TBM tunneling on the Yucca Mountain Project
- Kiewit Construction Co., Las Vegas, NV (United States)
The US Department of Energy`s (DOE) Yucca Mountain Project (YMP) is a scientific endeavor to determine the suitability of Yucca Mountain for the first long-term, high-level nuclear waste repository in the United States. The current status of this long-term project from the construction perspective is described. A key element is construction of the Exploratory Studies Facility (ESF) Tunnel, which is being excavated with a 7.6 m (25 ft) diameter tunnel boring machine (TBM). Development of the ESF may include the excavation of over 15 km (9.3 mi) of tunnel varying in size from 3.0 to 7.6 m (10 to 25 ft). Prior to construction, extensive constructability reviews were an interactive part of the final design. The intent was to establish a constructable design that met the long-term stability requirements for radiological safety of a future repository, while maintaining flexibility for the scientific investigations and acceptable tunneling productivity.
- Research Organization:
- Reynolds Electrical and Engineering Co., Inc., Las Vegas, NV (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC08-94NV11432
- OSTI ID:
- 28333
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/NV/11432--T4; ON: DE95008139
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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