An analysis of the G-Tunnel heated block thermomechanical response using a compliant-joint rock-mass model; Yucca Mountain Project

The results of two-dimensional finite element analyses of several thermal and mechanical loading cycles of the G-Tunnel heated block experiment are presented. The deformations of the block resulting from biaxial and uniaxial loading as well as thermal loading under constant biaxial stress were determined using a recently developed compliant-joint rock-mass model. The results of the finite element calculations were compared to experimental results. Good quantitative agreement between the experimental and numerical results were obtained in most cases. The notable exception was in the analysis of the thermal loading cycles. In some calculations, key model parameters were varied in order to assess the sensitivity of the solution to variation of these parameters. In addition to comparison of numerical and experimental results a major purpose of these analyses was to assess the methods used in the heated block experiment and their impact on the use of such an experiment for thermomechanical model validation. The results of this evaluation are discussed and recommendations regarding the design of future experiments are made. 15 refs., 49 figs.