Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Characterisation of Excavation-Induced Damage Around a Short Test Tunnel in the Opalinus Clay

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In Switzerland, the Opalinus Clay is under consideration as a potential host rock for deep geological storage of nuclear waste. The Swiss concept involves high-level waste containers emplaced in small-diameter drifts of roughly 3 m. At the Mont Terri Underground Rock Laboratory, a short mine-by experiment (EZ-B) was executed in 2005 with the objective of characterising the excavation-induced damage through an interpretation of integrated field data. The damage zone was found to consist of two parts. Fracture mapping from drillcores and televiewer images revealed a thin inner zone of macroscopic fracturing (20 cm) and devoid of borehole instabilities as well as coinciding with the lowest P-wave characteristics (normalised amplitudes and velocities). The outer zone (50–80 cm) was defined by increasing P-wave characteristics and evidence of borehole instabilities. Supplementing the data interpretation, a simplified numerical elastic stress analysis indicated that the rock mass in the sidewalls and upper western haunch are the most susceptible to spalling. In these regions, stress levels only just reach a spalling limit around 0.05 in the inner fractured zone, suggesting that the zone of macro-fracturing around the niche is not significant. It is postulated that the physical manifestation of the relatively weak bedding plane strength is dominated by bedding-perpendicular displacement as opposed to bedding-parallel shear.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14
Fig. 15
Fig. 16
Fig. 17
Fig. 18
Fig. 19
Fig. 20
Fig. 21

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Amann F, Vogelhuber M (2015) Assessment of geomechanical properties of intact opalinus clay. Unpublished expert report ENSI 33/461, p 69

  • Amann F, Button EA, Evans KF, Gischig VS, Bluemel M (2011) Experimental study of the brittle behavior of clay shale in rapid unconfined compression. Rock Mech Rock Eng 4:415–430

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Amann F, Kaiser PK, Button EA (2012) Experimental study of the brittle behavior of clay shale in rapid triaxial compression. Rock Mech Rock Eng 45(1):21–33

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Armand G, Leveau F, Nussbaum C, de La Vaissiere R, Noiret A, Jaeggi D, Landrein P, Righini C (2014) Geometry and properties of the excavation-induced fractures at the Meuse/Haute-Marne URL drifts. Rock Mech Rock Eng 47:21–41

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baeckblom G, Martin CD (1999) Recent experiments in hard rocks to study the excavation response: implications for the performance of a nuclear waste geological repository. Tunn Undergr Space Technol 14(3):377–394

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bath A, Gautschi A (2003) Geological setting and sample locations. In: Heitzman P, Tripet J-P (eds) Reports of the federal office for water and geology, Geology series, pp 30–35

  • Bell JS, Gough DI (1979) Northeast-southwest compressive stress in Alberta: evidence from oil wells. Earth Planet Sci Lett 45:475–482

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bieniawski ZT (1967) Mechanism of brittle fracture of rock, parts I, II, and III. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci Geomech Abstr 4:395–430

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blaesi H-R, Peters TJ, Mazurek M (1991) Der Opalinuston des Mont Terri (Kanton Jura). Lithologie, mineralogie und physiko-chemische gesteinparameter. Unpublished NAGRA internal report

  • Bock H (2001) RA experiment rock mechanics analyses and synthesis: data report on rock mechanics. Unpublished Mont Terri Technical Report, pp 52

  • Bock H (2009) RA experiment: updated review of the rock mechanics properties of the Opalinus Clay of the Mont Terri URL based on laboratory and field testing. Unpublished Mont Terri Technical Report, p 68

  • Bossart P, Wermeille S (2003) The stress field in the Mont Terri region data compilation. In: Heitzman P, Tripet J-P (eds) Reports of the federal office for water and geology, Geology series, pp 65–92

  • Bossart P, Meier PM, Moeri A, Trick T, Mayor J-C (2002) Geological and hydraulic characterisation of the excavation disturbed zone in the Opalinus Clay of the Mont Terri Rock Laboratory. Eng Geol 66:19–38

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen L, Shao J-F, Huang H-W (2010) Coupled elastoplastic damage modeling of anisotropic rocks. Comput Geotech 37:187–194

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diederichs MS (2003) Rock fracture and collapse under low confinement conditions. Rock Mech Rock Eng 36:339–381

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Giger S, Marschall P (2014) Geomechanical properties, rock models and in situ stress conditions for Opalinus Clay in Northern Switzerland. NAGRA Arbeitsbericht 14-01

  • Hoek E, Bieniawski ZT (1965) Brittle fracture propagation in rock under compression. Int J Fract Mech 1:137–155

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Itasca Consulting Group Inc. (2005) Fast Lagrangian Analysis of Continua in 3 Dimensions, version 3.0

  • Klose CD, Loew S, Giese R, Borm G (2007) Spatial predictions of geological rock mass properties based on in situ interpretations of multi-dimensional seismic data. Eng Geol 93:99–116

