Lars O. Ericsson

Thermo-Hydro-Mechanical (T-H-M) Impacts of Glaciation and Implications for Deep Geologic Disposal of Nuclear Waste

Abstract The thermo-hydro-mechanical impacts of extreme climate change on the lithosphere down to depths at which deep repositories might be sited have been simulated. The effects of glaciation, including ice sheet and permafrost development, have been studied using site-specific data by combining four models. A climate model provides the forcing function, and ice sheet, permafrost, and coupled hydromechanical models are used to assess impacts. It is concluded that glaciation occurs on a timescale and has impacts on a depth scale that require it to be analysed in a safety analysis for deep lithosphere disposal of long-lived radionuclides in areas that have been prone to glaciation in the past. The simulations have provided valuable insight about processes and mechanisms likely to influence the long-term performance of a repository, the geosphere, or both. The key impacts are discussed, and appropriate methods identified.

Recovery from groundwater extraction in a small catchment area with crystalline bedrock and thin soil cover in Sweden

An experiment has been in progress since 1997 in a small catchment area (28,000 m(2)) with crystalline bedrock and thin soil cover to study the conceivable impact on groundwater conditions of tunneling and the use of groundwater. The impact on hydrology and hydrochemistry from intensive extraction of groundwater at a depth of 50 m in the bedrock has been studied at Lake Gårdsjön in Sweden. The catchment area was first monitored under pristine conditions, followed by four and a half years of extraction and then a recovery phase. The geological conditions result in a low buffer capacity and high sensitivity to acidification. During the period of extraction, the surface runoff decreased by approximately 50% compared to a nearby reference area. The groundwater extraction caused increased fluctuation in groundwater levels in a wetland, which in turn caused oxidation of reduced sulfur to sulfate. The sulfate concentrations increased almost 100-fold in some instances, causing a lowering of the pH by one unit in shallow groundwater. Since extraction of the groundwater was discontinued, the pH has gradually risen and the sulfate concentrations have decreased. However, the concentration of sulfate in groundwater in the wetland has remained stable at approximately double the pre-experiment levels. Magnesium concentrations were lower after the experiment, caused by exhaustion of the magnesium pool in the wetland through acidification. The extraction of water from the bedrock shortened the retention times and increased the recharge of groundwater in the bedrock. After extraction was terminated, the groundwater levels in the boreholes recovered within a month to levels similar to those before extraction. The hydrochemistry of the bedrock groundwater, which was strongly affected by the hydrochemistry of shallow groundwater during the experiment, has also gradually begun to regain its pre-extraction signature. However, the surface runoff has remained low during the first 2 years of recovery, at about 60% of the volume compared to the unaffected catchment area. This could be explained by delayed recovery in resaturation of the shallow rock that was unsaturated during the experiment.

Hydrochemical impact of construction of the western section of the Hallandsås rail tunnel in Sweden

This paper presents a study of the hydrochemical changes that took place during construction of a section of the Hallandsås rail tunnel in southwest Sweden based on monitoring from spring 2011 to summer 2012. Leakage into the tunnel during construction caused lowering of the groundwater levels, which in turn resulted in a decrease in or absence of base flow in the streams. The water in the streams became dominated by meteoric water during the drawdown periods. Meanwhile, wetlands were aerated, and oxygen could penetrate to oxidise reduced S, releasing acids and SO4. The results for the groundwater in the bedrock differed spatially depending on local geological conditions. In each of the three monitored boreholes, higher redox potentials, higher concentrations of organic matter and lower concentrations of dissolved Mn and Fe were observed. In two of the boreholes, oxidation of pyrite, FeS2, present as a fracture mineral, caused the formation of SO4 and acids with subsequent falls in pH and alkalinity. Leakage into underground constructions generally shortens the residence time of the groundwater significantly. Silicate weathering would thus become less important for the hydrochemistry compared to processes that occur during shorter time frames. As regards the durability of the tunnel, the hydrochemical changes observed in two of the three boreholes indicate a more aggressive environment for several parameters known to increase corrosivity of steel. The recovery of the groundwater levels occurred rapidly following completion of the waterproofing systems in the Tunnel. However, hydrochemical recovery with regard to major ions and pH occurred gradually and with an expected duration of several years.

Value of information analysis in rock engineering: a case study of a tunnel project in Äspö Hard Rock Laboratory

Geoengineering prognoses are often based on data from a limited number of investigations of soil and rock mass. There is generally a desire to reduce the uncertainty in the prognoses while minimising the investigation costs. Value of Information Analysis (VOIA) is a support for decisions regarding investigation strategies and the aim of this paper is to present methodology for VOIA that takes into account four decision alternatives where the input data could be provided by experts. The methodology will be applied in a case study where the value of information related to an investigation borehole will be calculated. The results indicate that the value of information of the borehole is low compared with the realisation costs of the investigation. It was found that models for VOIA in underground construction projects are complex but that the analysis can be simplified with extensive use of expert knowledge and calculations of the value of perfect information as a benchmark for investigation strategies.