Evaluation of temporal changes in fracture transmissivity in an excavation damaged zone after backfilling a gallery excavated in mudstone

Aoyagi, Kazuhei; Ishii, Eiichi

Environmental Earth Sciences, 83(3), p.98_1 - 98_15, 2024/02

https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-023-11416-x

The long-term geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste relies on predictions of future changes in a disposal facility's hydro-mechanical characteristics to assess potential leakage through fractures in the excavation damaged zone (EDZ) after backfilling the facility. This study evaluated the transmissivity of EDZ fractures using in situ hydraulic tests around the area of a full-scale, experimental, engineered barrier system in the Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory, Hokkaido, Japan. After their installation, the buffer blocks swelled, altering the stresses within the EDZ fractures. The effects of these changing stresses on the fractures' transmissivity were assessed over a period of 4 years. The transmissivity continuously decreased in this period to about 41% of its value measured prior to the swelling. Using the Barton-Bandis normal-stress-dependent fracture-closure model, the decrease in transmissivity is quantitatively attributed to closure of the EDZ fractures, which was caused by the swelling pressure increasing up to 0.88 MPa. Evidence of fracture closure came from seismic tomography surveying, which revealed a slight increase in seismic velocity in the study area with increasing swelling pressure. The results show that EDZ fractures were closed by swelling of the full-scale buffer material. They also demonstrate the applicability of the Barton-Bandis model to preliminary estimation of the long-term transmissivity of EDZ fractures in facilities for the geological disposal of radioactive waste.

Geological disposal and chemistry of high-level radioactive waste

Tachi, Yukio

Kagaku To Kyoiku, 71(10), p.420 - 423, 2023/10

no abstracts in English

Current status of Toki Geochronology Research Laboratory, Tono Geoscience Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency

Osawa, Hideaki

Gijutsushi "Chubu", (12), p.34 - 41, 2023/09

This introduces current status of Toki Geochronology Research Laboratory, Tono Geoscience Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency.

Proposition of confirmation items on the borehole sealing for the disposal of radioactive waste

Murakami, Hiroaki; Nishiyama, Nariaki; Takeuchi, Ryuji; Iwatsuki, Teruki

Oyo Chishitsu, 64(2), p.60 - 69, 2023/06

https://doi.org/10.5110/jjseg.64.60

In order to confirm the quality control items for borehole closure in radioactive waste disposal projects, in-situ borehole sealing tests using bentonite material were conducted. As a result, the closure performance was successfully demonstrated by comparing the data of water injection tests conducted before and after the installation of the closure material. However, the breakthrough was observed after closing, probably due to high differential pressure applied to the seal section. Thus, it is important to ascertain throughout the entire operation that the borehole is adequately closed. The placement and specifications of the closure material should be determined according to the hydrogeological structure in the borehole. The confirmation items to use bentonite for sealing material are identified to be: to consider swelling and density loss in the borehole; to place the planned depth using appropriate emplacement technique; to be placed without damage to seals when use some backfilling materials, considering effect of permeability on adjacent seals.

Effects of buried environment on corrosion of iron artifacts excavated from Heijo Palace Site; Examination of the chloride salt accumulation inside of an iron artifact in soil

Yanagida, Akinobu*; Ura, Yoko*; Mitsui, Seiichiro; Ishidera, Takamitsu; Kawakita, Ryohei

Nara Bunkazai Kenkyujo Soritsu 70-Shunen Kinen Rombunshu; Bunkazai Ronso 5, p.843 - 856, 2023/03

To investigate chloride salt accumulation inside an iron artifact in soil, non-destructive analysis of three iron artifacts excavated from the Heijo Palace Site was conducted using elemental mapping by X-ray fluorescence analysis, micro-X-ray diffraction analysis, and X-ray computed tomography. Furthermore, the buried environments of the artifacts were presumed based on the previous reports of the environmental investigation at the Heijo Palace site. The results revealed the iron artifact's corrosion behavior was different individually- (1) the iron artifact that was presumed buried under oxidation environments had a goethite/magnetite corrosion layer and contained akageneite inside the corrosion layer. (2) the metal of the other iron artifacts buried under the oxidation environment had eluted absolutely and the artifacts had a rust layer formed by only goethite. (3) the other artifact buried in reduction environments had a rust layer composed of siderite. Accumulation of chloride salts inside an iron artifact was observed only in (1). Because each Cl concentration measured in underground water observation holes at the Heijo Palace Site showed almost the same level concentrations, it was presumed that the accumulation of chloride salts depended on the environmental factor except for Cl concentration. Based on these results, there was a possibility that the occurrence of local corrosion attributed to the separation of anodic and cathodic regions through the formation of the goethite/magnetite rust layer caused chloride salts accumulation inside an iron artifact.

