Mont Terri Tunnel
Partner
Scope
Clay is one of the promising geological formations currently investigated world-wide for the geological disposal of radioactive waste. In Switzerland –the Opalinus Clay- is such a formation and is also quite representative, in properties and expected behaviour, to others found across Europe. The Mont Terri Rock Laboratory is situated in the Jura Mountains.
The objectives are to characterize the effect of thermal expansion on the deformation of underground cavities by a combination of measurements and mathematical calculations in a clay environment as a basis for a repository layout for extended borehole disposal of heat generating waste. A second aim is to demonstrate the proper work of a new fibre optic monitoring system for hydro-thermo-mechanical parameters in a clay environment.
The fibre optic monitoring system is based on the fibre Bragg Grating technology and is designed to be put inside a borehole and will allow measuring the temperature and deformation in the longitudinal direction of this borehole.