Dig-face monitoring during excavation of a radioactive plume at Mound Laboratory, Ohio
A dig-face monitoring system consists of onsite hardware for collecting information on changing chemical, radiological, and physical conditions in the subsurface soil during the hazardous site excavation. A prototype dig-face system was take to Mount Laboratory for a first trial. Mound Area 7 was the site of historical disposals of {sup 232}Th, {sup 227}Ac, and assorted debris. The system was used to monitor a deep excavation aimed at removing {sup 227}Ac-contaminated soils. Radiological, geophysical, and topographic sensors were used to scan across the excavation dig-face at four successive depths as soil was removed. A 3-D image of the contamination plumes was developed; the radiation sensor data indicated that only a small portion of the excavated soil volume was contaminated. The spatial information produced by the dig-face system was used to direct the excavation activities into the area containing the {sup 227}Ac and to evaluate options for handling the separate {sup 232}Th plume.
- Research Organization:
- Lockheed Idaho Technologies Co., Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC07-94ID13223
- OSTI ID:
- 212419
- Report Number(s):
- INEL-95/0633; ON: DE96007527; TRN: 96:010421
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: Dec 1995
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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