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Geosphere Process Report for the Safety Assessment SR-Site Assessment Safety the for Report Process Geosphere Technical Report TR-10-48

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Geosphere Process Report for the Safety Assessment SR-Site Assessment Safety the for Report Process Geosphere Technical Report TR-10-48 Geosphere process report for the safety assessment SR-Site Technical Report TR-10-48 Geosphere process report for the safety assessment SR-Site Svensk Kärnbränslehantering AB November 2010 Svensk Kärnbränslehantering AB Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Co Box 250, SE-101 24 Stockholm Phone +46 8 459 84 00 TR-10-48 CM Gruppen AB, Bromma, 2010 CM Gruppen ISSN 1404-0344 SKB TR-10-48 Geosphere process report for the safety assessment SR-Site Svensk Kärnbränslehantering AB November 2010 A pdf version of this document can be downloaded from www.skb.se 2011-10. Preface This document compiles information on processes in the geosphere relevant for long-term safety of a KBS-3 repository. It supports the safety assessment SR-Site, which will support the licence application for a final repository in Sweden. The work of compiling this report has been led by Kristina Skagius, Kemakta Konsult AB. She has also been the main editor of the report. The following persons have had the main responsibilities for specific subject areas: Harald Hökmark, Clay Technology AB (thermal and mechanical processes), Jan-Olof Selroos, SKB (hydrogeological and transport processes), and Ignasi Puigdomenech and Birgitta Kalinowski, SKB (geochemical processes). In addition, a number of experts have contributed to specific parts of the report as listed in Section 1.3. The report has been reviewed by Jordi Bruno, Amphos, Spain; John Cosgrove, Imperial College, UK; Thomas Doe, Golder Associates Inc, USA; Alan Hooper, Alan Hooper Consulting Limited, UK; John Hudson, Rock Engineering Consultants, UK; Ivars Neretnieks, Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden; Mike Thorne, Mike Thorne and Associates Ltd, UK; and Per-Eric Ahlström, SKB. Stockholm, November 2010 Allan Hedin Project leader SR-Site TR-10-48 3 Contents 1 Introduction 11 1.1 Role of this process report in the SR-Site assessment 11 1.1.1 Overall methodology 11 1.1.2 Identification of processes 14 1.1.3 Relation to specific sites 14 1.1.4 Intended audience of this report 14 1.2 Structure for process descriptions 15 1.3 Participating experts 17 1.4 Definition of the geosphere system and variables 18 1.5 Geosphere performance 19 1.6 Summary of handling of processes in SR-Site 20 1.7 Handling of FEPs mapped to the geosphere process system 24 2 Thermal processes 25 2.1 Heat transport 25 2.1.1 Overview/general description 25 2.1.2 Dependencies between process and geosphere variables 26 2.1.3 Boundary conditions 29 2.1.4 Model studies/experimental studies 29 2.1.5 Natural analogues/observations in nature 30 2.1.6 Time perspective 30 2.1.7 Handling in the safety assessment SR-Site 31 2.1.8 Uncertainties 32 2.1.9 Adequacy of references supporting the handling in SR-Site 32 2.2 Freezing 32 2.2.1 Overview/general description 32 2.2.2 Dependencies between process and geosphere variables 33 2.2.3 Boundary conditions 35 2.2.4 Model studies/experimental studies 37 2.2.5 Natural analogues/observations in nature 37 2.2.6 Time perspective 37 2.2.7 Handling in the safety assessment SR-Site 37 2.2.8 Uncertainties 37 2.2.9 Adequacy of references supporting the handling in SR-Site 40 3 Hydraulic processes 41 3.1 Groundwater flow 41 3.1.1 Overview/general description 41 3.1.2 Dependencies between process and geosphere variables 54 3.1.3 Boundary conditions 58 3.1.4 Model studies/experimental studies 61 3.1.5 Natural analogues/observations in nature 62 3.1.6 Time perspective 62 3.1.7 Handling in the safety assessment SR-Site 63 3.1.8 Uncertainties 66 3.1.9 Adequacy of references supporting the handling in SR-Site 69 3.2 Gas flow/dissolution 70 3.2.1 Overview/general description 70 3.2.2 Dependencies between process and geosphere variables 76 3.2.3 Boundary conditions 79 3.2.4 Model studies/experimental studies 79 3.2.5 Natural analogues/observations in nature 80 3.2.6 Time perspective 80 3.2.7 Handling in the safety assessment SR-Site 80 3.2.8 Uncertainties 82 3.2.9 Adequacy of references supporting the handling in SR-Site 82 TR-10-48 5 4 Mechanical processes 85 4.1 Introduction 85 4.1.1 General 85 4.1.2 Mechanical evolution of the Shield 85 4.1.3 Earthquakes 87 4.1.4 Repository rock mass 88 4.1.5 Processes in the safety assessment 89 4.2 Displacements in intact rock 90 4.2.1 Overview/general description 90 4.2.2 Dependencies between process and geosphere variables 91 4.2.3 Boundary conditions 92 4.2.4 Model studies/experimental studies 92 4.2.5 Natural analogues/observations in nature 93 4.2.6 Time perspective 93 4.2.7 Handling in the safety assessment SR-Site 93 4.2.8 Uncertainties 94 4.2.9 Adequacy of references supporting the handling