Skyshine dose evaluation of trench disposal facilities for waste generated from research, industrial and medical facilities

Nakamura, Mizuki; Izumo, Sari; Ogawa, Rina; Nakata, Hisakazu; Amazawa, Hiroya; Sakai, Akihiro

JAEA-Technology 2022-025, 73 Pages, 2022/12

JAEA-Technology-2022-025.pdf:1.64MB

Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) has been establishing as the implementing body of the near surface disposal of low-level radioactive waste (LLW) generated from research facilities and other facilities in order to actualize the near surface disposal. It is necessary to evaluate the effective doses by direct and skyshine -rays from disposal facilities and reduce the doses below the target dose (50 Sv/y) at the site boundary for the safety assessment during operation. It was shown at the results of conceptual design that the distance from the trench disposal facilities to site boundary needed to be kept more than 120m in order to satisfy the target dose. However, the design of trench disposal facilities was changed because of increasing amount of waste subject to the trench disposal. Therefore, the dose by skyshine -rays from trench disposal facilities was recalculated by use of two-dimensional discrete ordinates Sn code DOT 3.5. As a result, it was evaluated that the dose by skyshine -rays from each trench facility at the site boundary whose distance was 120m from a trench facility was lower than 50 Sv/y, respectively, and the dose added up the doses from trench facilities was also lower than 50 Sv/y. In addition, it was suggested to reduce the target skyshine dose by thickening the covered soil on the top layer.

Challenge on development of the JAEA knowledge management system

Makino, Hitoshi; Semba, Takeshi; Shibata, Masahiro

NEA/RWM/R(2018)7 (Internet), p.315 - 322, 2022/11

This presentation summarize challenge on development of an advanced KMS by JAEA including the background to this initiative, the basic approach selected, a developed prototype of the JAEA KMS, and challenges and practical issues for introduction and also sustainable maintenance of the JAEA KMS.

Common evaluation procedure radioactivity concentration by theoretical calculation for radioactive waste generated from the decommissioning of research reactors

Okada, Shota; Murakami, Masashi; Kochiyama, Mami; Izumo, Sari; Sakai, Akihiro

JAEA-Testing 2022-002, 66 Pages, 2022/08

JAEA-Testing-2022-002.pdf:2.46MB

Japan Atomic Energy Agency is an implementing organization of burial disposal for low-level radioactive waste generated from research, industrial and medical facilities in Japan. Radioactivity concentrations of the waste are essential information for design of the disposal facility and for licensing process. A lot of the waste subjected to the burial disposal is arising from dismantling of nuclear facilities. Radioactive Wastes Disposal enter has therefore discussed a procedure to evaluate the radioactivity concentrations by theoretical calculation for waste arising from the dismantling of the research reactors facilities and summarized the common procedure. The procedure includes evaluation of radioactive inventory by activation calculation, validation of the calculation results, and determination of the disposal classification as well as organization of the data on total radioactivity and maximum radioactivity concentration for each classification. For the evaluation of radioactive inventory, neutron flux and energy spectra are calculated at each region in the reactor facility using two- or three-dimensional neutron transport code. The activation calculation is then conducted for 140 nuclides using the results of neutron transport calculation and an activation calculation code. The recommended codes in this report for neutron transport calculation are two-dimensional discrete ordinate code DORT, three-dimensional discrete ordinate code TORT, or Monte Carlo codes MCNP and PHITS, and for activation calculation is ORIGEN-S. Other recommendation of cross-section libraries and calculation conditions are also indicated in this report. In the course of the establishment of the procedure, Radioactive Wastes Disposal Center has discussed the commonly available procedure at meetings. It has periodically held to exchange information with external operators which have research reactor facilities. The procedure will properly be reviewed and be revised by reflecting future situ

Design study on cover soil in the trench disposal facility for very low-level radioactive waste generated from research facilities and other facilities

Ogawa, Rina; Nakata, Hisakazu; Sugaya, Toshikatsu; Sakai, Akihiro

JAEA-Technology 2022-010, 54 Pages, 2022/07

JAEA-Technology-2022-010.pdf:11.07MB

Japan Atomic Energy Agency has considered trench disposal as one of the disposal methods for radioactive wastes generated from research facilities and other facilities. The trench disposal facility is regulated by "Act on the Regulation of Nuclear Source Material, Nuclear Fuel Material and Reactors". In particular, the design of the trench facility is regulated by a rule under the law. When the rule was amended in 2019, the design of the trench disposal facility required equipment to reduce ingress of rain water and groundwater. In the report, studies on the design of a trench disposal facility to adapt to the amended rule were performed. The trench disposal facility has considered being established in a place lower than groundwater level. Therefore, it was decided to study covering soil at the upper part of the trench facility, because the ingress water in the facility is mainly derived from rain water. In this study, it was decided to evaluate the design of covering soil of the radioactive waste categorized into chemically stable materials. Therefore, as the examination method, a parameter study on varying the permeability coefficient and thickness of the layers composing cover soil. In the parameter study, the velocity of the water infiltrating into the trench facility was evaluated. Based on the results, more efficient design of the layers composing the covering soil was considered. The result showed that the impermeable efficiency of the covering soil was different depending on the thickness and the permeability conductivity of each layer. As a result, it was possible to understand the impermeable performance of covering soil by the permeability coefficient and thickness of each layer. We will plan to decide the specification of the cover soil while examination of future tasks and cost in the basic design.

Brief introduction to research on geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste

Yamaguchi, Masaaki

Genshiryoku Bakkuendo Kenkyu (CD-ROM), 29(1), p.38 - 41, 2022/06

https://nuce.aesj.or.jp/jnuce/vol29/jnuce-vol29-1-p38-41.pdf

This presentation outlined the framework and background of Japan's geological disposal research that has been underway since the 1970s and outlined research and development on the engineering technology of geological disposal and the performance assessment of geological disposal systems in the research and development fields. Specific assessment methods used in both R & D fields and recent research topics were also explained.