Hydrologic study of the unsaturated zone adjacent to a radioactive-waste disposal site at the Savannah River Plant, Aiken, South Carolina
Unsaturated hydraulic conductivity as a function of soil-water content and soil-water pressure head of field soils in the vicinity of a low-level radioactive-waste disposal site was measured for a period of 28 days following steady-state infiltration. Tensiometer and a neutron probe measurements were replicated four times at various depth intervals of from 12.0 to 120.00 inches below land surface in two 12 foot square plots. Values of soil-water content, soil-water flux, and hydraulic conductivity at each depth were calculated during the period of drainage using a computer program called SOIL. After drainage of soil-water through the 120 inch profile ceased, duplicate undisturbed soil cores from opposite sides of each plot and from disturbed and undisturbed sites within the burial grounds were recovered and subjected to pressure-plate analysis for the calculation of unsaturated hydraulic conductivity. Laboratory analyses also included the determination of soil bulk density, particle-size distribution, and saturated hydraulic conductivity. Calculation of unsaturated hydraulic conductivity in the laboratory was made using a computer program called HYDRO, based upon the relationship of the soil-water content/soil-water pressure curve. Soils in the study area and the burial ground exhibited similar physical and hydrologic characteristics. Field derived hydraulic conductivity correlated well with laboratory derived conductivity. Variability of soil characteristics due to burial operations were minimal when compared to undisturbed natural soils in the study area. Two textural discontinuities were found to exist in the soil profile at depths of 12 to 24 inches and at 130 inches, which inhibit soil-water movement and thereby reduce the quantity and rate of recharge to the underlying water-table aquifer.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Inc., TN (USA); Georgia Univ., Athens (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-76OR00033
- OSTI ID:
- 6240649
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/TIC-11491; ON: DE81031984; TRN: 81-017184
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Thesis
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
SAVANNAH RIVER PLANT
RADIOACTIVE WASTE FACILITIES
SOILS
HYDRAULICS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
COMPUTER CALCULATIONS
DENSITY
DEPTH
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
HYDROLOGY
LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
MOISTURE
PARTICLE SIZE
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
SOIL MECHANICS
TENSIOMETERS
UNDERGROUND DISPOSAL
DATA
DIMENSIONS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
FLUID MECHANICS
INFORMATION
MANAGEMENT
MASS TRANSFER
MATERIALS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
MECHANICS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
NUMERICAL DATA
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
SIZE
US AEC
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES
053000* - Nuclear Fuels- Environmental Aspects
052002 - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Disposal & Storage
510500 - Environment
Terrestrial- Site Resource & Use Studies- (-1989)