Determination of the porosity, permeability and diffusivity of rock in the excavation-disturbed zone around full-scale deposition holes using the -PMMA and He-gas methods

Abstract Three experimental holes the size of deposition holes in a KBS-3 type repository (depth 7.5 m and diameter 1.5 m) were bored in hard granitic rock in the Research Tunnel at Olkiluoto to study, among other things, the properties of the rock in the excavation-disturbed zone. In the analysis described in this report, the porosities, effective diffusivities and permeabilities of disturbed and intact rock were determined by using two novel methods: the 14 C -polymethylmethacrylate method and the He-gas method. In addition, the structure of the rock in the excavation-disturbed zone was assessed using both scanning electron and optical microscopy.