Holocene faulting near closed landfill Pit 6, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Site 300

Conference · Sat Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1992

OSTI ID:10142934

Carpenter, D W; Taffet, M J ^[1]; Copland, J R ^[2]; Mateik, R S; Wade, W M ^[3]

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1. Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (United States)
2. Science Applications International Corp., Pleasanton, CA (United States)
3. Weiss Associates, Emeryville, CA (United States)

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory`s Site 300 test facility, an 11 mi{sup 2} area, is located in the rugged, semiarid Altamont Hills southwest of Tracy, California. Geologic studies conducted at the site in support of environmental assessments of closed landfill Pit 6 reveal the presence of a fault strand showing evidence of repeated movements during late Pleistocene and Holocene time. These studies included airphoto interpretation, geologic mapping, and logging of four exploratory trenches and other exposures. The fault was traced from west of Pit 6 to southeast of the pit, a distance of about 1,500 ft; regional reconnaissance suggests that the fault extends beyond the limits of the area studied in detail. The identified fault strand is not coincident with any previously mapped fault. It occurs within a band of highly deformed Tertiary rocks that is bounded by the Carnegie fault on the north and the Corral Hollow fault on the south. Evidence of Holocene movement within the larger Corral Hollow-Carnegie fault zone indicates that this fault zone should be considered active and could be a source of future strong earthquake motion. Regressions relating total fault length, segment length, and fault plane area suggest that the Corral Hollow-Carnegie fault zone may be capable of generating an earthquake in the range of M{sub s} 6.3 to 7.1. Effects of a strong earthquake on closed landfill Pit 6 would be expected to be slight since the identified Holocene fault trace passes at least 100 ft south of the outer limits of the pit area. However, the effects of strong ground shaking from a local source upon buildings, slopes, and other structures within Site 300 and vicinity should receive further consideration.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 10142934
• Report Number(s): UCRL-JC--108210; CONF-9203247--1; ON: DE93009529
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

052002
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540210
540250
BASIC STUDIES
CONTAINMENT SYSTEMS
EARTHQUAKES
GEOLOGIC FAULTS
GROUND MOTION
LAWRENCE LIVERMORE LABORATORY
RISK ASSESSMENT
SANITARY LANDFILLS
SITE RESOURCE AND USE STUDIES
WASTE DISPOSAL AND STORAGE