Direct releases to the surface and associated complementary cumulative distribution functions in the 1996 performance assessment for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant: Cuttings, cavings and spallings

Journal Article · Mon May 22 00:00:00 EDT 2000 · Reliability Engineering and System Safety (Special Journal Issue)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/S0951-8320(00)00036-3· OSTI ID:755588

BERGLUND, J W ^[1]; GARNER, J W; HELTON, JON CRAIG; JOHNSON, J D; SMITH, L N; ANDERSON, R P

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1. Sandia National Laboratories

The following topics related to the treatment of cuttings, cavings and spallings releases to the surface environment in the 1996 performance assessment for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) are presented: (1) mathematical description of models. (2) uncertainty and sensitivity analysis results arising from subjective (i.e., epistemic) uncertainty for individual releases, (3) construction of complementary cumulative distribution functions (CCDFs) arising from stochastic (i.e., aleatory) uncertainty, and (4) uncertainty and sensitivity analysis results for CCDFs. The presented results indicate that direct releases due to cuttings, cavings and spallings do not constitute a serious threat to the effectiveness of the WIPP as a disposal facility for transuranic waste. Even when the effects of uncertain analysis inputs are taken into account, the CCDFs for cuttings, cavings and spallings releases fall substantially to the left of the boundary line specified in the US Environmental Protection Agency standard for the geologic disposal of radioactive waste (40 CFR 191, 40 CFR 194).

• Research Organization: Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (US); Sandia National Labs., Livermore, CA (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: US Department of Energy (US)
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-94AL85000
• OSTI ID: 755588
• Report Number(s): SAND2000-1113J
• Journal Information: Reliability Engineering and System Safety (Special Journal Issue), Journal Name: Reliability Engineering and System Safety (Special Journal Issue)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
40 CFR 191
40 CRF 194
ALEATORY UNCERTAINTY
CAVINGS
COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATION APPLICATION
CUTTINGS
DATA COVARIANCES
DISTRIBUTION FUNCTIONS
EPISTEMIC UNCERTAINTY
LATIN HYPERCUBE SAMPLING
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MONTE CARLO
PERFORMANCE
PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT
PRESSURE RELEASE
RADIOACTIVE WASTE
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
RISK
RISK ASSESSMENT
SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS
SPALLINGS
STOCHASTIC UNCERTAINTY
SUBJECTIVE UNCERTAINTY
TRANSURANIC WASTE
WASTE ISOLATION PILOT PLANT
WELL DRILLING
WIPP