Citation

Yao C, Jiang Q, Chen Y, Zhou C. Disaster Adv. 2012; 5(4): 197-201.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, Shankar Gargh)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The mechanisms and numerical modeling prediction of nuclide transport through fractured rocks play an important role for safety assessment of nuclear waste repository. Based on the seepage flow theory in discrete fracture network and the particle tracking method, a numerical model and its corresponding program are developed to simulate solute transport in fractured rocks under steady state flow condition. A typical complex discrete fracture network from an international research project DECOVALEX is adopted to demonstrate the validity of the program and to analyze the effects of different hydraulic gradients on nuclide transport considering both advection and matrix diffusion. Results show that nuclides entering the network at the same time follow different pathways and exit from the network at different time because of the non-uniformity of fracture distribution and flow rate distribution. When the hydraulic gradient becomes lower, the residence time tends to be longer and the matrix diffusion plays a major role in retarding the nuclides.