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  4. Modelling the swelling behaviour of Opalinus Clay shale using a double-structured model
 
conference paper

Modelling the swelling behaviour of Opalinus Clay shale using a double-structured model

Cardin, Michelangelo
•
Ferrari, Alessio  
Cardoso, Rafaela
•
Jommi, Cristina
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August 14, 2025
5th European Conference on Unsaturated Soils and Biotechnology Applied to Geotechnical Engineering
5th European Conference on Unsaturated Soils and Biotechnology Applied to Geotechnical Engineering

This study investigates the application of a hydro-mechanical model to reproduce the swelling behavior of Opalinus Clay Shale (OPA), a geomaterial proposed as a geological barrier for deep nuclear waste storage in Switzerland. Due to its significant content of active clay minerals, OPA undergoes substantial swelling upon transitioning from a partially saturated to a fully saturated state. Owing to its geological history and depth, OPA exhibits low porosity and a certain degree of fissility. Consequently, hydration, particularly under low confining stresses, may lead to the development of induced porosity along the bedding planes. In this paper, we present a constitutive model designed to capture the swelling behavior of OPA, incorporating the evolution of both clay-matrix (micro-) porosity and induced (macro-) porosity. The mathematical formulation is built upon the BExM framework, a widely used constitutive model for unsaturated double-structured geomaterials, here adapted to the specific fabric of OPA. The model is calibrated and validated using experimental tests, demonstrating its capability to reproduce the swelling response of OPA under hydro-mechanical loading conditions.

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Type
conference paper
DOI
10.1051/e3sconf/202564202004
Scopus ID

2-s2.0-105014260916

Author(s)
Cardin, Michelangelo

Università degli Studi di Palermo

Ferrari, Alessio  

École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne

Editors
Cardoso, Rafaela
•
Jommi, Cristina
•
Jommi, Cristina
•
Romero, Enrique
Date Issued

2025-08-14

Publisher

EDP Sciences

Published in
5th European Conference on Unsaturated Soils and Biotechnology Applied to Geotechnical Engineering
Series title/Series vol.

E3S Web of Conferences; 642

ISSN (of the series)

2267-1242

2555-0403

Article Number

02004

Editorial or Peer reviewed

REVIEWED

Written at

EPFL

EPFL units
LMS  
Event nameEvent acronymEvent placeEvent date
5th European Conference on Unsaturated Soils and Biotechnology Applied to Geotechnical Engineering

EUNSAT2025 + BGE 2025

Lisbon, Portugal

2025-09-01 - 2025-09-03

Available on Infoscience
September 8, 2025
Use this identifier to reference this record
https://infoscience.epfl.ch/handle/20.500.14299/253891
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