A sensitivity analysis of the WIPP disposal room model: Phase 1

Technical Report · Sat Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1995

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/105851· OSTI ID:105851

Labreche, D. A.; Beikmann, M. A. ^[1]; Osnes, J. D. ^[2]; Butcher, B. M. ^[3]

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1. RE/SPEC, Inc., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
2. RE/SPEC, Inc., Rapid City, SD (United States)
3. Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States)

The WIPP Disposal Room Model (DRM) is a numerical model with three major components constitutive models of TRU waste, crushed salt backfill, and intact halite -- and several secondary components, including air gap elements, slidelines, and assumptions on symmetry and geometry. A sensitivity analysis of the Disposal Room Model was initiated on two of the three major components (waste and backfill models) and on several secondary components as a group. The immediate goal of this component sensitivity analysis (Phase I) was to sort (rank) model parameters in terms of their relative importance to model response so that a Monte Carlo analysis on a reduced set of DRM parameters could be performed under Phase II. The goal of the Phase II analysis will be to develop a probabilistic definition of a disposal room porosity surface (porosity, gas volume, time) that could be used in WIPP Performance Assessment analyses. This report documents a literature survey which quantifies the relative importance of the secondary room components to room closure, a differential analysis of the creep consolidation model and definition of a follow-up Monte Carlo analysis of the model, and an analysis and refitting of the waste component data on which a volumetric plasticity model of TRU drum waste is based. A summary, evaluation of progress, and recommendations for future work conclude the report.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-94AL85000
• OSTI ID: 105851
• Report Number(s): SAND-94-0890; ON: DE95016749; TRN: 95:021937
• Resource Relation: Other Information: PBD: Jul 1995
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

05 NUCLEAR FUELS
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
99 MATHEMATICS
COMPUTERS
INFORMATION SCIENCE
MANAGEMENT
LAW
MISCELLANEOUS
ALPHA-BEARING WASTES
UNDERGROUND DISPOSAL
TUFF
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
D CODES
CREEP
WIPP
HALITE
SALTS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
SOILS
POROSITY
MONTE CARLO METHOD
HYDROLOGY
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL