• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.144-159
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• 2022

The present study developed a sequential approach-based numerical simulator for modeling coupled thermal-hydrological-mechanical (THM) processes in the ground and investigated the computational performance of the coupling analysis algorithm. The present sequential approach linked the two different solvers: an open-source numerical code, OpenGeoSys for solving the thermal and hydrological processes in porous media and a commercial code, FLAC3D for solving the geomechanical response of the ground. A benchmark test of the developed simulator was carried out using a THM problem where an analytical solution is given. The benchmark problem involves the coupled behavior (variations in temperature, pore pressure, stress, and deformation with time) of a fully saturated porous medium which is subject to a point heat source. The results of the analytical solution and numerical simulation were compared and the validity of the numerical simulator was investigated.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.610-622
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• 2021

The DECOVALEX project is one of the representative international cooperative projects to enhance the understanding of the complex Thermo-Hydro-Mechanical-Chemical(THMC) coupled behavior in the high-level radioactive waste disposal system based on the numerical simulation. DECOVALEX-2023 is the current phase consisting of 7 tasks, and Task C aims to model the THM coupled behavior in the disposal system based on the Full-scale Emplacement (FE) experiment at the Mont-Terri underground rock laboratory. This study performs the numerical simulation based on the OGS-FLAC developed for the current study. In the numerical model, we emplaced the heater with constant power horizontally based on the FE experiment and monitored the pressure development, temperature increase, and mechanical deformation at the specific monitoring points. We monitored the capillary pressure as the primary effect inducing the flow in the buffer system, and thermal stress and pressurization were dominant in the surrounding rocks' area. The results will also be compared and validated with the other participating groups and the experimental data further.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2007.05b
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• pp.3027-3032
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• 2007

To understand the complex phenomena performed in steam explosion, the fast and global measurement of the steam distribution is imperative for this extremely rapid transient stimulation of the bubble breakup and coalescence due to turbulent eddies and shock waves. TROI, the experimental facility requests more robust sensor system to meet this requirement. In Europe, researchers are prefer a X-ray method but this method is very expensive and has limited measurement range. There is an alternative technology such as ECT. Because of TROI's geometry, however, we need axial tomography method. This paper reviews image reconstruction algorethms for axial tomography, including Tikhonov regularization and iterative Tikhonov regularization. Axial tomography method is examined by simulation and experiment for typical permittivity distributions. Future works in axial tomography technology is discussed.

• Advances in Energy Research
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.75-90
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• 2019

Anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions are rising rapidly despite efforts to curb release of such gases. One long term potential solution to offset these destructive emissions is the capture and storage of carbon dioxide. Partially depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs are attractive targets for permanent carbon dioxide disposal due to proven storage capacity and seal integrity, existing infrastructure. Optimum well completion design in depleted reservoirs requires understanding of prominent geomechanics issues with regard to rock-fluid interaction effects. Geomechanics plays a crucial role in the selection, design and operation of a storage facility and can improve the engineering performance, maintain safety and minimize environmental impact. In this paper, an integrated geomechanics workflow to evaluate reservoir caprock integrity is presented. This method integrates a reservoir simulation that typically computes variation in the reservoir pressure and temperature with geomechanical simulation which calculates variation in stresses. Coupling between these simulation modules is performed iteratively which in each simulation cycle, time dependent reservoir pressure and temperature obtained from three dimensional compositional reservoir models in ECLIPSE were transferred into finite element reservoir geomechanical models in ABAQUS and new porosity and permeability are obtained using volumetric strains for the next analysis step. Finally, efficiency of this approach is demonstrated through a case study of oil production and subsequent carbon storage in an oil reservoir. The methodology and overall workflow presented in this paper are expected to assist engineers with geomechanical assessments for reservoir optimum production and gas injection design for both natural gas and carbon dioxide storage in depleted reservoirs.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.372-382
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• 2013

Thermal-hydro-mechanical (THM) modeling is a critical R&D issue in the performance and safety assessment of a high-level waste repository. With an $\ddot{A}$sp$\ddot{o}$ prototype repository, its thermal behavior was analyzed and then compared with in-situ experimental data for its validation. A model simulation was used to calculate the temperature distributions in the deposition holes, deposition tunnel, and surrounding host rock. A comparison of the simulation results with the experimental data was made for deposition hole DH-6, which showed that there was a temperature difference of $2{\sim}5^{\circ}C$ depending on the location of the measuring points, but there was a similar trend in the evolution curves of temperature as a function of time. It was expected that the coupled modeling of the thermal behavior with the hydro-mechanical behavior in the buffer and backfill of the $\ddot{A}$sp$\ddot{o}$ prototype repository would give a better agreement between the experimental and model calculation results.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.446-461
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• 2020

