Laplace Boundary Element Model for the Thermoelastic Consolidation of Multilayered Media

Abstract

A boundary-element method for solving the fully coupled equations of thermoelastic consolidation is developed for multilayered media. Conditions of temperature, heat flux, pore pressure, hydraulic flux, displacement, and traction are enforced at the interface between layers. In addition, a criterion for making an optimal choice between two efficient Laplace inversion schemes is developed, significantly reducing computation time. The improved scope and numerical efficiency of the method are illustrated by applying it to the analysis of a decaying radioactive waste repository buried in an engineered clay tunnel, itself embedded in granite. The difference in hydraulic conductivity between clay and granite is found to increase the buildup of pore pressure by a factor of 5 in some places.