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Metcalfe, R.*; Benbow, S. J.*; Kawama, Daisuke*; Tachi, Yukio
Science of the Total Environment, 958, p.177690_1 - 177690_17, 2025/01
Uplifting fractured granitic rocks occur in substantial areas of countries such as Japan. A repository site would be selected in such an area only if it is possible to make a safety case, accounting for the changing conditions during uplift. The safety case must include robust arguments that chemical processes in the rocks around the repository will contribute sufficiently to minimise radiological doses to biosphere receptors. To provide confidence in the safety arguments, numerical models need to be sufficiently realistic, but also parameterised conservatively (pessimistically). However, model development is challenging because uplift involves many complex couplings between groundwater flow, chemical reactions between water and rock, and changing rock properties. The couplings would affect radionuclide mobilisation and retardation, by influencing diffusive radionuclide fluxes between groundwater flowing in fractures and effectively immobile porewater in the rock matrix and radionuclide partitioning between water and solid phases, via: (i) mineral precipitation/dissolution; (ii) mineral alteration; and (iii) sorption/desorption. It is difficult to represent all this complexity in numerical models while showing that they are parameterised conservatively. Here we present a modelling approach, illustrated by simulation cases for some exemplar radioelements, to identify realistically conservative process conceptualisations and model parameterisations.
Metcalfe, R.*; Tachi, Yukio; Sasao, Eiji; Kawama, Daisuke*
Science of the Total Environment, 957, p.177375_1 - 177375_17, 2024/12
A safety case for an underground radioactive waste repository must show that groundwater will not in future transport radionuclides from the repository to the near-surface environment (the biosphere) in harmful quantities. Safety cases are developed step-wise throughout a programme to site and develop a repository. At early stages, before a site is selected, safety cases are generic and based on simplified safety assessment models of the disposal system that have conservative parameter values. Later, when site-specific conditions are known, more realistic models are needed for the long-term geo-environmental evolution and their impacts on radionuclide migration/retention. Uplift is one such environmental change, which may be particularly important in countries near active tectonic plate boundaries, such as Japan. Here we review the state of knowledge about how the properties of fractured granitic rocks evolve during uplift, based on studies in Japan. Hence, we present conceptual models and a generic scenario for mass transport and retardation processes in uplifting granitic rocks as a basis for realistic numerical models to underpin safety assessment.
Sugita, Yutaka; Kageyama, Takeshi*; Makino, Hitoshi; Shimbo, Hiroshi*; Hane, Koji*; Kobayashi, Yuichi*; Fujisawa, Yasuo*; Makanae, Koji*; Yabuki, Nobuyoshi*
Proceedings of 17th International Conference on Computing in Civil and Building Engineering (ICCCBE 2018) (Internet), 8 Pages, 2018/06
This paper presents status of development of the iSRE (integrated system for repository engineering) as a design supporting system that enables rational designing of a geological disposal repository. The complimentary technique of construction information modeling/management (CIM) has been employed for the development of iSRE. CIM uses a shared three dimensional (3D) model of associated data through common data models. In this paper, as a design support system that conforms to the characteristics of information management about engineering technology represented by repetition of design during the disposal project period, we examined and designed the function of the "iSRE", constructed a prototype, and confirmed the function through a trial simulating actual work in the disposal project. As a result, with respect to the functions of DB and IF of the iSRE, we got a prospect that these functions can be the foundation of information management on engineering technology, and development of the prototype of the iSRE and its test run extracted issues for practical use of such system.
Sugita, Yutaka; Kawaguchi, Tatsuya; Hatanaka, Koichiro; Shimbo, Hiroshi*; Yamamura, Masato*; Kobayashi, Yuichi*; Fujisawa, Yasuo*; Kobayashi, Ichiro*; Yabuki, Nobuyoshi*
Proceedings of 16th International Conference on Computing in Civil and Building Engineering (ICCCBE 2016) (Internet), p.1173 - 1182, 2016/07
This paper presents status of development of the iSRE (integrated system for repository engineering) as a design supporting system that enables rational designing of a geological disposal repository. The complimentary technique of construction information modeling/management (CIM) has been employed for the development of iSRE. CIM uses a shared three dimensional (3D) model of associated data through common data models. The contents of this paper are the goal of the development, design requirements and required functions, the basic structure of iSRE. The main databases of the iSRE could then be designed with an interface to coordinate with external systems and other databases. Some of the databases and the interfaces were trialed and a data model was then built. A scenario of iSRE operation was also created and the applicability of iSRE using a data model was also examined. Thanks to the use of the existing software, the development process could be conducted while solving problems for realistic test cases. The prospect of the development of the iSRE for geological disposal projects was realized and the iSRE was confirmed as being a useful tool for designing a repository.
Oigawa, Hiroyuki; Yokoo, Takeshi*; Nishihara, Kenji; Morita, Yasuji; Ikeda, Takao*; Takaki, Naoyuki*
Proceedings of International Conference on Nuclear Energy System for Future Generation and Global Sustainability (GLOBAL 2005) (CD-ROM), 6 Pages, 2005/10
The benefit of implementing Partitioning and Transmutation (P&T) of high-level wastes was parametrically surveyed. The possible reduction of the geological repository area was estimated. By recycling minor actinides (MA), the repository area required for unit spent fuel was reduced significantly in the case of MOX-LWR. This effect was caused by removal of 
Am which is a long-term heat source. By partitioning the fission products, in addition to MA recycling, further 70-80% reduction from the MA-recovery case can be expected for both UO
and MOX. This significant reduction was independent of the cooling time before the partitioning process.
in the presence of adsorbed phthalic acidKumagai, Yuta; Jonsson, M.*
no journal, ,
Contact of water with spent nuclear fuel is anticipated in scenarios of failure of the repository system for the direct disposal of spent fuel. Upon the direct contact of water, the UO matrix of the fuel is expected to gradually dissolve due to oxidation of uranium by the action of ionizing radiation. In this study, we examined effects of organic acid on the UO dissolution by using phthalic acid as a model compound. We investigated oxidation of UO by exposure to HO in aqueous solution containing phthalic acid. Significant adsorption of phthalic acid on UO was observed. The coverage of the surface was estimated to reach 80 %. The HO-exposure experiments revealed that adsorbed phthalic acid has no significant effect on the redox reaction by HO on the UO surface, despite the high surface density. HO oxidation of UO with adsorbed phthalic acid resulted in U dissolution to similar extents with the U dissolution measured in aqueous bicarbonate solutions.
Hu, Q. H.*; Zhang, T.*; Shen, Y. Q.*; Tachi, Yukio; Fukatsu, Yuta; Borglin, S.*; Chang, C.*; Hampton, J.*
no journal, ,
Otomo, Shoji*; Hirose, Yukio*; Osawa, Hideaki; Onuma, Susumu*
no journal, ,
The study measured public acceptance depending on the area of personal relevance, and the general and personal consensus toward a geological repository. The results that the weaker area of personal relevance, the stronger public acceptance became. The NIMBY reaction to siting a repository was strong. However, the effect of area of personal relevance was mitigated in the scenario where a scientific approach was applied.
