SAFENET-2 – fracture evolution in crystalline rocks (from lab to in situ scale)
Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research UFZ, Department of Environmental Informatics, Leipzig, Germany
Applied Environmental Systems Analysis, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
Christopher McDermott
School of Geosciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Jeoung Seok Yoon
DynaFrax UG, Potsdam, Germany
Jörg Renner
Institute for Geology, Mineralogy, and Geophysics, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum, Germany
Li Zhuang
School of Resources and Safety Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
Andrew Fraser-Harris
School of Geosciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Michael Chandler
School of Geosciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Samuel Graham
School of Geosciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Ju Wang
Beijing Research Institute of Uranium Geology BRIUG, Beijing, China
Mostafa Mollaali
Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research UFZ, Department of Environmental Informatics, Leipzig, Germany
Related authors
Thomas Kohl, Ingo Sass, Olaf Kolditz, Christoph Schüth, Wolfram Rühaak, Jürgen Schamp, Judith Bremer, Bastian Rudolph, Katharina Schätzler, and Eva Schill
Saf. Nucl. Waste Disposal, 2, 135–136, https://doi.org/10.5194/sand-2-135-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/sand-2-135-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Crystalline rocks are being considered as potential host rocks in the ongoing search for a suitable site for a nuclear waste repository in Germany, where there is no existing experience in terms of excavating a repository in crystalline rocks. The planned underground laboratory GeoLaB addressing crystalline geothermal reservoirs offers unique opportunities for synergies with nuclear waste disposal research and development, especially in the exploration and building phases.
René Kahnt, Heinz Konietzky, Thomas Nagel, Olaf Kolditz, Andreas Jockel, Christian B. Silbermann, Friederike Tiedtke, Tobias Meisel, Florian Zill, Anton Carl, Aron D. Gabriel, and Marcel Schlegel
Saf. Nucl. Waste Disposal, 2, 117–118, https://doi.org/10.5194/sand-2-117-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/sand-2-117-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
In the AREHS project, the effect of the alternation of cold and warm periods over 1 million years on the hydrogeological system in the vicinity of a repository was simulated. This was done with thermal–hydraulic–mechanical (–chemical) simulations. The simulations were implemented for generic 3D models for all three host rock formations: clay rock, salt rock and crystalline rock. In addition to the results for the generic sites, a workflow was developed that can be applied to concrete sites.
Michael Kühn, Dirk Bosbach, Horst Geckeis, Vinzenz Brendler, and Olaf Kolditz
Saf. Nucl. Waste Disposal, 2, 195–195, https://doi.org/10.5194/sand-2-195-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/sand-2-195-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
The Repository Site Selection Act explicitly emphasises that targeting the disposal of high-level radioactive waste is a so-called learning process. We are of the opinion that the procedure and the available data should be combined with geoscientific knowledge to support the identification of siting regions. We propose this workshop and invite all experts who have dealt with the search for a repository site from a geoscientific perspective.
Chaofan Chen, Tao Yuan, Renchao Lu, Cornelius Fischer, Olaf Kolditz, and Haibing Shao
Adv. Geosci., 58, 77–85, https://doi.org/10.5194/adgeo-58-77-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/adgeo-58-77-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
The moving distance of the diffusion front is farther away the canister center, along the direction with the neighboring layer having lower diffusion coefficient.
When the bedding angle increases, the diffusion front moves farther in z+ direction, reflecting the increase in effective diffusivity and higher impact of parallel-to-bedding diffusion.
The neighboring layers can slightly reshape the diffusion front line of the radionuclide.
Dirk Bosbach, Horst Geckeis, Frank Heberling, Olaf Kolditz, Michael Kühn, Katharina Müller, Thorsten Stumpf, and the iCROSS team
Saf. Nucl. Waste Disposal, 1, 85–87, https://doi.org/10.5194/sand-1-85-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/sand-1-85-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
The present contribution provides an overview on the collaborative project iCROSS and reports selected results. The impact of considering complex coupled processes in repository subsystems for the assessment of the integrity of a given (generic) repository arrangement will be discussed. The interdisciplinary team combines experimental work in the lab, in the underground rock laboratory and environmental simulations in order to achieve process understanding across variable scales.
René Kahnt, Heinz Konietzky, Thomas Nagel, Olaf Kolditz, Andreas Jockel, Christian B. Silbermann, Friederike Tiedke, Tobias Meisel, Karsten Rink, Wenqing Wang, Florian Zill, Antje Carl, Aron D. Gabriel, Marcel Schlegel, and Torsten Abraham
Saf. Nucl. Waste Disposal, 1, 175–177, https://doi.org/10.5194/sand-1-175-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/sand-1-175-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
In the framework of the Site Selection Act – StandAG, the geoscientific and planning requirements and criteria for the site selection for a repository for high-active nuclear waste are specified. This includes, among others, the modelling of hydrogeological scenarios such as how future cold and warm periods and associated glaciation events can change the (petro-)physical properties as well as the natural hydrogeological properties of the overall system which is the focus of the AREHS project.
