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Title: A multiple lines of evidence approach for identifying geologic heterogeneities in conceptual site models for performance assessments

Abstract

Model-based decision making is commonly used in performance assessments to assure water resource protection for both human health and the environment for hundreds of years into the future. To make decisions regarding aquifer protection against potential contamination, a conceptual site model (CSM) describing the hydrodynamic behavior needs to account for subsurface heterogeneities in sufficient detail. When site-specific data are sparse, larger-scale geologic descriptions are adopted with the consequence of losing small-scale features that can control contaminant transport. In this study, a multiple lines of evidence approach is used to construct CSMs based on an evaluation of several types of data, including geologic logs, borehole moisture content and concentration data, geophysical spectral gamma logging data, and groundwater concentration data. The resulting CSMs represent a synthesis of what is known about flow and transport processes at the site-scale and maintains consistency with knowledge that has been accumulated at the regional scale. Through a process of extensive data analyses, a systematic approach is described to create an evidence base that supports the evaluation and development of CSMs. Numerical models are then used to evaluate the impact that smaller-scale heterogeneities have on contaminant transport for a performance assessment on waste tank closure at themore » Hanford Site in southeastern Washington State. Together, the field data and the numerical experiments suggest that the small-scale features have a relatively minor impact on transport for the site under study as evaluated by peak concentrations and arrival times for potential releases resulting from waste tank closure. Altogether, results of this study underscore the value of using multiple lines of evidence in CSM development to provide consistency in interpreting site characteristics relative to the quantity and quality of the available data.« less

Authors:
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1544596
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 1561851
Report Number(s):
PNNL-SA-142412
Journal ID: ISSN 0048-9697; S0048969719333285; PII: S0048969719333285
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC05-76RL01830
Resource Type:
Published Article
Journal Name:
Science of the Total Environment
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Name: Science of the Total Environment Journal Volume: 692 Journal Issue: C; Journal ID: ISSN 0048-9697
Publisher:
Elsevier
Country of Publication:
Netherlands
Language:
English
Subject:
58 GEOSCIENCES; vadose zone; multiple lines of evidence; conceptual site model; numerical modeling; contaminant flow and transport

Citation Formats

Freedman, Vicky, Connelly, Mike, Rockhold, Mark, Hasan, Nazmul, Mehta, Sunil, McMahon, William J., Kozak, Matt, Hou, Z. Jason, and Bergeron, Marcel. A multiple lines of evidence approach for identifying geologic heterogeneities in conceptual site models for performance assessments. Netherlands: N. p., 2019. Web. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.07.213.
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Freedman, Vicky, Connelly, Mike, Rockhold, Mark, Hasan, Nazmul, Mehta, Sunil, McMahon, William J., Kozak, Matt, Hou, Z. Jason, & Bergeron, Marcel. A multiple lines of evidence approach for identifying geologic heterogeneities in conceptual site models for performance assessments. Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.07.213
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Freedman, Vicky, Connelly, Mike, Rockhold, Mark, Hasan, Nazmul, Mehta, Sunil, McMahon, William J., Kozak, Matt, Hou, Z. Jason, and Bergeron, Marcel. Fri . "A multiple lines of evidence approach for identifying geologic heterogeneities in conceptual site models for performance assessments". Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.07.213.
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@article{osti_1544596,
title = {A multiple lines of evidence approach for identifying geologic heterogeneities in conceptual site models for performance assessments},
author = {Freedman, Vicky and Connelly, Mike and Rockhold, Mark and Hasan, Nazmul and Mehta, Sunil and McMahon, William J. and Kozak, Matt and Hou, Z. Jason and Bergeron, Marcel},
abstractNote = {Model-based decision making is commonly used in performance assessments to assure water resource protection for both human health and the environment for hundreds of years into the future. To make decisions regarding aquifer protection against potential contamination, a conceptual site model (CSM) describing the hydrodynamic behavior needs to account for subsurface heterogeneities in sufficient detail. When site-specific data are sparse, larger-scale geologic descriptions are adopted with the consequence of losing small-scale features that can control contaminant transport. In this study, a multiple lines of evidence approach is used to construct CSMs based on an evaluation of several types of data, including geologic logs, borehole moisture content and concentration data, geophysical spectral gamma logging data, and groundwater concentration data. The resulting CSMs represent a synthesis of what is known about flow and transport processes at the site-scale and maintains consistency with knowledge that has been accumulated at the regional scale. Through a process of extensive data analyses, a systematic approach is described to create an evidence base that supports the evaluation and development of CSMs. Numerical models are then used to evaluate the impact that smaller-scale heterogeneities have on contaminant transport for a performance assessment on waste tank closure at the Hanford Site in southeastern Washington State. Together, the field data and the numerical experiments suggest that the small-scale features have a relatively minor impact on transport for the site under study as evaluated by peak concentrations and arrival times for potential releases resulting from waste tank closure. Altogether, results of this study underscore the value of using multiple lines of evidence in CSM development to provide consistency in interpreting site characteristics relative to the quantity and quality of the available data.},
doi = {10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.07.213},
journal = {Science of the Total Environment},
number = C,
volume = 692,
place = {Netherlands},
year = {Fri Nov 01 00:00:00 EDT 2019},
month = {Fri Nov 01 00:00:00 EDT 2019}
}
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Journal Article:
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Publisher's Version of Record
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.07.213
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Figures / Tables:

Fig. 1 Fig. 1: Waste Management Area (WMA) C at the Hanford Site Located in Southeastern Washington State.
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    Figures / Tables found in this record:

    Fig. 1 (p. 4)figure
    Fig. 2 (p. 5)figure
    Fig. 3 (p. 6)figure
    Fig. 4 (p. 7)figure
    Fig. 5 (p. 9)figure
    Table 1 (p. 10)table
    Fig. 6 (p. 12)figure
    Fig. 7 (p. 12)figure
    Fig. 8 (p. 13)figure
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