// Long-term Safety Studies

THERESA-MOLDAU

Verification and calibration of a THM model to describe the long-term behavior of the excavation damaged zone in rock salt

The THERESA project, subproject MOLDAU, was performed as a Specific Targeted Research and Training Project (STREP) within the Sixth Framework Programme of the European Community. The goal of THERESA was to develop a scientific method for evaluating the capabilities of mathematical models and computer codes used for the design, construction, operation, performance assessment (PA), safety assessment (SA), and post-closure monitoring of geological nuclear waste repositories.
The project work consisted of five work packages (WP1-WP5). WP1 was the overall planning package, designed to supervise the implementation of the other four work packages throughout the duration of the project. In WP2, the issue evaluation tables (IETs) were developed regarding WP3 and WP4. Therefore, the specific issues in PA that are related to THMC modelling in rock salt, buffer, and buffer-rock interfaces were identified and with these results the project was guided in addressing the relevant issues in WP3 and WP4. WP3 and WP4 are the packages addressing numerical modelling of coupled processes, which are THM processes in salt (WP3) and THMC processes in buffer and buffer-rock interfaces (WP4). WP5 was defined to implement a technical auditing (TA) of the models and codes applied in WP3 and WP4, according to specifically developed IETs in WP2.
The organisations involved in the work regarding rock salt (WP3 and the respective IET of WP2) were GRS as the lead contractor, BGR, DBE TEC, FZK, IfG, NRG, TUC, and CIMNE. Of these partners, GRS, DBE TEC, IfG, and CIMNE as contractor of GRS, received a national co-funding via the Projektträger Karlsruhe (PTKA).