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kupferschmied N, Wild KM, Amann F, Nussbaum C, Jaeggi D, Badertscher N (2015) Time-dependent fracture formation around a borehole in a clay shale. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 77:105–114

    Google Scholar 

  • Labiouse V, Vietor T (2014) Laboratory and in situ simulation tests of the excavation damaged zone around galleries in Opalinus Clay. Rock Mech Rock Eng 47:57–70

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Laubscher HP (1965) Ein kinematisches modell der Jurafaltung. Eclogae Geol Helv 58:231–318

    Google Scholar 

  • Laubscher HP (1972) Some overall aspects of Jura dynamics. Am J Sci 272:293–304

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leucci G, De Giorgi L (2006) Experimental studies on the effects of fracture on the P and S wave velocity propagation in sedimentary rock (“Calcarenite del Salento”). Eng Geol 84:130–142

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lisjak A, Tatone BSA, Grasselli G, Vietor T (2014) Numerical modelling of the anisotropic mechanical behaviour of Opalinus Clay at the laboratory-scale using FEM/DEM. Rock Mech Rock Eng 47:187–206

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marschall P, Trick T, Lanyon GW, Delay J, Shao H (2008) Hydro-mechanical evolution of damaged zones around a microtunnel in a claystone formation of the Swiss Jura mountains. In: Yale D, Holtz S, Breeds C, Ozbay U (eds) Proceedings of the 42nd US symposium on rock mechanics and the 2nd US-Canada rock mechanics symposium. American Rock Mechanics Association, San Francisco, CD-Rom, p 11

  • Martin CD, Lanyon GW, Bluemling P, Mayor J-C (2002) The excavation disturbed zone around a test tunnel in the Opalinus Clay. In: Hammah R, Bawden W, Curran J, Telesnicki M (eds) Mining and tunnelling innovation and opportunity, vol 2. University of Toronto Press, Toronto, pp 1581–1588

    Google Scholar 

  • Mazurek M, Hurford A, Leu W (2006) Unravelling the multistage burial history of the Swiss Molasse Basin: integration of apatite fission track, vitrinite reflectance and biomarker isomerisation analysis. Basin Res 18:27–50

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meglis IL, Chow T, Martin CD, Young RP (2005) Assessing in situ microcrack damage using ultrasonic velocity tomography. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 42:25–34

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • NAGRA (2014) SGT Etappe 2, Vorschlag weiter zu untersuchender geologischer Standortgebiete mit zugehörigen Standortarealen für die Oberflächenanlage—Geologische Grundlagen—Geomechanische Unterlagen. NAGRA Technischer Bericht 14-02, Dossier IV

  • Nussbaum C, Bossart P, Burrus F, Jeannin PY, Graf A (2004) Survey and documentation of the Start Niche excavation. Unpublished Mont Terri Technical Note, p 26

  • Nussbaum C, Bossart P, Burrus F, Badertscher N, Meier O, Nold A (2005a) Excavation of Gallery04: general documentation, deformation measurements and geological surveys. Unpublished Mont Terri Technical Note, p 87

  • Nussbaum C, Bossart P, von Ruette J, Meier O, Badertscher N (2005b) EZ-B experiment: small-scale mapping of tectonic and artificial (EDZ) fractures of the EZ-B niche. Unpublished Mont Terri Technical Note, p 23

  • Nussbaum C, Bossart P, Amann F, Aubourg C (2011) Analysis of tectonic structures and excavation induced fractures in the Opalinus Clay, Mont Terri underground rock laboratory (Switzerland). Swiss J Geosci 104:187–210

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Okland D, Cook JM (1998) Bedding-related borehole instability in high-angle wells. In: Holt R (ed) Proceedings of the SPE/ISRM rock mechanics in petroleum industry (Eurock98), vol 1. Society of Petroleum Engineers, Trondheim, pp 413–422

    Google Scholar 

  • Read RS, Chandler NA, Dzik EJ (1998) In situ strength criteria for tunnel design in highly-stressed rock masses. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 35:261–278

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Robertson Geologging Limited (2001) Guide to setting up and using DOPTV Digital Optical Tele-viewer, version 2

  • Schubnel A, Benson PM, Thompson BD, Hazzard JF, Young RP (2006) Quantifying damage, saturation and anisotropy in cracked rocks by inverting elastic wave velocities. Pure Appl Geophys 163:947–973

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schulz T, Ingensand H (2004a) Terrestrial laser scanning—investigations and applications for high precision scanning. In: Proceedings of the FIG working week—the olympic spirit in surveying, Athens, Greece, 22–27 May 2004

  • Schulz T, Ingensand H (2004b) Influencing variables, precision and accuracy of terrestrial laser scanners. In: Proceedings of Ingeo 2004, 4th international conference on engineering surveying, Bratislava, Slovakia, 23–24 Oct 2004

