Estimated bounds on rock permeability changes from THM Processes

Near Field Environment Process Model Report

“…The base of the prism is fixed in the vertical direction, but allowed to move in the horizontal directions. The model boundary conditions are intended to approximate in situ conditions and are similar to those used in previous thermomechanical modeling (Berge et al 1998) and are based on field stress measurements. Fracture-deformation values estimated at a series of times are then used to compute permeability change in a cross section perpendicular to the emplacement drift.…”

“…Initial efforts to integrate shear deformation into THM analysis for YMP used the approach presented by Berge et al 1998 in which a continuum model was used to predict zones where shear deformation could be expected on fractures of a given orientation. This approach was used to simulate the SHT and the DST and was applied to emplacement drift geometry in the Near-field Altered-Zone Models Report (Hardin 1998).…”