• Tunnel and Underground Space
• /
• v.12 no.1
• /
• pp.52-69
• /
• 2002

The WIPP (Waste Isolation Pilot Plant), located 42km east of Carlsbad, New Mexico (NM), in bedded salt 655m below the surface, is a mined repository constructed by the US DOE for the permanent disposal of transuranic (TRU) wastes generated by activities related to defence of the US since 1970. Its historical disposal operation began in March 1999 following receipt of a final permit from the State of NM after a positive certification decision for the WIPP was issued by the EPA in 1998, as the first licensed facility in the US for the deep geologic disposal of radioactive wastes. The CCA (Compliance Certification Application) for the WIPP that the DOE submitted to the EPA in 1966 was supported by an extensive performance assessment (PA) carried out by Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), with so-called 1996 PA. Even though such PA methodologies could be greatly different from the way we consider for HLW disposal in Korea largely due to quite different geologic formations in which repository are likely to be located, a review on lots of works done through the WIPP PA studies could be the most important lessons that we can learn from in view of current situation in Korea where an initial phase of conceptual studies on HLW disposal has been just started. The objective of this art report is an overview of the methodology used in the recent WIPP PA to support the US DOE WIPP CCA and some relevant results completed by SNL.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
• /
• v.20 no.2
• /
• pp.121-126
• /
• 2010

Current technology for radioactive waste disposal facility is operated as part of KURT site characterization in terms of reliability assessment is conducted to expand. In this study, a geological model of KURT surrounding area on the basis of flow characteristics of the site-scale hydrogeological study was about. Distributed in the study area into four boreholes were plotted using the stereo net NS, NW, EW, Low-angle fracture group was able to identify the components of geological models and include top soil layer, belt of weathering, Low-angle fracture zone, fracture zone was divided into. Separated by fracture of the hydraulic test of through the groundwater aquifer that provides the flow hydraulic conductivity and insulation hydraulic affecting the slope of the normal distribution for the size and direction by performing statistical analysis of fracture in the direction of local ns The advantage was confirmed. In addition, Low-angle fracture hydraulic conductivity of the value of 3.61e-07 m/s has a value greater than the major fracture, the fracture zones exist in the base rock and base rock and the hydraulic characteristics of the different methods applied and had to have a different interpretation judged by was.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
• /
• v.29 no.6
• /
• pp.439-455
• /
• 2019

A buffer is the major component of a high level radioactive waste repository. Due to their thermal conductivity and low permeability, bentonites have been considered as a key component of a buffer system in most countries. The deep geological condition generates ground water inflow and results in swelling pressure in the buffer and backfill. Investigation of swelling pressure of bentonite buffer is an important task for the safe disposal system. The swelling pressure that can be critical is affected by mechanical and hydro properties of the system. Therefore, in this study, a sensitivity analysis was conducted to examine the effect of hydro-mechanical (HM) behaviors in the MX-80 bentonite. Based on the results of the swelling pressure generation with HM model parameters, a coupled HM analysis of an unsaturated buffer and backfill in a deep geological repository was also carried out to investigate the major factor of the swelling pressure generation.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
• /
• v.86 no.4
• /
• pp.435-442
• /
• 1997

The research was carried out to investigate the contamination of stream water by the acid mine drainage originated from the abandoned coal mines and coal waste rock in Keumsan, Chungnam. The pH, sulfate and chemical compositions in the stream water were analyzed. At the polluted sites, the pH of stream water was the strong acid, ranging from 3.46 to 4.29. The pH shows negative correlations with sulfate, manganese, copper, zinc, iron and magnesium concentrations. Sulfate concentrations of the polluted stream water, 236.73-310.53mg/l, had 10 times more than those of the non-polluted stream water. The concentrations of heavy metals, Mn and Fe, in the polluted water were 0.56 - 0.83mg/l and 5.89 - 10.58mg/l, respectively. The Mn concentrations were 20 times higher than those of the non-polluted stream water. Compared with those in the non-polluted stream water, the Mg and Ca concentrations in the polluted stream water were high because of leaching from rock and soil to water by the acidifications. Calculated AMDI(Acid Mine Drainage Index) values are low in the polluted stream water, relative to those of the non-polluted water.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.49 no.3
• /
• pp.167-179
• /
• 2016

Water quality of Oseepchun, Dogye area, was investigated quantitatively for its origin and hydrogeochemistry in relation to the influence of groundwater. Groundwater appears to be the principal source of Oseepchun from the water-quality monitoring data including redox potentials, composition of dissolved ions and their correlations, hydrogen and oxygen stable isotopic ratios, and the distribution and occurrence of contaminants. Water-quality type of the surface water was grouped by the water-rock interactions as $Ca-HCO_3$ type originated from carbonated bed-rocks in the Joseon Supergroup, (Ca, Mg)-$SO_4$ type related with dissolution of surfide minerals in coal beds of Pyeongan Supergroup, and (Ca, Mg)-($HCO_3$, $SO_4$) type of the mixed one. Locally water pollution occurs by high $SO_4$ from mine drainage and $NO_3$ from waste-treatment facility. Intensive precipitation in summer has no effect on the water type of Oseepchun, but increases the inflow of nitrate and chloride originated from land surface. Results of this study direct that groundwater-surface water interaction is intimate, and thus surface-water resource management should begin with groundwater characterization.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
• /
• v.24 no.6
• /
• pp.599-615
• /
• 2022

