition boreholes is illustrated for each test case and quantified in terms of maximum spalling depth, spalling width and total fractured surface area.