Coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical analysis of porous rocks: Candidate of surrounding rocks for deep geological repositories

• Published in: Journal of Rock Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering
• Main Authors: Tao Meng, Zaobao Liu, Fengbiao Wu, Zhijiang Zhang, Xufeng Liang, Yi He, Xiaomeng Wu, Yizhang Yang, Haoran Gao
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2025-05-01
• Subjects: Deep geological repository; Coupled thermal-hydro-mechanical environment; Pore structure; Microcomputer tomography; 3D reconstruction
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674775524005158

Deep geological sequestration is widely recognized as a reliable method for nuclear waste management, with expanded applications in thermal energy storage and adiabatic compressed air energy storage systems. This study evaluated the suitability of granite, basalt, and marble as reservoir rocks capable of withstanding extreme high-temperature and high-pressure conditions. Using a custom-designed triaxial testing apparatus for thermal-hydro-mechanical (THM) coupling, we subjected rock samples to temperatures ranging from 20 °C to 800 °C, triaxial stresses up to 25 MPa, and seepage pressures of 0.6 MPa. After THM treatment, the specimens were analyzed using a Real-Time Load-Synchronized Micro-Computed Tomography (MCT) Scanner under a triaxial stress of 25 MPa, allowing for high-resolution insights into pore and fissure responses. Our findings revealed distinct thermal stability profiles and microscopic parameter changes across three phases—slow growth, slow decline, and rapid growth—with critical temperature thresholds observed at 500 °C for granite, 600 °C for basalt, and 300 °C for marble. Basalt showed minimal porosity changes, increasing gradually from 3.83% at 20 °C to 12.45% at 800 °C, indicating high structural integrity and resilience under extreme THM conditions. Granite shows significant increases in porosity due to thermally induced microcracking, while marble rapidly deteriorated beyond 300 °C due to carbonate decomposition. Consequently, basalt, with its minimal porosity variability, high thermal stability, and robust mechanical properties, emerges as an optimal candidate for nuclear waste repositories and other high-temperature geological engineering applications, offering enhanced reliability, structural stability, and long-term safety in such settings.