Mizunami Underground Research Laboratory Project; Achievement during Phase I/II and important issues for Phase III

Hama, Katsuhiro 

The Mizunami Underground Research Laboratory project is being pursued by the JAEA in the crystalline host rock at Mizunami City in Gifu Prefecture. The project proceeds in three overlapping phases, Surface-based investigation Phase (Phase I), Construction Phase (Phase II) and Operation Phase (III). During Phase I, a step-wise investigation was conducted by iterating investigation, interpretation, and assessment, thereby understanding of geologic environment was progressively and effectively improved with progress of investigation. During Phase II, we have evaluated adequacy of techniques for investigation, analysis and assessment of the deep geological environment established in the Phase I. For Phase III, three important issues were identified based on the latest results. Development of countermeasure technologies for reducing groundwater inflow, Development of modeling technologies for mass transport, Development of drift backfilling technologies.