• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
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• 2018.05a
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• pp.113-114
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• 2018

• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
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• 2018.05a
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• pp.125-126
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• 2018

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.135-148
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• 2005

In the stage of conceptual design for the construction and operation of the geologic repository for radioactive wastes, it is important to consider a repository ventilation system which serves the repository working environment, hygiene & safety of the public at large, and will allow safe maintenance like moisture content elimination in repository for the duration of the repositories life, construction/operation/closure, also allowing safe waste transportation and emplacement. This paper describes the possible ventilation system design criteria and requirements for the prospective Korean radioactive waste repositories with emphasis on the underground rock cavity disposal method in the both cases of low & medium-level and high-level wastes. It was found that the most important concept is separate ventilation systems for the construction (development) and waste emplacement (storage) activities. In addition, ventilation network system modeling, natural ventilation, ventilation monitoring systems & real time ventilation simulation, and fire simulation & emergency system in the repository are briefly discussed.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.503-515
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• 2021

In this study, rainfall infiltration in vault of the second near-surface disposal facility was evaluated on the basis of various disposal scenarios. A total of four different disposal scenarios were examined based on the locations of the radioactive waste containers. A numerical model was developed using the FEFLOW software and finite element method to simulate the behavior of infiltrated water in each disposal scenario. The effects of the disposal scenarios on the infiltrated water were evaluated by estimating the flux of the infiltrated water at the vault interfaces. For 300 years, the flux of infiltrated water flowing into the vault was estimated to be 1 mm/year or less for all scenario. The overall results suggest that when the engineered barriers are intact, the flux of infiltrated water cannot generate a sufficient pressure head to penetrate the vault. In addition, it is confirmed that the disposal scenarios have insignificant effects on the infiltrated water flowing into the vault.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.261-270
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• 2018

In this study, to replace the 'J-slot joint', a joint device between a disposal canister and an emplacement jig in Deep Borehole Disposal process, a novel joint device was designed and tested. The novel joint device was composed of a wedge on top of a disposal canister and a hook box at the end of a winch system. The designed joint device had merits in that it can recombine an emplaced canister freely without the replacement of the joint component. Moreover, it can be applied to various emplacement jigs such as drill pipes, wire-lines, and coiled tubing. To demonstrate the designed joint device, the joint device (${\Phi}110mm$, H 148 mm), a twin canister string (${\Phi}140mm$, H 1,105 mm), and a water tube (${\Phi}150mm$, H 1,500 mm) as a borehole model were manufactured at 1/3 scale. As deployment muds, Na-type bentonite (MX-80) and Ca-type (GJ II) bentonite muds were prepared at solid contents of 7wt% and 28wt%, respectively. The manufactured joint device showed good performance in pure water and viscous muds, with an operation speed of $10m{\cdot}min^{-1}$. It was concluded that the newly developed joint device can be used for the emplacement and retrieval of a deep disposal canister, below 3~5 km, in the future.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 1998

In order to get the information of the deformational behavior of rock masses with time in waste disposal repository, it is necessary to measure the relationships between stress and strain and time for temperature. A creep law is used in conjunction with the elastic moduli to calculate stress and displacement following waste emplacement. Exponential-time law's parameters consist of stress and temperature. In this study, thermal creep test was carried out for Whangdeung granite. The measured creep deformation behavior was well explained by exponential time law and generalized Kelvin's rheological model. Mechanicla coefficients for exponential-time creep law showed the clear tendency of temperature dependent while those for Kelvein's model didn't.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.41-52
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• 2013

Adequate design of engineered barriers, including canister, buffer and backfill, is important for the safe disposal of high-level radioactive waste. Three-dimensional computer simulations were carried out under different condition to examine the thermal and mechanical behavior of engineered barriers and rock mass. The research looked at five areas of importance, the effect of the swelling pressure, water content of buffer, density of compacted bentonite, emplacement type and the selection of failure criteria. The results highlighted the need to consider tensile stress in the outer shell of a canister due to thermal expansion of the canister and the swelling pressure from the buffer for a more reliable design of an underground repository system. In addition, an adequate failure criterion should be used for the buffer and backfill.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.405-417
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• 2014

In a high-level waste repository, the gap fill of the engineered barrier is an important component that influences the performance of the buffer and backfill. This paper reviewed the overseas status of R&D on the gap fill used engineered barriers, through which the concept of the gap fill, manufacturing techniques, pellet-molding characteristics, and emplacement techniques were summarized. The concept of a gap fill differs for each country depending on its disposal type and concept. Bentonite has been considered a major material of a gap fill, and clay as an inert filler. Gap fill was used in the form of pellets, granules, or a pellet-granule blend. Pellets are manufactured through one of the following techniques: static compaction, roller compression, or extrusion-cutting. Among these techniques, countries have focused on developing advanced technologies of roller compression and extrusion-cutting techniques for industrial pellet production. The dry density and integrity of the pellet are sensitive to water content, constituent material, manufacturing technique, and pellet size, and are less sensitive to the pressure applied during the manufacturing. For the emplacement of the gap fill, pouring, pouring and tamping, and pouring with vibration techniques were used in the buffer gap of the vertical deposition hole; blowing through the use of shotcrete technology and auger placement and compaction techniques have been used in the gap of horizontal deposition hole and tunnel. However, these emplacement techniques are still technically at the beginning stage, and thus additional research and development are expected to be needed.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.79-90
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• 2016

The second-stage near surface disposal facility for low and very low level radioactive waste's permanent disposal is to be built. During the institutional control period, the inadvertent intrusion of the general public is limited. But after the institutional control period, the access to the general public is not restricted. Therefore human who has purpose of residence and resource exploration can intrude the disposal facility. In this case, radioactive effects to the intruder should be limited within regulatory dose limits. This study conducted the safety assessment of human intrusion on the second-stage surface disposal facility through drilling and post drilling scenario. Results of drilling and post drilling scenario were satisfied with regulatory dose limits. The result showed that post-drilling scenario was more significant than drilling scenario. According to the human intrusion time and behavior after the closure of the facility, dominant radionuclide contributing to the intruder was different. Sensitivity analyses on the parameters about the human behavior were also satisfied with regulatory dose limits. Especially, manual redistribution factor was the most sensitive parameter on exposure dose. A loading plan of spent filter waste and dry active waste was more effective than a loading plan of spent filter waste and other wastes for the radiological point of view. These results can be expected to provide both robustness and defense in depth for the development of safety case further.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.293-301
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• 2013

Borehole Disposal Concept (BDC) was initiated by the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (NECSA) with the view to improve the radioactive waste management practices in Africa. At a time when geological disposal of radioactive waste is being considered, the need to protect ground water from possible radioactive contamination and the investigation of radionuclides migration through soil and rocks of zone of aeration into ground water has becomes very imperative. This is why the Borehole Disposal Concept (BDC) is being suggested to address the problem. The concept involves the conditioning and emplacement of disused sealed radioactive sources in an engineered facility of a relatively narrow diameter borehole (260 mm). Tanzania is operating a Radioactive Waste Management Facility where a number of spent sealed radioactive sources with long and short half lives are stored. The activity of spent sealed radioactive sources range from (1E-6 to 8.8E+3 Ci). However, the long term disposal solution is still a problem. This study therefore proposing the country to adopt the BDC, since the repository requires limited land area and has a low probability of human intrusion due to the small footprint of the borehole.