Gesa Ziefle, Tuanny Cajuhi, Sebastian Condamin, Stephan Costabel, Oliver Czaikowski, Antoine Fourriére, Larissa Friedenberg, Markus Furche, Nico Graebling, Bastian Graupner, Jürgen Hesser, David Jaeggi, Kyra Jantschik, Tilo Kneuker, Olaf Kolditz, Franz Königer, Herbert Kunz, Ben Laurich, Jobst Maßmann, Christian Ostertag-Henning, Dorothee Rebscher, Karsten Rink, Wolfram Rühaak, Senecio Schefer, Rainer Schuhmann, Marc Wengler, and Klaus Wieczorek
Saf. Nucl. Waste Disposal, 1, 79–81, https://doi.org/10.5194/sand-1-79-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/sand-1-79-2021, 2021
Miao Jing, Falk Heße, Rohini Kumar, Olaf Kolditz, Thomas Kalbacher, and Sabine Attinger
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 23, 171–190, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-171-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-171-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
We evaluated the uncertainty propagation from the inputs (forcings) and parameters to the predictions of groundwater travel time distributions (TTDs) using a fully distributed numerical model (mHM-OGS) and the StorAge Selection (SAS) function. Through detailed numerical and analytical investigations, we emphasize the key role of recharge estimation in the reliable predictions of TTDs and the good interpretability of the SAS function.
Miao Jing, Falk Heße, Rohini Kumar, Wenqing Wang, Thomas Fischer, Marc Walther, Matthias Zink, Alraune Zech, Luis Samaniego, Olaf Kolditz, and Sabine Attinger
Geosci. Model Dev., 11, 1989–2007, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-11-1989-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-11-1989-2018, 2018
T. Fischer, D. Naumov, S. Sattler, O. Kolditz, and M. Walther
Geosci. Model Dev., 8, 3681–3694, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-8-3681-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-8-3681-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
We present a workflow to convert geological models into the open-source VTU format for usage in numerical simulation models. Tackling relevant scientific questions or engineering tasks often involves multidisciplinary approaches. Conversion workflows are needed between the diverse tools of the various disciplines. Our approach offers an open-source, platform-independent, robust, and comprehensible method that is potentially useful for a multitude of similar environmental studies.
W. He, C. Beyer, J. H. Fleckenstein, E. Jang, O. Kolditz, D. Naumov, and T. Kalbacher
Geosci. Model Dev., 8, 3333–3348, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-8-3333-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-8-3333-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
This technical paper presents a new tool to simulate reactive transport processes in subsurface systems and which couples the open-source software packages OpenGeoSys and IPhreeqc. A flexible parallelization scheme was developed and implemented to enable an optimized allocation of computer resources. The performance tests of the coupling interface and parallelization scheme illustrate the promising efficiency of this generally valid approach to simulate reactive transport problems.
Stefan Bredemeyer, Jeoung Seok Yoon, Linmao Xie, and Jeong-Hwan Lee
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2674, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2674, 2024
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Short summary
Siting of deep geological repositories for spent nuclear fuel requires large volumes of intact rock, which must not be damaged due to seismic activity in order to ensure safe containment of the toxic waste. Here we present an approach to identify large-scale fractures in Earth's surface, which may rupture in the event of future earthquakes and defined safety zones around the fractures in which a deep geological repository for storage of spent nuclear fuel should not be built.
Jackie E. Kendrick, Anthony Lamur, Julien Mouli-Castillo, Andrew P. Fraser-Harris, Alexander Lightbody, Katriona Edlmann, Christopher McDermott, and Zoe Shipton
Adv. Geosci., 62, 11–19, https://doi.org/10.5194/adgeo-62-11-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/adgeo-62-11-2023, 2023
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Short summary
By testing the strength of granite in compression and tension at a range of deformation rates, we found that the strength increases with faster deformation. This observation highlights that at these rates, relevant for example to geothermal exploration, we have to consider how the rate of deformation impacts the energy released when rocks crack. The results are promising for developing safe procedures for extracting resources from the subsurface.
Gonçalo B. Cunha and Christopher Ian McDermott
Saf. Nucl. Waste Disposal, 2, 107–107, https://doi.org/10.5194/sand-2-107-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/sand-2-107-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
The flow of water through fractured aquifers can be simulated with computer software. For a single fracture, a map of the empty space (aperture) between the two faces is required. Traditionally, this is fed to the software by sampling the frequency distribution or upscaling. This study analyses a greywacke's fracture roughness spatial continuity (how points are correlated in direction and distance) and creates an upscaled aperture map for computer simulations that better represents reality.
