Research on engineering technology in the full-scale demonstration of EBS and operation technology for HLW disposal; Research report in 2013 (Joint research)

Fujita, Tomoo ; Tanai, Kenji ; Nakayama, Masashi ; Sawada, Sumiyuki*; Asano, Hidekazu*; Saito, Masahiko*; Yoshino, Osamu*; Kobayashi, Masato*

Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) and Radioactive Waste Management Funding and Research Center (RWMC) concluded the letter of cooperation agreement on the research and development of radioactive waste disposal in April, 2005, and have been carrying out the collaboration work based on the agreement. JAEA have been carrying out the Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory (URL) Project which is intended for a sedimentary rock in the Horonobe town, Hokkaido, since 2001. In the project, geoscientific research and research and development on geological disposal technology are being promoted. Meanwhile, the government (the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry) has been promoting construction of equipments for the full-scale demonstration of engineered barrier system (EBS) and operation technology for high-level radioactive waste (HLW) disposal since 2008, to enhance public's understanding to the geological disposal of HLW, e.g. using underground facility. RWMC received an order of the project in fiscal year 2012 (2011/2012) continuing since fiscal year 2008 (2008/2009). Since topics in this project are included in the Horonobe URL Project, JAEA carried out this project as collaboration work continuing since fiscal year 2008. This report summarizes the results of engineering technology carried out in this collaboration work in fiscal year 2013. In fiscal year 2013, emplacement tests using buffer material block for the vertical emplacement concept were carried out and visualization tests for water penetration in buffer material were carried out.