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Title: Status report on SWSA 6 geophysical studies

Abstract

As part of the Solid Waste Storage Area (SWSA) 6 remedial investigation activities, surface seismic refraction surveys will be conducted to characterize the thickness of the soil/saprolite horizon (Boegly et al. 1985). The primary advantage of the seismic method is the ability to detect sudden changes in bedrock topography in regions with insufficient borehole data. The lateral resolution capability offered by the seismic refraction method is highly desirable to properly characterize the thickness of the soil/saprolite horizon. This progress report presents a project design for this activity and documents investigations that have been accomplished to complete this project. Data acquisition is expected to be completed during FY-87.

Authors:
; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
10124776
Report Number(s):
ORNL/RAP/LTR-87/31
ON: DE92008394
DOE Contract Number:
AC05-84OR21400
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Resource Relation:
Other Information: PBD: 24 Jun 1987
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES; 11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS; RADIOACTIVE WASTE FACILITIES; SEISMIC SURVEYS; SOLID WASTES; TOPOGRAPHY; SOILS; THICKNESS; BOREHOLES; REMEDIAL ACTION; LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES; 052002; 054000; WASTE DISPOSAL AND STORAGE; HEALTH AND SAFETY

Citation Formats

Dreier, R.B., Selfridge, R.J., and Beaudoin, C.M. Status report on SWSA 6 geophysical studies. United States: N. p., 1987. Web. doi:10.2172/10124776.
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Dreier, R.B., Selfridge, R.J., & Beaudoin, C.M. Status report on SWSA 6 geophysical studies. United States. doi:10.2172/10124776.
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Dreier, R.B., Selfridge, R.J., and Beaudoin, C.M. Wed . "Status report on SWSA 6 geophysical studies". United States. doi:10.2172/10124776. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/10124776.
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@article{osti_10124776,
title = {Status report on SWSA 6 geophysical studies},
author = {Dreier, R.B. and Selfridge, R.J. and Beaudoin, C.M.},
abstractNote = {As part of the Solid Waste Storage Area (SWSA) 6 remedial investigation activities, surface seismic refraction surveys will be conducted to characterize the thickness of the soil/saprolite horizon (Boegly et al. 1985). The primary advantage of the seismic method is the ability to detect sudden changes in bedrock topography in regions with insufficient borehole data. The lateral resolution capability offered by the seismic refraction method is highly desirable to properly characterize the thickness of the soil/saprolite horizon. This progress report presents a project design for this activity and documents investigations that have been accomplished to complete this project. Data acquisition is expected to be completed during FY-87.},
doi = {10.2172/10124776},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Jun 24 00:00:00 EDT 1987},
month = {Wed Jun 24 00:00:00 EDT 1987}
}
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Technical Report:
View Technical Report (1.03 MB)
DOI:  10.2172/10124776
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  • ; ;
    As part of the Solid Waste Storage Area (SWSA) 6 remedial investigation activities, surface seismic refraction surveys will be conducted to characterize the thickness of the soil/saprolite horizon (Boegly et al. 1985). The primary advantage of the seismic method is the ability to detect sudden changes in bedrock topography in regions with insufficient borehole data. The lateral resolution capability offered by the seismic refraction method is highly desirable to properly characterize the thickness of the soil/saprolite horizon. This progress report presents a project design for this activity and documents investigations that have been accomplished to complete this project. Data acquisitionmore » is expected to be completed during FY-87.« less