Thomas Kohl, Ingo Sass, Olaf Kolditz, Christoph Schüth, Wolfram Rühaak, Jürgen Schamp, Judith Bremer, Bastian Rudolph, Katharina Schätzler, and Eva Schill
Saf. Nucl. Waste Disposal, 2, 135–136, https://doi.org/10.5194/sand-2-135-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/sand-2-135-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Crystalline rocks are being considered as potential host rocks in the ongoing search for a suitable site for a nuclear waste repository in Germany, where there is no existing experience in terms of excavating a repository in crystalline rocks. The planned underground laboratory GeoLaB addressing crystalline geothermal reservoirs offers unique opportunities for synergies with nuclear waste disposal research and development, especially in the exploration and building phases.
René Kahnt, Heinz Konietzky, Thomas Nagel, Olaf Kolditz, Andreas Jockel, Christian B. Silbermann, Friederike Tiedtke, Tobias Meisel, Florian Zill, Anton Carl, Aron D. Gabriel, and Marcel Schlegel
Saf. Nucl. Waste Disposal, 2, 117–118, https://doi.org/10.5194/sand-2-117-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/sand-2-117-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
In the AREHS project, the effect of the alternation of cold and warm periods over 1 million years on the hydrogeological system in the vicinity of a repository was simulated. This was done with thermal–hydraulic–mechanical (–chemical) simulations. The simulations were implemented for generic 3D models for all three host rock formations: clay rock, salt rock and crystalline rock. In addition to the results for the generic sites, a workflow was developed that can be applied to concrete sites.
Michael Kühn, Dirk Bosbach, Horst Geckeis, Vinzenz Brendler, and Olaf Kolditz
Saf. Nucl. Waste Disposal, 2, 195–195, https://doi.org/10.5194/sand-2-195-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/sand-2-195-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
The Repository Site Selection Act explicitly emphasises that targeting the disposal of high-level radioactive waste is a so-called learning process. We are of the opinion that the procedure and the available data should be combined with geoscientific knowledge to support the identification of siting regions. We propose this workshop and invite all experts who have dealt with the search for a repository site from a geoscientific perspective.
Chaofan Chen, Tao Yuan, Renchao Lu, Cornelius Fischer, Olaf Kolditz, and Haibing Shao
Adv. Geosci., 58, 77–85, https://doi.org/10.5194/adgeo-58-77-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/adgeo-58-77-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
The moving distance of the diffusion front is farther away the canister center, along the direction with the neighboring layer having lower diffusion coefficient.
When the bedding angle increases, the diffusion front moves farther in z+ direction, reflecting the increase in effective diffusivity and higher impact of parallel-to-bedding diffusion.
The neighboring layers can slightly reshape the diffusion front line of the radionuclide.
Dirk Bosbach, Horst Geckeis, Frank Heberling, Olaf Kolditz, Michael Kühn, Katharina Müller, Thorsten Stumpf, and the iCROSS team
Saf. Nucl. Waste Disposal, 1, 85–87, https://doi.org/10.5194/sand-1-85-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/sand-1-85-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
The present contribution provides an overview on the collaborative project iCROSS and reports selected results. The impact of considering complex coupled processes in repository subsystems for the assessment of the integrity of a given (generic) repository arrangement will be discussed. The interdisciplinary team combines experimental work in the lab, in the underground rock laboratory and environmental simulations in order to achieve process understanding across variable scales.
René Kahnt, Heinz Konietzky, Thomas Nagel, Olaf Kolditz, Andreas Jockel, Christian B. Silbermann, Friederike Tiedke, Tobias Meisel, Karsten Rink, Wenqing Wang, Florian Zill, Antje Carl, Aron D. Gabriel, Marcel Schlegel, and Torsten Abraham
Saf. Nucl. Waste Disposal, 1, 175–177, https://doi.org/10.5194/sand-1-175-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/sand-1-175-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
In the framework of the Site Selection Act – StandAG, the geoscientific and planning requirements and criteria for the site selection for a repository for high-active nuclear waste are specified. This includes, among others, the modelling of hydrogeological scenarios such as how future cold and warm periods and associated glaciation events can change the (petro-)physical properties as well as the natural hydrogeological properties of the overall system which is the focus of the AREHS project.
