The thermo-hydro-mechanical behavior of clays and

claystones 

Pierre Delage1

1
Ecole des Ponts ParisTech, Navier-CERMES

Abstract. Particular attention has been paid for some time to thermal issues
in soils and rocks, with respect to the storage of high activity exothermic
radioactive waste at great depth. This field also concerns various Geo-
energy issues, like the behaviour of thermal piles, heat storage in the
ground, the burial of high voltage cables, non-conventional oil production
and ground-atmosphere interactions. Whereas advanced in-situ experiments
have been carried out in some underground research laboratories excavated
in clays and claystones in Belgium, France and Switzerland, rather few
laboratory data about the thermo-hydro-mechanical behaviour of claystones
are available in the literature. Thermal testing of clay rocks actually requires
adopting some soil mechanics concepts, concerning in particular saturation
procedures and drainage conditions. Based on the use of specifically
developed novel experimental devices, new data concerning the thermo-
poro-elastic characteristics, the thermal volume changes (with special
interest devoted to plastic thermal contraction), and thermal pressurisation
issues in various clays and claystones from Belgium (Boom clay), France
(Callovo-Oxfordian claystone) and Switzerland (Opalinus Clay) are
presented. These data, that can be found in the references given below, are
of significant importance in the assessment of the stability and long-term
performance of radioactive waste disposal systems in clays and claystones.

References

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