Geological Storage of Highly Radioactive Waste: Current Concepts and Plans for Radioactive Waste Disposal

391 Pages·2008·15.713 MB·English

by  Roland Pusch (auth.)

Geological Storage of Highly Radioactive Waste
Roland Pusch
Geological Storage of Highly
Radioactive Waste
Current Concepts and Plans for Radioactive
Waste Disposal
123
Prof.Dr.RolandPusch
GeodevelopmentInternationalAB
IdeonSciencePark
SE-22370Lund
Sweden
[email protected]
ISBN:978-3-540-77332-0 e-ISBN:978-3-540-77333-7
LibraryofCongressControlNumber:2008929595
(cid:2)c 2008Springer-VerlagBerlinHeidelberg
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Preface
A major part of this book is based on work performed by several of the national
organizations that are responsible for disposal of radioactive waste from nuclear
reactors, with the Author involved in the research as well in the reporting. He is
greatlyindebtedtotheorganizationsandtotheirrepresentativesthatwereengaged
in the projects, and to the European Commission, represented by Mr Christophe
Davies,thatsupportedtheworkfinanciallyandotherwise.MrDavies’servicesare
gratefullyacknowledged.Theauthoralsoexpresseshisthankstothefollowingper-
sons who assisted in various ways in the preparation of the book: Christer Sve-
mar,SwedishNuclearFuelandWasteManagementCo(SKB),Sweden;WolfSei-
dler,Agence National pour lagestion des Dechets Radioactifs (ANDRA),France;
JanVerstricht,StudiecentrumvoorKernenergie-Centred’Etudedel’e´nergieNucle-
are(SCK-CEN),Belgium;andTilmannRothfuchs,Gesellschaftfu¨rAnlagen-und
ReaktorsicherheitGmbH(GRS),Germany.
Lund,January2008 RolandPusch
v
Acknowledgment
The author expresses his thanks to the following persons who assisted in vari-
ous ways in the preparation of the book: Christer Svemar, Swedish Nuclear Fuel
and Waste Management Co (SKB), Sweden; Wolf Seidler, Agence National pour
la gestion des Dechets Radioactifs (ANDRA), France, and Tilmann Rothfuchs,
Gesellschaftfu¨rAnlagen-undReaktorsicherheitGmbH(GRS),Germany.
vii
Contents
Introduction ....................................................... 1
NationalandInternationalWork ................................... 1
BasicPrincipleofFinalStorageofHazardousWaste .................. 2
TheCROPProject ............................................... 3
CrystallineRock........................................... 5
SaltRock................................................. 5
ArgillaceousRockandClasticClay........................... 6
TheLowRiskDepositionTechnologyProject ....................... 6
TheESDREDProject ............................................ 9
OptionsforDisposalofHLW...................................... 9
References ..................................................... 11
1 TheGeologicalBaseforDevelopingandAssessingConceptsfor
HLWDisposal.................................................. 13
1.1 RockTypesConsideredforHLWDisposal..................... 13
1.1.1 StrainintheShallowEarthCrust....................... 14
1.1.2 ElementsintheEarthCrustthatcanAffectIsolation
ofRadionuclidesinHLWRepositories–RockStructure .. 14
1.2 CrystallineandArgillaceousRock ............................ 17
1.2.1 EvolutionofDiscontinuities........................... 17
1.2.2 RegularorRandomStructuralConstitution .............. 20
1.3 SaltRock................................................. 22
1.4 ClasticClay............................................... 24
1.5 TheImportanceofScale .................................... 25
1.5.1 CrystallineRock .................................... 25
1.5.2 SaltandArgillaceousRock,andClasticClay ............ 27
References ..................................................... 28
2 TheRock ...................................................... 29
2.1 WhatisRequired? ......................................... 29
2.2 Structure-ControlledPropertiesofCrystallineandArgillaceous
Rock .................................................... 29
2.2.1 General ............................................ 29
ix
x Contents
2.2.2 RockStrength ...................................... 30
2.2.3 ScaleDependenceofStrengthandConductivity .......... 31
2.3 Structure-ControlledPropertiesofSaltRock
andClasticClay........................................... 40
2.3.1 SaltRock .......................................... 40
2.3.2 ClasticClay ........................................ 40
2.4 WhatRoledoDiscontinuitiesPlayinRepositoryRock?.......... 42
2.4.1 Excavation-InducedDisturbance....................... 42
2.5 TheIntegratedPerformanceofHostRock...................... 57
2.5.1 WhatisImportant? .................................. 57
2.5.2 OverviewofRockIssues ............................. 57
References ..................................................... 70
3 EngineeredBarriersandTheirInteractionwithRock .............. 71
3.1 EngineeredBarriers ........................................ 71
3.2 HLW..................................................... 71
3.3 Canisters ................................................. 74
3.3.1 DesignandMaterial ................................. 74
3.3.2 Physical Performance of the Presently
ProposedSKBCanister.............................. 76
3.3.3 TheHIPOWCanister ................................ 82
3.3.4 ChemicalIntegrityofCopperCanisters ................. 83
3.4 Clay ..................................................... 84
3.4.1 TheRoleofClaysinaRepository...................... 84
3.4.2 SmectiteMinerals ................................... 85
3.4.3 MicrostructuralConstitutionofSmectiteClays–AKey
Issue.............................................. 88
3.5 Buffer.................................................... 88
3.5.1 Function ........................................... 88
3.5.2 EvolutionoftheBuffer............................... 92
3.5.3 WettingRateoftheBuffer ............................ 93
3.5.4 MechanicalProcessesintheBuffer..................... 98
3.5.5 MaturationofBufferSubmergedinSmectiteMud ........ 99
3.5.6 ModellingofBufferEvolution–ConceptualVersion......102
3.5.7 ModellingofBufferEvolution–The“Codes”............105
