• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.33 no.10
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• pp.25-31
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• 2017

The buffer is one of the major components of an engineered barrier system (EBS) for the disposal of high-level radioactive waste (HLW). As the buffer is located between a disposal canister and host rock, it is indispensable to assure the disposal safety of high-level radioactive waste. It can restrain the release of radionuclide and protect the canister from the inflow of groundwater. Since high quantity of heat from a disposal canister is released to the surrounding buffer, thermal properties of the buffer are very important parameters for the analysis of the entire disposal safety. Especially, temperature criteria of the compacted bentonite buffer can affect the design of HLW repository facility. Therefore, this paper investigated thermal properties for the Kyungju compacted bentonite buffer which is the only bentonite produced in South Korea. Hot wire method and dual probe method were used to measure thermal conductivity and specific heat capacity of the compacted bentonite buffer according to the temperature variation. Thermal conductivity and specific heat capacity were decreased dramatically when temperature variation was between $22^{\circ}C{\sim}110^{\circ}C$ as degree of saturation decreased according to the temperature variation. However, there was little variation under the high temperature condition at $110^{\circ}C{\sim}150^{\circ}C$.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.173-180
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• 2012

In this study, diagonal ventilation circuits that are advantageous in air flow direction control were studied. Based on the results of the study, it could be seen that air volumes in diagonal ventilation circuits could also be calculated using numerical formulas or programs if the air volumes and air flow directions to be infused into diagonal branches are determined in advance as with other serial/parallel circuits. To apply the results, design plans for high level radioactive waste repositories applied with diagonal ventilation circuits and parallel ventilation circuits. To compared the each design plans and obtain expected operation results, ventilation network simulations were conducted through the Ventsim program which is a ventilation networking program. Based on the results, in the case of diagonal repositories that was expected to cause great increases in resistance, fan pressure was 1570 pa, total flux was 84 $m^3/s$, fan efficiency was 76.4%, fan power consumption was 181.2 kW and annual fan operating costs were 178,710,838 and thus maximum around 8% differences were shown in pressure and flux values and a difference of around 1.5% was shown in terms of operating costs.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.418-426
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• 2008

A surface blasting method with a single tree face is currently used in Pasir Coal Mine in Indonesia. The single free face is usually the ground surface. This kind of blasting method is easy to use but inevitably causes enormous ground vibrations, which, in turn, can affect the stability of the slopes comprising the various boundaries of the open pit mine. In this regard, we decided to make a specific blasting guideline for the control of found vibrations to ensure the safety of the pit slopes and waste dumps of the mine. Firstly, we derived a prediction equation for the ground vibration levels that could be occurred during blasting in the pits. Then, we set the allowable levels of ground vibrations for the pit slopes and waste dumps as peak particle velocities of 120mm/s and 60mm/s, respectively. From the prediction equation and allowable levels, safe scaled distances were established for field use. The blast design equations for the pit slopes and waste dumps were $D_s{\geq}5\;and\;D_S{\geq}10$ respectively. We also provide several standard blasting patterns for the hole depths of $3.3{sim}8.8m$.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.161-170
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• 2012

To provide domestic values of input parameters in a safety assessment of radioactive waste disposal under domestic deep underground environments, various kinds of experiments have been carried out under KURT (KAERI Underground Research Tunnel) conditions. The input parameters were classified, and some of them were selected for this study by the criteria of importance. The domestic experimental data under KURT environments were given top priority in the data review process. Foreign data under similar conditions to KURT were also gathered. The collected data were arranged and the statistical calculations were processed. The properties and distribution of the data were explained and compared to foreign values in view of their validity. The following parameters were analysed: failure time and early time failure rate of a container, solubility of nuclides, porosity and density of the buffer, and distribution coefficients of nuclides in the geomedia, hydraulic conductivity, diffusion depth of nuclides, groundwater flow rate, fracture aperture, length of internal fracture, and width of faulted rock mass in the host rock.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.339-346
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• 2018

A geological repository system consists of a disposal canister with packed spent fuel, buffer material, backfill material, and intact rock. The buffer is indispensable to assure the disposal safety of high-level radioactive waste. Since the heat generated from spent nuclear fuel in a disposal canister is released to the surrounding buffer materials, the thermal properties of the buffer material are very important in determining the entire disposal safety. Especially, since thermal expansion can cause thermal stress to the intact rock mass in the near-field, it is very important to evaluate thermal expansion characteristics of bentonite buffer materials. Therefore, this paper presents a thermal expansion coefficient prediction model of the Gyeongju bentonite buffer materials which is a Ca-bentonite produced in South Korea. The linear thermal expansion coefficient was measured considering heating rate, dry density and temperature variation using dilatometer equipment. Thermal expansion coefficient values of the Gyeongju bentonite buffer materials were $4.0{\sim}6.0{\times}10^{-6}/^{\circ}C$. Based on the experimental results, a non-linear regression model to predict the thermal expansion coefficient was suggested and fitted according to the dry density.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.133-141
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• 2020

