Exploratory Studies Facility alternatives study: Final report; Volume 1, Executive summary, supporting information, and study conclusions: Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Project

Technical Report · Sun Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1991

OSTI ID:138208

Dennis, A W ^[1]; Costin, L S; Finley, R E ^[2]; Parsons, M W ^[3]

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1. ed.
2. Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
3. Science Applications International Corp., Las Vegas, NV (United States)

An Exploratory Studies Facility (ESF) is planned for use on the characterization of a potential site for a high-level nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain, NV. A comparative evaluation of ESF- repository design was conducted for the Department of Energy`s Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Project Office. The purposed of the evaluation were to identify and rank order ESF-repository options and to improve understanding of the favorable or unfavorable features of an ESF design. The evaluation relied on techniques from decision analysis, including decision trees and multiattribute utility analysis (MUA). Decision trees provided a means for evaluating decisions under uncertainty. MUA provided a means for evaluating decisions with multiple, possibly competing objectives. Thirty-four ESF-repository options were evaluated and ranked based on inputs provided by 11 panels composed of technical specialists and one panel composed of senior managers. With guidance from decision analysts, the technical specialists developed the measures for quantifying performance; identified, developed, and analyzed scenarios for the development and operation of the ESF and the potential repository; and provided estimates of the probabilities of uncertainties and the performance of each option against various performance measures. With similar guidance, the senior managers specified the objectives and criteria for the evaluation, the value tradeoffs among objectives, and the attitude toward risk used in the analysis.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP00789
• OSTI ID: 138208
• Report Number(s): SAND--91-0025/1; ON: DE91019015
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

05 NUCLEAR FUELS
CONSTRUCTION
DECISION MAKING
DECISION TREE ANALYSIS
DESIGN
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
MINE SHAFTS
PERFORMANCE TESTING
PLANNING
PROBABILISTIC ESTIMATION
PROGRESS REPORT
RECOMMENDATIONS
REGULATIONS
RISK ASSESSMENT
SHAFT EXCAVATIONS
SITE CHARACTERIZATION
SPECIFICATIONS
UNDERGROUND DISPOSAL
US DOE
YUCCA MOUNTAIN
Yucca Mountain Project