In order to excavate underground tunnel most safely such as Han river, the slurry shield TBM method is applied to cope with face of high water pressure for many metro projects. In downtown subway project most of excavated soil is discharged externally whereas in road construction excavated soil is used as filling materials so it becomes important factor for success of the project. After excavated soil, weathered rock and soft rock are discharged with bentonite through discharge pipe to slurry treatment plant then those soils are separated in separation plant according to those size. Fine grained soil has been discarded together with filter cake but it is not toxic and can be mixed with coarse aggregate in proper ratio so this study is performed to find use of qualified filling material to meet quality standard. Therefore, in this study, legal standards and quality standards for the utilization of excavated soil of the slurry shield TBM method were examined and test was conducted to derive recycling way for filter cake and aggregate. And a plan for using it as a filling material for road construction was derived. Because bentonite is a clay composed of montmorillonite, and the excavated soil in the tunnel is also non-toxic, disposal of this material can waste social cost so it is expected to be helpful in the underground space development project that carries out the TBM project by recycling it as a valuable resource.

• Journal of the Korean Geosynthetics Society
• /
• v.14 no.4
• /
• pp.79-86
• /
• 2015

Korean territories has formed about 70% of mountainous areas that have acidified serious level to average pH 4-5. There are a number of abandoned metal mines about 1,000 in Korea. However, mine tailings and waste rock included heavy metals are exposed to long-term environment without prevention facility or treatment system. Thus, ongoing management and monitoring of soil environment are required. Most of abandoned mine scattered in forest areas of slopes. Soil erosion due to continuous rainfall in the slopy areas can cause the secondary pollution by the influence eutrophication of water system and the productivity loss of the plant. Therefore, this study would like to estimate pH leaching rate by artificial rainfall using waste neutralization-agent in lysimeter. Moreover, the potentially of secondary pollution related to precipitation is figured out through the experiments, and the optimal planting methods would examinate after neutralizing treatment in soil. Experiments composed three kinds of lysimeter; lysimeter 1 had filled only acidic soil, lysimeter 2 had neutralized soil, and lysimeter 3 had planting plants after neutralized soil. In the results, lysimeter 2 showed the lowest pH leaching, and there is not specific relativity with pH leaching of the seasonal characteristics.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Groundwater Environment
• /
• v.5 no.1
• /
• pp.1-9
• /
• 1998

Schlumberger soundings and dipole-dipole electrical surveys were carried out in and around the Nanjido waste landfill in August and December, 1995. Survey points were set to be identical as those in August, 1994 and February, 1995 as possible. To elucidate the annual variation of resistivity structure in and around the landfill, 50 electrical soundings and 2 lines of dipole-dipole surveys were conducted. Interpretations of these data show that mean resistivity values become lower and thicknesses of contaminated layers by leachate thicker than those of the previous year in and around the landfill. Especially, mean thicknesses of saturated layers with leachate increased by about 3∼6 m and resistivities of bedrock decreased. Considering actual hydraulic conductivity, such increments of mean thicknesses are somewhat large. But resistivity variations in and around the Nanjido landfill clearly indicates contamination of layers by leachate is in progress even though some errors in measurements and interpretations are considered. On the other hand, sounding data in the back area of the landfill are almost identical to those of the previous year. From these results, it appears that contamination of weathered zone and bed rock is in progress mainly inside and in the front area of the landfill.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Groundwater Environment
• /
• v.2 no.2
• /
• pp.64-71
• /
• 1995

Electrical soundings were conducted in and around the Nanjido waste landfill in August, 1994 and February, 1995. Schlumberger array was adopted and 37 and 22 soundings were performed around and in the Nanjido landfill, respectively. Besides, self potentials were measured at 50 points, in front of the right Nanjido landfill. Interpretations of the sounding data show low resistivity zones of about 10 Ω-m at depth ranging from 10 to 80 m from the surface in front of the landfill and of about 6 Ω-m at depth ranging from 37 m to 130 m in the landfill. It appears that these low resistivity zones are contaminated by or saturated with leachate, and their depths are deeper than those of boring data by 20∼30 m. These results indicate the possibility of contamination of weathered zone and the upper part of the bed rock in these areas. But sounding data obtained at the back of the landfill reveal more resistive and thinner low resistivity zones than those in and in front of the landfill. Thus it is concluded that the degree of contamination by leachate in and in front of the landfill is greater than that at the back of the landfill.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
• /
• v.4 no.3
• /
• pp.301-309
• /
• 2006

KDC-1 canister for PWR spent fuels which will be used for the Korean Reference Disposal System was developed. The structural analysis of the canister was carried out as a part of the safety analysis. Two conditions, disposal condition and handling condition, were considered for the structural analysis. Three kinds of load cases, normal, abnormal and rock movement, were considered for the disposal condition. The results of the calculation showed that the safety factors from the structural analysis were greater than the design requirements. Two accident scenarios, gripper failure accident and canister drop accident, were analyzed for the handling condition. According to the gripper failure scenario analysis, the handling machine with grippers could be used even in the cases that one or two grippers failed. The maximum von Mises stress from the canister drop accident scenario was 0.762 MPa, which was negligible compared with the yield stress of nodular cast iron. The proposed KDC-1 canister for PWR spent fuels proves to be safe under the repository condition that is based upon the Korean reference disposal system according to the structural analysis for disposal condition and handling condition.