| Abstract: | The problem of fully coupled consolidation and heat flow around a rigid cylindrical heat source buried in clay has been studied. The governing equations of the problem are summarized in the paper and a finite element time-marching scheme to obtain an approximate solution to the governing equations is described. The stress–strain behaviour of the skeleton of the saturated soil has been represented by both a linear elastic model and the modified Cam clay soil model. The results of a limited parametric study are presented with the aim of understanding the major mechanisms of soil behaviour close to buried canisters of hot radioactive waste. A range of soil properties has been included in the study, and the effects of soil disturbance during canister emplacement have also been considered. |
