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; GARNER, J W; HELTON, JON CRAIG; JOHNSON, J D; SMITH, L N; ANDERSON, R P

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 Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Sandia National Lab. (SNL-CA), Livermore, CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: US Department of Energy (US)
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-94AL85000
• OSTI ID: 755588
• Report Number(s): SAND2000-1113J; TRN: US0003617
• Journal Information: Reliability Engineering and System Safety (Special Journal Issue), Other Information: Submitted to Reliability Engineering and System Safety (Special Journal Issue); PBD: 22 May 2000
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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