Session: RIP: Predictive Modeling and Characterization of Corrosion Processes in Complex Environments (In Honor of Professor Digby Macdonald) (Part I of IV)
How to predict corrosion over millenniums? (RIP2026-00024)
Geological disposal of high-level nuclear wastes (HLNW) are planned over hundreds of thousands of years, even several million years. How to predict the behavior of materials over such durations and in particular their corrosion? We propose to present the global approach implemented for the geological disposal of high-level nuclear wastes (HLNW) together with the main corrosion issues. Some specificities of the French concept for geological repository will be underlined: clay underground repository, reversibility concept, HLNW mainly composed of glass matrix, carbon steel overpack… The main approach is based on “four pillars” which are developed: (i) The use of experimental data for initial estimation of service life-times and corrosion mechanisms investigations. (ii) Development of modelling (mechanistically based and also stochastic modelling) for more robust and reliable prediction. (iii) The use of archaeological artefacts to provide data for testing, for mechanisms and for validation of corrosion modelling. (iv) The importance of integrated experiments in underground laboratories. The whole approach is iterative and includes the integration of the evolution of knowledge.
