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research article

An engineering elastoplastic anisotropic model applied to the modelling of deep tunnelling in Opalinus Clay

Madaschi, Aldo
•
Leuthold, Julia
•
Cantieni, Linard
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September 1, 2025
Geomechanics for Energy and the Environment

This paper introduces the Enhanced Anisotropic Damage Plasticity (eADP) model, a novel engineering constitutive approach tailored for tunnel analyses in Opalinus Clay – the designated host rock for the Swiss radioactive waste repository. The model's key innovations lie in its ability to comprehensively capture the complex behaviour of Opalinus Clay within an extremely efficient computational framework, making it suitable for routine engineering calculations and performance assessments. The eADP model adeptly reproduces Opalinus Clay's highly nonlinear stress-strain responses, accounting for anisotropic characteristics for stiffness, strength, and hardening. Honouring such complexity in material behaviour while keeping an efficient numerical performance was a key aspect of the eADP implementation. The model calibration relies on an extensive dataset derived from undrained triaxial tests performed on Opalinus Clay samples sourced recently from the Swiss candidate repository sites. The enhanced formulation and the multi-level optimisation scheme developed and applied in this work ensures a simple and robust parameter identification, showcasing the model's adaptability across varying loading conditions and confining pressures. The verification through hydromechanical computations at repository depths underscores the model's efficacy in realistic tunnel excavation scenarios.

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Type
research article
DOI
10.1016/j.gete.2025.100721
Scopus ID

2-s2.0-105011072253

Author(s)
Madaschi, Aldo

Nesol– Numerical Engineering Solutions

Leuthold, Julia

ETH Zürich

Cantieni, Linard

ETH Zürich

Giger, Silvio B.

Nagra

Laloui, Lyesse  

École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne

Date Issued

2025-09-01

Published in
Geomechanics for Energy and the Environment
Volume

43

Article Number

100721

Subjects

Anisotropy

•

FEM

•

Opalinus Clay

•

Tunnel excavation

Editorial or Peer reviewed

REVIEWED

Written at

EPFL

EPFL units
LMS  
FunderFunding(s)Grant NumberGrant URL

National Cooperative for the Disposal of Radioactive Waste

Available on Infoscience
July 29, 2025
Use this identifier to reference this record
https://infoscience.epfl.ch/handle/20.500.14299/252732
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