A comparison of geostatistically-based inverse techniques for use in performance assessment analyses at the WIPP site results from the Test Case No. 1
- GRAM, Inc., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
The groundwater flow pathway in the Culebra Dolomite aquifer at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) has been identified a potentially important pathway for radionuclide migration to the accessible environment. Consequently, uncertainties in the models used to describe flow and transport in the Culebra need to be addressed. A Geostatistics Test Problem'' is being developed to evaluate a number of inverse techniques that may be used for Dow calculations in the WIPP performance assessment (PA). The Test Problem is actually a series of test cases, each being developed as a highly complex synthetic data sct; the intent is for the ensemble of these data sets span the range of possible conceptual models of groundwater now at the WIPP site. This paper describes the results from Test Case No. 1. Of the five techniques compared, those based on the linearized form of the groundwater flow equation exhibited less bias and less spread in their GWTT distribution functions; the semi-analytical method had the least bias. While the results are not sufficient to make generalizations about which techniques may be better suited for the WIPP PA (only one test case has been exercised), analyses of the data from this test case provides some indication about the relative importance of other aspects of the flow modeling (besides inverse method or geostatistical approach) in PA. Then ancillary analyses examine the effect of gridding an the effect of boundary conditions on the groundwater travel time estimates.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-76DP00789
- OSTI ID:
- 6677581
- Report Number(s):
- SAND-92-2127C; CONF-930408-41; ON: DE93008344
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: International high-level radioactive waste management conference, Las Vegas, NV (United States), 25-29 Apr 1993
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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A comparison of geostatistically based inverse techniques for use in performance assessment analysis at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Site: Results from Test Case No. 1
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Related Subjects
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
58 GEOSCIENCES
ALPHA-BEARING WASTES
UNDERGROUND STORAGE
GROUND WATER
FLUID FLOW
WIPP
PERFORMANCE
DATA ANALYSIS
GEOLOGY
HYDROLOGY
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
RELEASE LIMITS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
FUNCTIONAL MODELS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MASS TRANSFER
MATERIALS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PILOT PLANTS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE FACILITIES
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
STORAGE
UNDERGROUND FACILITIES
US DOE
US ORGANIZATIONS
WASTES
WATER
052002* - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Disposal & Storage
540230 - Environment
Terrestrial- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
580000 - Geosciences