  • The Environmental Restoration Program at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is examining methods for remediation and final closure of Waste Area Grouping 6 (WAG 6) under a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) closure plan. WAG 6 consists primarily of Solid Waste Storage Area 6 (SWSA 6), where solid low- level radioactive waste (and some hazardous waste) was buried from 1968 to 1985 in shallow trenches. To support the feasibility study that is being prepared for closure of WAG 6, lab-scale treatability tests were performed on the water from selected trenches in SWSA 6 to determine if the trench watermore » could be treated at the existing wastewater treatment plants at ORNL. Water from 23 of the 500 trenches in SWSA 6 has been sampled and analyzed to date, and the 4 most highly contaminated trenches identified thus far supplied the water used in the treatability tests. The softening and ion-exchange processes used in the Process Wastewater Treatment Plant (PWTP) reduced the {sup 90}Sr concentration, which was the only radionuclide present in the trench water at above the discharge limits, from 260 to 0.2 Bq/L. The air stripping and activated carbon adsorption processes used in the Nonradiological Wastewater Treatment Plant (NRWTP) removed volatile and semivolatile organics (mostly toluene, xylene, and naphthalene), which were the main contaminants in the trench water, to below detection limits. The trench water treated in the lab-scale equipment easily met all discharge limits for the PWTP and the NRWTP. 6 refs., 2 figs., 9 tabs.« less

  • Throughout the operational history of Solid Waste Storage Area 6 (SWSA 6) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), numerous wells have been drilled for a variety of research and monitoring purposes. The plugging and abandonment (P A) of unneeded wells and boreholes is an integral part of the maintenance and closure process for waste area groupings at ORNL. Wells requiring abandonment in and near SWSA 6 are currently being identified by an ORNL interorganizational group. The ORNL report Corrective Action Plan in Response to Tiger Team Assessment (report ORNL-6657, 1990) states that a number of wells will be plugged becausemore » they will be covered by the capping of the waste areas. Still more will be plugged to reduce the potential for surface water and groundwater communication, leaving only the wells necessary for detecting the presence or movement of contamination. There is a need for facilities to support the removal of unused wells and boreholes located in SWSA 6. The purpose of this project is to construct facilities that will support personnel and equipment employed to plug and abandon the inactive wells. Additionally, the purpose of this project is to upgrade selected roads and facilities in SWSA 6 necessary to commence closure activities.« less

  • ;
    This report presents the results and conclusions from a multifaceted monitoring effort associated with the high-density polyethylene caps installed in Solid Waste Storage Area (SWSA) 6 at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) as an interim corrective measure (ICM). The caps were installed between November 1988 and June 1989 to meet Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) requirements for closure of those areas of SWSA 6 that had received RCRA-regulated wastes after November 1980. Three separate activities were undertaken to evaluate the performance of the caps: (1) wells were installed in trenches to be covered by the caps, and water levelsmore » in these intratrench wells were monitored periodically; (2) samples were taken of the leachate in the intratrench wells and were analyzed for a broad range of radiological and chemical contaminants; and (3) water levels in wells outside the trenches were monitored periodically. With the exception of the trench leachate sampling, each of these activities spanned the preconstruction, construction, and postconstruction periods. Findings of this study have important implications for the ongoing remedial investigation in SWSA 6 and for the design of other ICMs. 51 figs., 2 tabs.« less

  • ; ; ; ...
    This report summarizes the results of groundwater and trench leachate sampling and analysis activities conducted during FY 1986 and FY 1987 in Solid Waste Storage Area (SWSA) 6, a low-level radioactive waste disposal site at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. This work was carried out to obtain concentration data for radionuclides, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) priority pollutant and Superfund site organic compounds, hazardous inorganic metals, and other chemicals as well as water quality data that would be applicable to the development of contaminant source terms for use in modeling future site performance and in evaluating remedial action and site closure options.more » An experimental water sampling and analysis approach was undertaken because the available contaminant inventory information for the site was inadequate for source-term modeling needs. SWSA 6 has operated as a low-level waste site since 1968. A variety of radioactive wastes, both with and without containerization, has been emplaced by shallow-landfill techniques via disposal in trenches and auger holes. Field analyses of both trench leachate and groundwater samples showed values typical of shallow groundwaters in eastern Tennessee for temperature, acidity, dissolved oxygen, redox potential, conductivity, and alkalinity. Chemical analyses of major cations and anions were also typical of groundwaters; major ions were calcium, magnesium, sodium, bicarbonate, sulfate, and chloride. 22 refs., 10 figs., 11 tabs.« less