Publications by Alessio Ferrari

Hydro-mechanical insights for radioactive waste disposal from gas injection experiments in shale

Lyesse Laloui, Alessio Ferrari, Qazim Llabjani

Disposal of radioactive waste in deep geological repositories relies on the integrity of geological barriers, where gas migration can compromise long-term safety. This study examines the hydro-mechanical response of a shale under varying gas pressure build ...

2025

Comparative Study of Gas Testing Protocols in Clayey Rocks for Nuclear Waste Repositories

Lyesse Laloui, Alessio Ferrari, Qazim Llabjani

Understanding gas transport processes in clay barriers is crucial for assessing the long-term safety of geological repositories for radioactive waste. Fundamental and well-designed experimental research at the laboratory scale is an indispensable prerequis ...

EMERALD GROUP PUBLISHING LTD2025

Impact of geothermal well heat losses on the performance of green hydrogen production

Alessio Ferrari

This study conducts a thermo-economic assessment for hydrogen production utilizing geothermal energy over a 30-year period, with a focus on the often-overlooked heat losses in wells and their impact on system performance. The geothermal system is accuratel ...

2025

Creating Controlled-Double-Structured Soils Through 3D Printing

Alessio Ferrari

3D printing of soils is an emerging automation technology that has the potential to be used in a wide range of geotechnical applications. Considering this perspective, this study evaluates the capabilities of a 3D printer for soils to produce double-struct ...

Institute of Physics2025

Impact of Water Saturation on the Anisotropic Elastic Moduli of a Gas Shale

Lyesse Laloui, Alessio Ferrari, Jinwoo Kim

How water saturation affects elastic properties is particularly important for analyses of gas shales in unconventional reservoirs, but experimental data in defined partially saturated conditions are rare. We show that the elastic moduli of a gas shale vary ...

SPRINGER WIEN2025

Water retention behavior of a gas shale: Wettability-controlled water saturation and anisotropic hydromechanical response

Lyesse Laloui, Alessio Ferrari, Jinwoo Kim

Gas shales are fine-grained, organic-rich sedimentary geomaterials with ultra-low permeability requiring hydraulic stimulation for gas extraction. Characterizing their water retention behavior is critical for predicting hydromechanical behavior and fluid f ...

2025

Geomechanical characterization of a shale for site selection of a deep geological repository

Lyesse Laloui, Alessio Ferrari

A large exploration campaign was executed for the final phase of the Swiss site selection program for a deep geological repository of radioactive waste. Nine boreholes were drilled, penetrating the 100 to 120 m thick Opalinus Clay shale host rock at depths ...

ARMA2025

Insights from an extensive triaxial testing campaign on a shale for comparative site characterization of a deep geological repository

Lyesse Laloui, Alessio Ferrari, Eleonora Crisci

Several boreholes were drilled for site comparison of a deep geological repository (DGR) in Northern Switzerland. The main target of the exploration program was the >100m thick Opalinus Clay, the designated host rock encountered at approximately 450 to 100 ...

Elsevier2024

Mechanical behaviour of granular materials undergoing grain dissolution

Lyesse Laloui, Alessio Ferrari, Taeheon Kim

Geotechnical engineering projects are often at risk from threats related to mineral dissolution and loss of particles that constitute the matrix of the geomaterial. Moreover, the impact of climate change can exacerbate these risks by accelerating the physi ...

Nature Research2024

Evolution of water content and suction of Opalinus Clay from recovery at the drilling site to handling in the laboratory

Lyesse Laloui, Alessio Ferrari, Angelica Tuttolomondo

Advanced geotechnical engineering applications, such as shale gas extraction, CO2 geological sequestration, and geological radioactive waste storage, often involve various types of shales located at significant depths. Shales exhibit mechanical properties ...

Pergamon-Elsevier Science Ltd2024