Review of the 1979 workshop on thermomechanical modeling for a hard rock waste repository

The 1979 Workshop discussed and considered issues and needs in the areas of Modeling, Laboratory Measurements, Instruments and Field Measurements, and In-situ Tests and Model Validation. A set of conclusions and recommendations was developed, which focused on the necessity of treating the rock mass response to the waste emplaced in it. The conclusions dealt with characterizing the fracture system, determining the mechanical and thermal properties, developing an understanding of the physical process, predicting and measuring the response, and carrying out meaningful validation tests. Measured against the stated objectives, the 1979 Workshop was successful. With respect to implementation of its recommendations, this conclusion is not so obvious, although some activities of the past year suggest the Workshop has had a beneficial influence