3.5.8 Can One Predict with Accuracy Even the Simpliest
Process,i.e.WaterSaturation,byUsingtheProposed
Codes?............................................ 109
3.5.9 How does the Predicted Buffer Performance Agree
withtheRecorded?.................................. 112
3.5.10 HowdoPredictedandRecordedCanisterMovements
intheClayAgree? .................................. 117
3.5.11 Long-TermFunctionofBufferClay ....................127
3.5.12 ImpactonBufferandBackfillsofChemicalReactions
withOtherBarriers.................................. 144
Contents xi
3.5.13 Other Processes of Importance to the Function
ofBufferClay...................................... 154
References .....................................................164
4 RepositoryConceptsforHLWIncludingSpentFuelandWastewith
Long-LivedRadionuclides .......................................167
4.1 MajorPrinciplesofStoringHLW.............................167
4.2 RepositoryConcepts .......................................167
4.2.1 TheCompleteRepository.............................167
4.2.2 AlternativeConcepts.................................170
4.3 Canisters,BuffersandBackfills–TheEngineeredBarriers .......171
4.3.1 GeneralPrinciples ...................................171
4.3.2 Canisters...........................................171
4.3.3 Buffers ............................................171
4.3.4 Backfills ...........................................172
4.3.5 Plugs ..............................................172
4.3.6 Grouts.............................................175
4.4 Construction and Performance of Buffers and Backfills
inCrystallineRock ........................................ 180
4.4.1 TheKBS-3VConcept ...............................180
4.4.2 KBS-3VTypeConceptswithMoreThanOneCanisters ...191
4.4.3 WideRoomswithArraysofCanisters ..................196
4.4.4 InclinedDepositionHoleswithSingleCanisters..........196
4.4.5 VeryLongHoles(KBS-3H)...........................199
4.4.6 AssessmentoftheConceptsAppliedtoCrystallineRock ..204
4.4.7 The“Optimal”Concept ..............................208
4.5 Construction and Performance of Buffers and Backfills
inSaltRock .............................................. 222
4.5.1 General ............................................222
4.5.2 DescriptionofDisposalConcepts ......................222
4.5.3 RequiredFunctionoftheRepository....................226
4.5.4 CurrentRepositoryDesignPrinciples...................227
4.5.5 EngineeredBarrierSystems...........................229
4.5.6 DesignandConstruction..............................231
4.5.7 ConceptualandMathematicalModels ..................233
4.6 Construction and Performance of Buffers and Backfills
inArgillaceousRock ....................................... 244
4.6.1 General ............................................244
4.6.2 NationalConcepts ...................................246
4.7 BoreholeSealing...........................................258
4.7.1 TheSKB/POSIVAStudy .............................258
4.7.2 TightSeals .........................................258
4.7.3 The“Container”Concept .............................266
4.7.4 The“Couronne”Concept .............................266
4.7.5 The“Pellet”Concept.................................266
xii Contents
4.8 StabilizationofFractureZonesinBoreholes....................270
4.8.1 Principle ...........................................270
4.8.2 Material ...........................................270
4.8.3 Construction of Concrete Plugs in Stabilized Parts
ofBoreholes ....................................... 271
References .....................................................272
5 UndergroundLaboratories(URLs) ...............................275
5.1 NeedsandObjectives.......................................275
5.2 NationalUndergroundLaboratoriesinCrystallineRock..........276
5.2.1 General ............................................276
5.2.2 Stripa(SKB) .......................................276
5.2.3 A¨spo¨ (SKB) ........................................277
5.2.4 Grimsel(NAGRA) ..................................278
5.2.5 Pinawa(AECL) .....................................279
5.2.6 Onkalo(POSIVA) ...................................279
5.3 NationalUndergroundLaboratoriesinSaltRock................280
5.3.1 General ............................................280
5.3.2 BeddedSalt ........................................280
5.3.3 DomalSalt .........................................283
5.4 NationalUndergroundLaboratoriesinArgillaceousRock ........285
5.4.1 General ............................................285
5.4.2 ResearchandDevelopment ...........................286
5.4.3 ActivitiesinURLsinArgillaceousRock ................286
5.5 StudyofRockPropertiesintheURLs .........................288
5.5.1 RockStructure,GeohydrologyandGeochemistry.........288
5.5.2 Stability ...........................................294
5.5.3 EDZ...............................................296
5.6 BufferandBackfill.........................................298
5.6.1 PreparationandManufacturing ........................298
5.6.2 HandlingandPlacement..............................299
5.7 InstrumentationandDataAcquisition .........................302
5.7.1 WhatShallbeMeasured?.............................302
5.7.2 Practicalities........................................303
5.7.3 SelectionofInstruments ..............................304
5.7.4 ARealProblem .....................................304
5.7.5 DataAcquisitionPrinciples ...........................305
5.8 Testing ...................................................306
5.8.1 Principles ..........................................306
5.8.2 Powering...........................................307
5.8.3 The Role of Rock as Supplier of Water for Wetting
oftheBuffer ....................................... 308
5.8.4 BufferPerformance..................................308
5.8.5 ConceptualandTheoreticalModels ....................311
5.9 PlugConstruction..........................................313