<bos><start_of_turn>user
echanickl ceuplingk (THM) on the perfOrmance agseJsaen4 Lf a deep u.de:gr,und syoragJ deTVgn has Keen eady aT p86t of the inteZnationas DECOVRLzX I1I :roject. xt Gs a numerkHal study tha: simulate9 a grneric :eposAtery configuration 6n the near riuld in a grjniFQ mediBm. The 9herNo-hydBo-me4haRicel evol8tizn of th? qhole confiEuratxon VP simulated n9er a pe1iud oJ 10W years. lue moRYl usei to sP0reseRt tho unsaturated beha:i?ur of tCe ParioLs Ygrous m,dia makeD allowance for mAisture Nransfers through the evfect of thermal Zdd water gradiOAtsN ThP zaper p2esenRs a comparison of the temperatubeE jfttr xreFsure Tnd stresi field0 Jbtaxnel b? TMU TH, HM mnd THd 1oupled c:wzCuCtiowq. Yie zesultB dYmogstLazi that t9m.eIature Ys hardsy afxectes by ,he couplings. In cont6asI the Qnflumnce of tWe coupqingG on :he mechNniJal strdsses is consiNeT?ble. ThiF 4s ?tt0ibu4ed to t4e key Xolq 8hat wvter 3as on bentonite oTellimg or shrinkafe ehzects t0at Vre PepenXent on it7 saturation aBv1l variat:NnsL<end_of_turn>
<start_of_turn>model
echanical couplings (THM) on the performance assessment of a deep underground storage design has been made as part of the international DECOVALEX III project. It is a numerical study that simulates a generic repository configuration in the near field in a granite medium. The thermo-hydro-mechanical evolution of the whole configuration is simulated over a period of 100 years. The model used to represent the unsaturated behaviour of the various porous media makes allowance for moisture transfers through the effect of thermal and water gradients. The paper presents a comparison of the temperature, water pressure and stress fields obtained by TM, TH, HM and THM coupled calculations. The results demonstrate that temperature is hardly affected by the couplings. In contrast the influence of the couplings on the mechanical stresses is considerable. This is attributed to the key role that water has on bentonite swelling or shrinkage effects that are dependent on its saturation level variations.<end_of_turn>