Deep installations of monitoring instrumentation in unsaturated welded tuff

Conference · Tue Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1985

OSTI ID:60078

Tyler, S

The major goal of this research is to develop low cost techniques to measure matric potential, moisture content, and to sample liquid and vapor for chemical analysis in the deep unsaturated zones of the arid areas of Nevada. This work has been prompted by the high level waste repository proposed in the unsaturated zone of Yucca Mountain. The work presented focuses on two deep (250 meter) boreholes planned for completion at the southern end of Yucca Mountain in fractured tuff. One borehole will be drilled without water and cased to slightly below the zone of saturation in order to measure the depth to saturation and to collect water samples for analysis. This hole will also be used for routine quarterly neutron logging. Between loggings, vapor liquid water samplers will be suspended in the borehole and packed off at selective screened intervals to collect water vapor for isotopic analysis. The second borehole will be drilled to slightly above the water table and serve as a multiple interval psychrometer installation. Thermocouple psychrometers will be placed in isolated screened intervals within the casing. These boreholes will be used for instrument testing, interference and permeability testing, and to monitor short term fluctuations of soil and rock moisture due to precipitation and recharge.

• Research Organization: International Association of Hydrogeologists; Univ. of Nevada System, Las Vegas
• OSTI ID: 60078
• Report Number(s): DOE/ER/60152--1-Pt.2; CONF-850101--Pt.2; ON: DE87005740
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

05 NUCLEAR FUELS
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
58 GEOSCIENCES
FLUID FLOW
FLUID MECHANICS
GROUND WATER
HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY
HYDROLOGY
MONITORING
NEUTRON LOGGING
NEVADA
PERMEABILITY
RADIOACTIVE EFFLUENTS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
RADIOACTIVE WASTE FACILITIES
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
TUFF
UNDERGROUND DISPOSAL
WATER WELLS
Yucca Mountain Project