The scientific-technical work in Beacon was structured in 5 WPs, dissemination and training was handled in WPs 6-7, coordination & management covered in WP8.
The objective of WP1 was to define the important issues concerning the mechanical properties of bentonite and to define how these should be treated. This resulted in a number of specified assessment cases with focus on long term performance and/or repository engineering. A state-of-the-art report (D1.1) on the treatment of the mechanical evolution of the bentonite buffers, backfills and seals in the most recent safety assessment in the national programs was submitted. A report synthesizing the findings in the frame of the 3 assessment cases within the BEACON project reports the modelling results from the different groups assessing the HM evolution of the three assessment cases and evaluates these results in view of the respective safety case.
Modelling teams were able to model assessment cases representative of the engineered barrier and sealing concepts proposed by SKB, Nagra and Andra in the final modelling stage.
Also the final workshop had its roots in WP1 and was deliverable D1.2.
In WP2 the existing knowledge base was treated. During the first months of Beacon, WP2 collected and compiled data from ongoing and decommissioned large scale URL experiments, from partners and non-partners. These data were "reused" in Beacon. A database with the assembled data and information has been created, available at the project web www.beacon-h2020.eu and two reports describe the results.
The strongest driver for a joint project is the current limitations in the predictive capability in the numerical models. The issue of homogenisation and swelling is challenging both from a conceptual and a numerical point of view. The purpose of WP3 was to identify and resolve the shortcomings of current models. The state of the constitutive models of the 12 different modelling teams were presented and discussed, and assessed with reference to a set of key features of the hydromechanical behaviour of the bentonite. The bulk of the work carried out within WP3 has been the further development, improvement and verification of the constitutive models that were available to the various modelling teams at the start of the project. Three deliverables were submitted.
There was a substantial experimental database available for the project, but WP4 coordinated the necessary additional experiments that were totally adapted to the needs of WP3 and WP5. During the first period an experiment table was developed containing the essential information about the experiments planned and performed in Beacon in order to facilitate interaction between WP4 and the modelling work packages. This table was developed during the project, and three deliverables were produced and submitted in the WP
The core component and main effort of Beacon was in WP5 - testing the models. The overall objective of WP5 was to simulate the assessment cases defined by WP1. In order to do this, the available models had to be tested first on results from earlier performed laboratory experiments and later on results from large scale field test to gain confidence in their predictive capability. Seven deliverables were submitted.