Numerical simulations of CIEMAT column test in Spain are performed to investigate the coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical (THM) behavior of MX80 bentonite pellets using TOUGH2-FLAC3D. The heater power and injection pressure of water in the numerical simulations are identical to those in the laboratory test. To investigate the applicability of the thermo-hydraulic (TH) model used in TOUGH2 code to prediction of the coupled TH behavior, the simulation results are compared with the observations of temperature and relative humidity with time. The tendencies of the coupled behavior observed in the test are well represented by the numerical models and the simulator in terms of temperature and relative humidity evolutions. Moreover, the performance of the models for the reproduction and prediction of the coupled TH behavior is globally satisfactory compared with the observations. However, the calculated stress change is relatively small and slow due to the limitations of the simple elastic and swelling pressure model used in numerical simulations. It seems that the two models are insufficient to realistically reproduce the complex coupled THM behavior in the bentonite pellets.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.39-62
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• 2020

In this study, Barcelona Basic Model (BBM) was implemented into TOUGH2-MP/FLAC3D for the numerical analysis of coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical (THM) behavior of unsaturated soils and the prediction of long-term behaviors. Similar to the methodology described in a previous study for the implementation of BBM into TOUGH-FLAC, the User Defined Model (UDM) of FLAC based on the Modified Cam Clay Model (MCCM) and the FISH function of FLAC3D were used to extend the existing MCCM module in FLAC3D for the implementation of BBM into TOUGH2-MP/FLAC3D. In the developed BBM module in TOUGH2-MP/FLAC3D, the plastic strains due to change in suction increase (SI) in addition to mean effective stress are calculated. In addition to loading-collapse (LC) yield surface, suction increase (SI) yield surface is changed by hardening rules in the developed BBM module. Several numerical simulations were conducted to verify and validate the implementation of BBM: using an example presented in the FLAC3D manual for the standard MCCM, simulation results using COMSOL, and experimental data presented in SKB Reports. In addition, the developed BBM analysis module was validated by simultaneously performing a series of modeling tests that were performed for the validation of the Quick tools developed for the purpose of effectively deriving BBM parameters, and by comparing the Quick tools and Code_Bright results reported in a previous study.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.29 no.8
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• pp.65-73
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• 2013

Ground-coupled heat pump system has attracted attention as a promising renewable energy technology due to its improving energy efficiency and eco-friendly mechanism for space cooling and heating. Pipes buried in the ground play a role of direct thermal interaction between circulating fluid inside the pipe and surrounding soils in the geothermal exchange system. However, both complexities of turbulent flow coupling thermal-hydraulic phenomena and very long aspect ratio of the pipe make it difficult to model the heat exchange system directly. Energy balance for fluid flow inside the pipe was derived to model thermal-hydraulic phenomena, and one-dimensional pipe element was proposed through Galerkin formation and time integration of the equation. Developed element is combined to pre-developed FEM code for THM phenomena in porous media. Numerical results of Thermal Response Test showed that line-source model overestimates equivalent thermal conductivity of surrounding soils due to thermal interaction between adjacent pipes and finite length of the pipe. Thus, inverse analysis for the TRT simulation was conducted to present optimal transformation matrix with utmost convergence.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.242-255
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• 2020

The numerical simulations of Heater Experiment-D (HE-D) at the Mont Terri rock laboratory in Switzerland were performed to investigate an applicability of FLAC3D to reproduce the coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical (THM) behaviour in Opalinus Clay, as part of the DECOVLEX-2015 project Task B. To investigate the reliability of numerical simulations of the coupled behaviour using FLAC3D code, the simulation results were compared with the observations from the in-situ experiment, such as temperature at 16 sensors, pore pressure at 6 sensors, and strain at 22 measurement points. An anisotropic heat conduction model, fluid flow model, and transversely isotropic elastic model in FLAC3D successfully represented the coupled thermo-hydraulic behaviour in terms of evolution for temperature and pore pressure, however, performance of the models for mechanical behavior is not satisfactory compared with the measured strain.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.411-434
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• 2022

In deep geological disposal concept for spent nuclear fuel, it is well-known that rock mass at near-field experiences the thermal-hydraulic-mechanical (THM) coupled behavior. The mechanical properties of rock changes during the coupled process, and it is important to consider the changes into the analysis of numerical simulation and in-situ tests for long-term stability evaluation of nuclear waste disposal repository. This report collected the previous studies on indirect coupled behaviors of rock. The effects of water saturation and temperature on some mechanical properties of rock was considered, while the change in hydraulic conductivity of rock due to stress was included in the indirect coupled behavior.