A geological repository comprises a natural barrier and an engineered barrier system. Its design components consist of canisters, buffers, backfill, and near-field rock. Among the engineered barrier system components, bentonite buffers minimize the groundwater flow from near-field rock and prevent the release of nuclide. Investigation of the hydraulic conductivity of the buffer to groundwater flow is an important factor in the performance evaluation of the stability and integrity of the engineered barrier of the repository. In this study, saturated hydraulic conductivity tests were performed using Gyeongju bentonite at various dry densities and temperatures, and a hydraulic conductivity prediction model was developed through multiple regression analysis using the 120 result sets of hydraulic conductivity. The test results showed that the hydraulic conductivity tends to decrease as the dry density increases. In addition, the hydraulic conductivity increased with increasing temperature. The multiple regression analysis results showed that the coefficient of determination (R²) of the hydraulic conductivity prediction equation was as high as 0.93. The hydraulic conductivity prediction equation presented in this study could be used for the design of engineered barrier systems.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.99-114
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• 2004

Mineralogical characteristics of fracture-filling minerals from deep borehole in the Yuseong area were studied for the radioactive waste disposal project. There are many fracture zones in the deep drill holes of the Yuseong granite, which was locally affected by the hydrothermal alteration. According to the results of hole rock analysis of drill core samples, $SiO_2$ contents are distinctly decreased, whereas $Al_2$$O_3$ and CaO contents and L.O.I. values are increased in the -90 m∼-130 m and -230 m∼-250 m zone, which is related to the formations of filling minerals. Fracture-filling minerals mainly consist of zeolite minerals (laumontite and heulandite), calcite, illite ($2M_1$ and 1Md polytypes), chlorite, epidote and kaolinite. The relative frequency of occurrence among the fracture-filling minerals is calcite zeolite mineral > illite > epidote chlorite kaolinite. Judging from the SEM observation and EPMA analysis, there is no systematic change in the texture and chemical composition of the fracture-filling minerals with depth. In the study area, low temperature hydrothermal alteration was overlapped with water-rock interactions for a long geological time through the fracture zone developed in the granite body. Therefore the further study on the origin and paragenesis of the fracture-filling minerals are required.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.518-525
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• 2011

In this study, the natural ventilation pressure resulting from the large altitude difference which is a characteristic of high radioactive waste repository and the caloric value of the heat emitted by wastes was calculated and based on the results, natural ventilation quantities were calculated. A high radioactive waste repository can be considered as being operated through closed cycle thermodynamic processes similar to those of thermal engines. The heat produced by the heating of high radioactive wastes in the underground repository is added to the surrounding air, and the air goes up through the upcast vertical shaft due to the added heat while working on its surroundings. Part of the heat added by the work done by the air can be temporarily changed into mechanical energy to promote the air flow. Therefore, if a sustained and powerful heat source exists in the repository, the heat source will naturally enable continued cyclic flows of air. Based on this assumption, the quantity of natural ventilation made during the disposal of high radioactive wastes in a deep geological layer was mathematically calculated and based on the results, natural ventilation pressure of $74{\sim}183$Pa made by the stack effect was identified along with the resultant natural ventilation quantity of $92.5{\sim}147.7m^3/s$. The result of an analysis by CFD was $82{\sim}143m^3/s$ which was very similar to the results obtained by the mathematical method.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.121-133
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• 2014

If the spent fuels or the high-level radioactive wastes can be disposed of in the depth of 3~5 km and more stable rock formation, it has several advantages. For example, (1)significant fluid flow through basement rock is prevented, in part, by low permeability, poorly connected transport pathways, and (2)overburden self-sealing. (3)Deep fluids also resist vertical movement because they are density stratified and reducing conditions will sharply limit solubility of most dose-critical radionuclides at the depth. Finally, (4) high ionic strengths of deep fluids will prevent colloidal transport. Therefore, as an alternative disposal concept to the deep geological disposal concept(DGD), very deep borehole disposal(DBD) technology is under consideration in number of countries in terms of its outstanding safety and cost effectiveness. In this paper, for the preliminary applicability analyses of the DBD system for the spent fuels or high level wastes, the DBD concepts which have been developed by some countries according to the rapid advance in the development of drilling technology were reviewed. To do this, the general concept of DBD system was checked and the study cases of foreign countries were described and analyzed. These results will be used as an input for the analyses of applicability for DBD in Korea.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.229-243
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• 2013

An in situ solute migration system was designed and installed in KAERI Underground Research Tunnel (KURT) constructed in the site of Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) in order to investigate the migration and retardation of non-sorbing and sorbing tracers through a rock fracture. The system is composed of three main parts including injection, extraction, and data treatment. For the selection of a water-conducting fracture, boreholes were drilled. The fractures in the drilled boreholes were investigated using borehole image analysis using borehole image processing system (BIPS). The results of BIPS analysis showed that borehole YH 3-1 and YH 3-2 were connected each other. Moreover, hydraulic tests were carried out to determine the test section with connectivity for the in situ experiments. The in situ solute migration experiments were accomplished to understand the migration of solutes through fractures in KURT using non-sorbing tracers which were fluorescein sodium, eosin-B, bromide and sorbing tracers which were rubidium, nickel, zirconium, and samarium.