Thermo-Hydro-Mechanically coupled modelling of unsaturated soils

Activity: Talk or presentation typesInvited academic talk

Description

The talk will briefly describe the behaviour of bentonite and the challenges related to modelling of that expansive material, chosen to be used as buffer in geological nuclear waste repositories. The presentation will shortly discuss the modelling options related to water transport, air transport, heat transport and the constitutive models for the mechanical behaviour of the material. Then the seminar will discuss some Finite Element Method simulations aiming to replicate the experimental data, including simulation of bentonite pellets homogenization. Finally, the talk will close with description of microstructural features of the bentonite, and analysis related to the role of the bonded water in the water retention properties of the unsaturated clays.
Period10 Dec 2019
Held atNorwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway
Degree of RecognitionLocal