Gesa Ziefle, Tuanny Cajuhi, Sebastian Condamin, Stephan Costabel, Oliver Czaikowski, Antoine Fourriére, Larissa Friedenberg, Markus Furche, Nico Graebling, Bastian Graupner, Jürgen Hesser, David Jaeggi, Kyra Jantschik, Tilo Kneuker, Olaf Kolditz, Franz Königer, Herbert Kunz, Ben Laurich, Jobst Maßmann, Christian Ostertag-Henning, Dorothee Rebscher, Karsten Rink, Wolfram Rühaak, Senecio Schefer, Rainer Schuhmann, Marc Wengler, and Klaus Wieczorek
Saf. Nucl. Waste Disposal, 1, 79–81, https://doi.org/10.5194/sand-1-79-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/sand-1-79-2021, 2021
Mathias Nehler, Ferdinand Stoeckhert, Anne Oelker, Jörg Renner, and Erik Saenger
Solid Earth Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/se-2019-48, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-2019-48, 2019
Publication in SE not foreseen
Short summary
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The technique of X-ray computed tomography (CT) is widely used in multiple disciplines such as medicine, industry and earth sciences. However, quantitative analysis from the reconstructed images are subject to errors due to technical limitations and subsequent evaluation workflows. The paper addresses the uncertainties related to the estimation of porosity from these images and compares the results with laboratory measurements. Accurate porosity estimates are linked to sufficient resolution.
Miao Jing, Falk Heße, Rohini Kumar, Olaf Kolditz, Thomas Kalbacher, and Sabine Attinger
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 23, 171–190, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-171-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-171-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
We evaluated the uncertainty propagation from the inputs (forcings) and parameters to the predictions of groundwater travel time distributions (TTDs) using a fully distributed numerical model (mHM-OGS) and the StorAge Selection (SAS) function. Through detailed numerical and analytical investigations, we emphasize the key role of recharge estimation in the reliable predictions of TTDs and the good interpretability of the SAS function.
Alexandru Tatomir, Christopher McDermott, Jacob Bensabat, Holger Class, Katriona Edlmann, Reza Taherdangkoo, and Martin Sauter
Adv. Geosci., 45, 185–192, https://doi.org/10.5194/adgeo-45-185-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/adgeo-45-185-2018, 2018
Short summary
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In the context of hydraulic fracturing we constructed a comprehensive FEP database and applied it to six key focused scenarios defined under the scope of FracRisk project (www.fracrisk.eu). The FEP database is ranked to show the relevance of each item in the FEP list per scenario. The main goal of the work is to illustrate the FEP database applicability to develop a conceptual model for regional-scale stray gas migration.
Miao Jing, Falk Heße, Rohini Kumar, Wenqing Wang, Thomas Fischer, Marc Walther, Matthias Zink, Alraune Zech, Luis Samaniego, Olaf Kolditz, and Sabine Attinger
Geosci. Model Dev., 11, 1989–2007, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-11-1989-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-11-1989-2018, 2018
T. Fischer, D. Naumov, S. Sattler, O. Kolditz, and M. Walther
Geosci. Model Dev., 8, 3681–3694, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-8-3681-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-8-3681-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
We present a workflow to convert geological models into the open-source VTU format for usage in numerical simulation models. Tackling relevant scientific questions or engineering tasks often involves multidisciplinary approaches. Conversion workflows are needed between the diverse tools of the various disciplines. Our approach offers an open-source, platform-independent, robust, and comprehensible method that is potentially useful for a multitude of similar environmental studies.
W. He, C. Beyer, J. H. Fleckenstein, E. Jang, O. Kolditz, D. Naumov, and T. Kalbacher
Geosci. Model Dev., 8, 3333–3348, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-8-3333-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-8-3333-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
This technical paper presents a new tool to simulate reactive transport processes in subsurface systems and which couples the open-source software packages OpenGeoSys and IPhreeqc. A flexible parallelization scheme was developed and implemented to enable an optimized allocation of computer resources. The performance tests of the coupling interface and parallelization scheme illustrate the promising efficiency of this generally valid approach to simulate reactive transport problems.
K. Klevakina, J. Renner, N. Doltsinis, and W. Adeagbo
Solid Earth, 5, 883–899, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-5-883-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-5-883-2014, 2014
C. A. Trepmann, J. Renner, and A. Druiventak
Solid Earth, 4, 423–450, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-4-423-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-4-423-2013, 2013
A. E. Ortiz R., R. Jung, and J. Renner
Solid Earth, 4, 331–345, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-4-331-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-4-331-2013, 2013
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Short summary
The DECOVALEX Task SAFENET is dedicated to advancing the understanding of fracture nucleation and evolution processes in crystalline rocks, with applications in nuclear waste management and geothermal reservoir engineering.
The DECOVALEX Task SAFENET is dedicated to advancing the understanding of fracture nucleation...