A Review On Gas Migration Processes Through Engineered And Geological Barriers

This extended abstract briefly presents a review on the main phenomena and factors associated with the flow and transport of gas through both, engineered and geological barriers intended for the isolation of high-level nuclear waste. The main physical processes and equations that control gas migration process are analyzed and discussed. Special emphasis is place to the possible fluid flow through discontinuities, like the ones associated with the formation and propagation of cracks or preexisting fractures, as well as, to the gas migration through contact between dissimilar materials (e.g. clay-barrier and host rock). Key references in this area are revised and discussed.