Risk of transporting spent nuclear fuel by truck

Conference · Mon May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1978

OSTI ID:5667270

Elder, H. K.; Andrews, W. B.; Rhoads, R. E.

The risk methodology used to evaluate the risk in shipping spent fuel includes: 1) a description of the spent fuel transport system, 2) identification of potential release sequences, 3) evaluation of the probabilities and consequences of the releases, and 4) calculation and assessment of the risk. The system description includes projected industry characteristics, amounts to be shipped, shipping package descriptions, material characteristics, transport mode, transport routes used and weather and population distribution information. Release sequences are identified by fault tree analysis tehniques. Releases are evaluated using package failure data, normal transport and transport accident environment data and mathematical models for material dispersion and resultant health effects. This information is combined to calculate the shipping system risk which is compared to other known risks. The data may be further analyzed to determine the primary contributors to the risk and identify possible methods for reducing the risk, if the current risk level is judged by society to be unacceptable.

• Research Organization: Battelle Pacific Northwest Labs., Richland, WA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: EY-76-C-06-1830
• OSTI ID: 5667270
• Report Number(s): PNL-SA-6520; CONF-780506-44
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

050900* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Transport
Handling
& Storage
054000 -- Nuclear Fuels-- Health & Safety
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
ENERGY SOURCES
FAILURES
FAULT TREE ANALYSIS
FUELS
LAND TRANSPORT
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
NUCLEAR FUELS
PACKAGING
PROBABILITY
REACTOR MATERIALS
RISK ASSESSMENT
SPENT FUELS
SYSTEM FAILURE ANALYSIS
SYSTEMS ANALYSIS
TRANSPORT
TRUCKS
VEHICLES