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Rock Properties Input to the Site Screening Process

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 February 2011

Arthur A. Bauer and
Joe E. Ratigan
Arthur A. Bauer
Affiliation:
Office of Crystalline Repository Development, Battelle Project Management Division, 505 King Avenue, Columbus, Ohio, USA
Joe E. Ratigan
Affiliation:
RE/SPEC Inc., P.O. Box 725, Rapid City, South Dakota, USA
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Abstract

The site-screening process is designed to provide information on rock formations that will serve as the basis for recoximnding potentially suitable sites for locating a nuclear waste repository. While the application of criteria to extrinsic characteristics of the host rock, such as minimum depth and areal extent, are based on requiremnts associated with repository design and waste isolation, the significance of intrinsic characteristics (e.g., thermal conductivity, heat capacity, Young's modulus) is less firmly based. This is of particular importance with crystalline or grantitic-type rocks since they exhibit a wide range of canpositions and properties.

The range of crystalline rock property variations has been defined and results describing the impact of these variations on repository thermal, mechanical, chemical, and hydrological performance constraints obtained. Results also are presented for various repository design options (emplacement mode, thermal loading, package power/pitch). For the analysis, rock properties and repository design elements are treated as stochastic parameters by statistical methods. The output range of a performance parameter is determined with respect to the range of stochastic parameters to establish their importance in site selection.

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References

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