Modelling of Predictive Hydraulic Impacts of a Potential Radioactive Waste Geological Repository on the Meuse/Haute-Marne Multilayered Aquifer System (France)

Benabderrahmane Hakim^1*, Kerrou Jaouher², Tacher Laurent³, Deman Gregory², Perrochet Pierre²

¹Research & Development Department, ANDRA, 1-7 rue Jean Monnet, Chatenay-Malabry Cedex, France.
²Centre of Hydrogeology and Geothermics (CHYN), University of Neuchatel, Rue Emile Argand 11, Neuchatel, Switzerland.
³Laboratoire de Mécanique des Sols (EPFL-LMS), Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.

DOI: 10.4236/jamp.2014.212125                

Abstract

The French National Agency for Nuclear Waste Management (Andra) conducted a site investiga- tions program within the project of a deep geological disposal of radioactive waste in the Meuse/ Haute-Marne region. The construction of the tunnel of 5 Km length and the shafts of about 500 m depth to access the repository located in the clay host formation of Callovo-Oxfordian age, will lead to the perturbations of the groundwater flow fields. The prediction of the behaviour of these perturbations is needed to support: 1) the engineering and monitoring operations, and 2) the assessment of the consequences on groundwater resources. A variably-saturated flow model of a local multi-layered aquifer system is developed. It integrates the Oxfordian aquifer (limestone), the Kimmeridgianaquitard (marl) and the Barrois limestone aquifer including the karst conduits network. The variably-saturated flow Richard’s equation is solved with a finite element simulator. Prior to the simulation of the predictive repository impacts, a transient flow model is calibrated with respect to Underground Research Laboratory (URL) construction data. The results are analysed and evaluated by the use of performance measures.

Keywords

Numerical Modelling, Variably-Saturated Flow, Karst, Repository, Hydraulic Impacts

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

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