• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.267-276
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• 1989

A numerical model for nuclide migration through fractured rock media has been developed. Nuclide transport with groundwater in rock fissures and the diffusion of nuclides into rock matrix are considered one-dimensionally . In the safety assessment of the repository for radioactive waste, this one-dimensional model by the finite-difference scheme, which enables us not only to use more realistic boundary conditions but also to model the nonhomogeneous rock medium as the multilayered media, can be used effectively with the analytical mode. The solution by the numerical model will be verified analytically, and then extended to the double-layered rock medium transport model.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.539-547
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• 1993

A stochastic approach using continuous time Markov process is presented to model the one-dimensional nuclide transport in fractured rock media as a further extension for previous works［1-3］. Nuclide transport of decay chain of arbitrary length in the single planar fractured rock media in the vicinity of the radioactive waste repository is modeled using a continuous time Markov process. While most of analytical solutions for nuclide transport of decay chain deal with the limited length of decay chain, do not consider the case of having rock matrix diffusion, and have very complicated solution form, the present model offers rather a simplified solution in the form of expectance and its variance resulted from a stochastic modeling. As another deterministic way, even numerical models of decay chain transport, in most cases, show very complicated procedure to get the solution and large discrepancy for the exact solution as opposed to the stochastic model developed in this study. To demonstrate the use of the present model and to verify the model by comparing with the deterministic model, a specific illustration was made for the transport of a chain of three member in single fractured rock medium with constant groundwater flow rate in the fracture, which ignores the rock matrix diffusion and shows good capability to model the fractured media around the repository.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.401-410
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• 1994

Validation study of two radionuclide migration models for single fracture developed in geologic medium the hydrodynamic dispersion diffusion model(HDDM) and the channeling dispersion diffusion model(CDDM), was studied by migration experiment of tracers through an artificial granite fracture on the labolatory scale. The tracers used were Uranine and Sodium lignosulfonate know as nonsorbing material. The flow rate ranged 0.4 to 1.5 cc/min. Related parameters for the models were estimated by optimization technique. Theoretical breakthrough curves with experimental data were compared. In the experiment, it was deduced that the surface sorption for both tracers did not play an important role while the diffusion of Uranine into the rock matrix turned out to be an important mass transfer mechanism. The parameter characterizing the rock matrix diffusion of each model agreed well The simulated result showed that the amount of flow rate could not tell the CDDM from the HDDM quantitatively. On the other hand, the variation of fracture length gave influence on the two models in a different degree. The dispersivity of breakthrough curve of the CDDM was more amplified than that of the CDDM when the fracture length was increased. A good agreement between the models and experimental data gave a confirmation that both models were very useful in predicting the migration system through a single fracture.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.16 no.3 s.49
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• pp.245-254
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• 2006

Using a natural gradient tracer test, the characteristics of hydrodynamic dispersion according to each depth of a fractured rock were studied, and the effective porosity and longitudinal dispersivity of the fractured rock were estimated. The difference of vertical hydrodynamic dispersion was identified by concentration breakthrough curves linear regression analyses of bromide concentrations according to depths versus time, and hydraulic fracture characteristics at two intervals of the monitoring well. Higher concentration and faster arrival time at GL- 18 m depth (RQD 13%, average joint spacing 2 cm, TCR 100%) than at GL- 25 m depth (RQD 41%, average joint spacing 7 cm, TCR 100%) resulted from shorter distance and more fractures. Tracer was transported through the 1 st fractures until the arrival of its peak concentration and through the 2nd fractures or matrix diffusion after the arrival of its peak concentration. The increase/decrease slopes of bromide concentration versus time were 3.46/-1.57 at GL-18 m depth and 3.l9/-0.47 at GL- 25 m depth of the monitoring well. So the faster bromide transport was confirmed at GL- 18 m depth with more fractures. The concentration increment of bromide was fitted by a Gaussian function and the concentration decrement of bromide was fitted by an exponential function. Effective porosity and longitudinal dispersivity estimated by CATTI code were 10.50% and 0.85 m, respectively.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Groundwater Environment
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.100-104
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• 1994

The rock matrix diffusion provides a retarding mechanism for sorbing and especially non-sorbing radionuclides. It has to be verified not only theoretically and experimentally but also from natural phenomena, before the mechanism can be incorporated fully into transport codes. The natural analogue studies, such as the concentration variation of radionuclides in profiles perpendicular to fluid-conducting fractures and to intrusive contact zones, have been believed to provide a validation. In thermal alteration zones of Naeduckri granite intruded by a pegmatite, large alkali and alkaline earth elements such as K, Rb, Sr, and Ba were moderately migrated during thermal alteration. Li, V. and Nb were also migrated about 9cm in width from the contact between the granite and the pegmatite. The concentration variation of these elements in thermally altered zones seems to be resulted from the local migration due to the re-equilibration among the elements released from the breakdown of primary minerals in the granite. Most of these natural analogue studies simply show only the concentration variation of elements without detailed informations on the diffusion time and other important data fir interpreting the behaviour of radionuclides, because of the absence of appropriate minerals for age data. Despite this problem, natural analogue studies will be needed for transport models of radionuclides in safety assessment.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.253-262
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• 2004

Construction of tunnels in a deep crystalline host rock for a potential High-Level Radioactive Waste(HLW) repository inevitably generates an excavation disturbed zone (EDZ). There have been a series of debates on whether a permeability in an EDZ increases or not and what would be the maximum depth of an EDZ. Recent studies show mixed opinions on permeability. However, there has been an international consensus on the thickness of an EDZ; 30 cm for TBM and 1 meter for controlled blast. One of the impacts of an EDZ is on determining the distance between adjacent deposition holes. The void gap by the excavation hinders relaxation of temperature profiles so that the current Korean reference designing distance between holes should be stretched out more to keep the maximum temperature in a buffer region below 100 degrees Celsius. The other impact of an EDZ is on the long-term post closure radiological safety. To estimate the impact, the reference scenario, the well scenario, is chosen. Released nuclides diffuse through a bentonite buffer region experiencing strong sorption and reach a fracture surrounded by a porous medium. Inside a fractured porous region, radionuclides migrate by advection and dispersion with matrix diffusion into a porous medium. Finally, they reach a well assumed to be a source of potable water for local residents. The annual individual dose is assessed on this well scenario to find out the significance of an EDZ. A profound sensitivity study was performed, but all results show that the impact is negligible. Even though the role of an EDZ turns out to be limited on overall safety assessment, still it is worthwhile to study the chemical role of an EDZ, such as a potential source for natural colloids, potential sealing of an open fracture by fine clay particles generated by the process of an EDZ, and alteration of a sorption mechanism by an EDZ in the future.