Systems analysis, long-term radionuclide transport, and dose assessments, Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), southeastern New Mexico, September 1989

Technical Report · Sat Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 1990

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6305873· OSTI ID:6305873

Lappin, A R; Hunter, R L; Davies, P B; Borns, D J ^[1]; Reeves, M; Pickens, J ^[2]; Iuzzolino, H J ^[3]

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1. Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
2. Intera Technologies, Inc., Austin, TX (USA)
3. Geo-Centers, Inc., Albuquerque, NM (USA)

This study supports the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement and has two main objectives. First, it describes current ideas about the characteristics and potential impacts of the disturbed-rock zone (DRZ) known to develop with time around excavations at the WIPP horizon. Second, it presents new calculations of radionuclide migration within and from the WIPP repository for steady-state undisturbed conditions and for two cases that consider human intrusion into the repository. At the WIPP, the presence of a DRZ has been confirmed by geophysical studies, gas-flow tests, and direct observations. The DRZ will allow gas or brine from waste-emplacement panels to bypass panel seals and flow into adjacent portions of the underground workings unless preventive measures are taken. Revised calculations of the undisturbed performance of the repository indicate that no radionuclides will be released into the Culebra Dolomite within the regulatory period of 10,000 years. The human-intrusion calculations included here assume a connection between the WIPP repository, an occurrence of pressurized brine within the underlying Castile Formation, and the overlying Culebra Dolomite. 61 refs., 40 figs., 16 tabs.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE/DP
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP00789
• OSTI ID: 6305873
• Report Number(s): SAND-89-1996; ON: DE91007150; TRN: 91-004779
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
DOLOMITE
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
GROUND WATER
WIPP
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
BRINES
EXCAVATION
FLUID FLOW
GEOLOGIC FRACTURES
HUMAN INTRUSION
HYDROLOGY
PLUMES
POROSITY
RADIATION DOSES
RADIATION HAZARDS
SALT DEPOSITS
STEADY-STATE CONDITIONS
TWO-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
CALCIUM CARBONATES
CALCIUM COMPOUNDS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBONATE MINERALS
CARBONATES
DOSES
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
FUNCTIONAL MODELS
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MAGNESIUM CARBONATES
MAGNESIUM COMPOUNDS
MASS TRANSFER
MINERALS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PILOT PLANTS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE FACILITIES
UNDERGROUND FACILITIES
US DOE
US ORGANIZATIONS
WATER
052002* - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Disposal & Storage
540230 - Environment
Terrestrial- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
540330 - Environment
Aquatic- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)