Numerical investigation of heating and cooling-induced damage and brine migration in geologic rock salt : Insights from coupled THM modeling of a controlled block scale experiment

Controlling brine flow is important for the safe disposal of radioactive waste in salt rocks. Thermal and mechanical processes can have a significant impact on flow, although this has never been thoroughly investigated. In study, we conduct fully coupled THM modeling analyzing rock salt, considering non-isothermal two-phase through deformable porous media. To rigorously represent behavior, incorporate suitable phenomenological models creep shear tensile-induced dilatancy/damage, their effect properties. validate such complex model, use it to analyze an experiment meter-scale block subjected multistage heating cooling under controlled laboratory conditions. The experimental data our model predictions temperature inflow show good agreement. Our shows that consider coupling between heating- cooling-induced damage properties estimating inflow. Based modeling, spike caused by permeability increase due tensile dilatancy. Thus, will be useful proper design phase repositories avoid or minimize resulting