in SR-Site 94 4.3 Reactivation – displacement along existing discontinuities 95 4.3.1 Overview/general description 95 4.3.2 Dependencies between process and geosphere variables 96 4.3.3 Boundary conditions 99 4.3.4 Model studies/experimental studies 99 4.3.5 Natural analogues/observations in nature 101 4.3.6 Time perspective 102 4.3.7 Handling in the safety assessment SR-Site 102 4.3.8 Uncertainties 108 4.3.9 Adequacy of references supporting the handling in SR-Site 109 4.4 Fracturing 109 4.4.1 Overview/general description 109 4.4.2 Dependencies between process and geosphere variables 110 4.4.3 Boundary conditions 112 4.4.4 Model studies/experimental studies 113 4.4.5 Natural analogues/observations in nature 114 4.4.6 Time perspective 114 4.4.7 Handling in the safety assessment SR-Site 114 4.4.8 Uncertainties 115 4.4.9 Adequacy of references supporting the handling in SR-Site 116 4.5 Creep 116 4.5.1 Overview/general description 116 4.5.2 Dependencies between process and geosphere variables 117 4.5.3 Boundary conditions 119 4.5.4 Model studies/experimental studies 119 4.5.5 Natural analogues/observations in nature 120 4.5.6 Time perspective 120 4.5.7 Handling in the safety assessment SR-Site 120 4.5.8 Uncertainties 120 4.5.9 Adequacy of references supporting the handling in SR-Site 121 4.6 Erosion/sedimentation in fractures 121 4.6.1 Overview/general description 121 4.6.2 Dependencies between process and geosphere variables 122 4.6.3 Boundary conditions 123 4.6.4 Model studies/experimental studies 123 4.6.5 Natural analogues/observations in nature 127 4.6.6 Time perspective 127 4.6.7 Handling in the safety assessment SR-Site 127 4.6.8 Uncertainties 128 4.6.9 Adequacy of references supporting the handling in SR-Site 128 6 TR-10-48 5 Chemical processes 129 5.1 Introduction 129 5.1.1 Overview 129 5.1.2 Geochemical conditions of the geosphere 130 5.1.3 Temporal evolution 130 5.1.4 Importance for repository performance 130 5.2 Advective transport/mixing of dissolved species 131 5.2.1 Overview/general description 131 5.2.2 Dependencies between process and geosphere variables 134 5.2.3 Boundary conditions 135 5.2.4 Model studies/experimental studies 135 5.2.5 Natural analogues/observations in nature 137 5.2.6 Time perspective 138 5.2.7 Handling in the safety assessment SR-Site 138 5.2.8 Uncertainties 139 5.2.9 Adequacy of references supporting the handling in SR-Site 140 5.3 Diffusive transport of dissolved species in fractures and rock matrix 140 5.3.1 Overview/general description 140 5.3.2 Dependencies between process and geosphere variables 143 5.3.3 Boundary conditions 145 5.3.4 Model studies/experimental studies 146 5.3.5 Natural analogues/observations in nature 146 5.3.6 Time perspective 147 5.3.7 Handling in the safety assessment SR-Site 147 5.3.8 Uncertainties 148 5.3.9 Adequacy of references supporting the handling in SR-Site 149 5.4 Speciation and sorption 150 5.4.1 Overview/general description 150 5.4.2 Dependencies between process and geosphere variables 152 5.4.3 Boundary conditions 153 5.4.4 Model studies/experimental studies 153 5.4.5 Natural analogues/observations in nature 154 5.4.6 Time perspective 154 5.4.7 Handling in the safety assessment SR-Site 155 5.4.8 Uncertainties 155 5.4.9 Adequacy of references supporting the handling in SR-Site 156 5.5 Reactions groundwater/rock matrix 157 5.5.1 Overview/general description 157 5.5.2 Dependencies between process and geosphere variables 159 5.5.3 Boundary conditions 161 5.5.4 Model studies/experimental studies 161 5.5.5 Natural analogues/observations in nature 161 5.5.6 Time perspective 162 5.5.7 Handling in the safety assessment SR-Site 162 5.5.8 Uncertainties 163 5.5.9 Adequacy of references supporting the handling in SR-Site 163 5.6 Dissolution/precipitation of fracture-filling minerals 163 5.6.1 Overview/general description 163 5.6.2 Dependencies between process and geosphere variables 166 5.6.3 Boundary conditions 167 5.6.4 Model studies/experimental studies 167 5.6.5 Natural analogues/observations in nature 167 5.6.6 Time perspective 168 5.6.7 Handling in the safety assessment SR-Site 168 5.6.8 Uncertainties 168 5.6.9 Adequacy of references supporting the handling in SR-Site 169 5.7 Microbial processes 169 5.7.1 Overview/general description 169 TR-10-48 7 5.7.2 Dependencies between process and geosphere variables 174 5.7.3 Boundary conditions 176 5.7.4 Model studies/experimental studies 177 5.7.5 Natural analogues/observations in nature 177 5.7.6 Time perspective 178 5.7.7 Handling in the safety assessment SR-Site 178 5.7.8 Uncertainties 179 5.7.9 Adequacy of references supporting the handling in SR-Site 181 5.8 Degradation of grout 181 5.8.1 Overview/general description 181 5.8.2 Dependencies between process and geosphere variables 183 5.8.3 Boundary conditions 185 5.8.4 Model studies/experimental studies 185 5.8.5 Natural analogues/observations in nature 186 5.8.6 Time perspective 186 5.8.7 Handling in the safety assessment
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