  • Schulz T, Lemy F, Yong S (2005) Laser scanning technology for rock engineering applications. In: Proceedings of the 7th conference on optical 3-D measurement techniques. Vienna University of Technology, Vienna, p 10

  • Schuster K (2012) Detection of borehole disturbed zones and small scale rock heterogeneities with geophysical methods. In: EC-TIMODAZ-THERESA THMC conference proceedings, Luxembourg, 29 Sept–01 Oct 2009, p 10

  • Schuster K, Alheid H-J (2002) Engineered Barrier (EB) experiment and geophysical characterisation of the excavation disturbed zone (ED-C) experiment: seismic investigation of the EDZ in the EB niche. Unpublished Mont Terri Technical Report, p 91

  • Schuster K, Alheid H-J (2007) Results gained from seismic in situ measurements in the Opalinus Clay at the Mont Terri rock laboratory. In: Clays in natural and engineered barriers for radioactive waste confinement, abstracts, pp 137–138

  • Schuster K, Alheid H-J, Boeddener D (2001) Seismic investigation of the excavation damaged zone in Opalinus Clay. Eng Geol 61:189–197

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schuster K, Amann F, Yong S, Bossart P, Connolly P (2017) High-resolution mini-seismic methods applied in the Mont Terri rock laboratory (Switzerland). Swiss J Geosci 110:1–19. doi:10.1007/s00015-016-0241-4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thoeny R (2014) Geomechanical analysis of excavation-induced rock mass behavior of faulted Opalinus Clay at the Mont Terri Underground Rock Laboratory (Switzerland). Ph.D. dissertation, ETH Zurich

  • Thury M, Bossart P (1999) Results of the hydrogeological, geochemical and geotechnical experiments performed in the Opalinus Clay (1996–1997). Geological report no. 23, Swiss geological survey, Bern-Ittigen

  • Valente S, Fidelibus C, Loew S, Cravero M, Iabichino G, Barpi F (2012) Analysis of fracture mechanics tests on Opalinus Clay. Rock Mech Rock Eng 45(5):767–779

    Google Scholar 

  • Wild KM, Amann F (2016) Confinement and anisotropy controlled pore pressure response and effective geomechanical properties of Opalinus Clay (in preparation)

  • Yong S (2007) A three-dimensional analysis of excavation-induced perturbations in the Opalinus Clay at the Mont Terri Rock Laboratory. Ph.D. dissertation, ETH Zurich

  • Yong S, Loew S, Fidelibus C, Frank E, Lemy F, Schuster K (2006) Induced fracturing in the Opalinus Clay: an integrated field experiment. In: Leung CF, Zhou YX (eds) Rock mechanics in underground construction. World Scientific, Singapore, p 9

    Google Scholar 

  • Yong S, Kaiser PK, Loew S (2010) Influence of tectonic shears on tunnel-induced fracturing. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 47:894–907. doi:10.1016/j.ijrmms.2010.05.009

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yong S, Kaiser PK, Loew S (2013) Rock mass response ahead of an advancing face in faulted shale. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 60:301–311. doi:10.1016/j.ijrmms.2013.01.002

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The Swiss Federal Nuclear Safety Inspectorate (HSK, now ENSI) provided funding for this study, and Erik Frank is thanked. Geological mapping was supported by Nicolas Badertscher, Olivier Meier, and Jonas von Ruette. Seismic data collection was supported by Torsten Tietz, Dieter Boeddener, Friedhelm Schulte, and Wilfried Stille. Televiewer logging was supported by Jonas von Ruette, Frank Lemy, and Shannon Lim. Andrew Corkum and Benoit Valley provided software support. Derek Martin, Peter Kaiser, and Keith Evans are thanked for participating in numerous impromptu and invaluable discussions. The authors are grateful to the anonymous journal reviewers who have provided valuable feedback for improving this paper.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Knight Piésold Ltd., 1400 – 750 West Pender Street, Vancouver, BC, V6C 2T8, Canada

    Salina Yong

  2. Department of Earth Sciences, ETH Zurich, Sonneggstrasse 5, 8092, Zurich, Switzerland

    Simon Loew

  3. Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR), Stilleweg 2, 30655, Hannover, Germany

    Kristof Schuster

  4. Federal Office of Topography (swisstopo), Seftigenstrasse 264, 3084, Wabern, Switzerland

    Christophe Nussbaum

  5. Department of Civil, Environmental and Building Engineering and Chemistry, Technical University of Bari, Via E. Orabona 4, 70125, Bari, Italy

    Corrado Fidelibus

Authors
  1. Salina Yong
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Simon Loew
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Kristof Schuster
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Christophe Nussbaum
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Corrado Fidelibus
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Salina Yong.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Yong, S., Loew, S., Schuster, K. et al. Characterisation of Excavation-Induced Damage Around a Short Test Tunnel in the Opalinus Clay. Rock Mech Rock Eng 50, 1959–1985 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-017-1212-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-017-1212-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation