Underground research laboratories(URLs),including "generic URLs" and "site-specific URLs",are underground facilities in which characterisation,testing,technology development,and/or demonstration ac...Underground research laboratories(URLs),including "generic URLs" and "site-specific URLs",are underground facilities in which characterisation,testing,technology development,and/or demonstration activities are carried out in support of the development of geological repositories for high-level radioactive waste(HLW) disposal.In addition to the generic URL and site-specific URL,a concept of "areaspecific URL",or the third type of URL,is proposed in this paper.It is referred to as the facility that is built at a site within an area that is considered as a potential area for HLW repository or built at a place near the future repository site,and may be regarded as a precursor to the development of a repository at the site.It acts as a "generic URL",but also acts as a "site-specific URL" to some extent.Considering the current situation in China,the most suitable option is to build an "area-specific URL" in Beishan area,the first priority region for China's high-level waste repository.With this strategy,the goal to build China's URL by 2020 may be achieved,but the time left is limited.展开更多
With the rapid development of nuclear power in China, the disposal of high-level radioactive waste(HLW) has become an important issue for nuclear safety and environmental protection. Deep geological disposal is intern...With the rapid development of nuclear power in China, the disposal of high-level radioactive waste(HLW) has become an important issue for nuclear safety and environmental protection. Deep geological disposal is internationally accepted as a feasible and safe way to dispose of HLW, and underground research laboratories(URLs) play an important and multi-faceted role in the development of HLW repositories. This paper introduces the overall planning and the latest progress for China's URL. On the basis of the proposed strategy to build an area-specific URL in combination with a comprehensive evaluation of the site selection results obtained during the last 33 years, the Xinchang site in the Beishan area,located in Gansu Province of northwestern China, has been selected as the final site for China's first URL built in granite. In the process of characterizing the Xinchang URL site, a series of investigations,including borehole drilling,geological mapping, geophysical surveying,hydraulic testing and in situ stress measurements, has been conducted. The investigation results indicate that the geological,hydrogeological, engineering geological and geochemical conditions of the Xinchang site are very suitable for URL construction. Meanwhile, to validate and develop construction technologies for the Beishan URL, the Beishan exploration tunnel(BET), which is a 50-m-deep facility in the Jiujing sub-area, has been constructed and several in situ tests, such as drill-and-blast tests, characterization of the excavation damaged zone(EDZ), and long-term deformation monitoring of surrounding rocks, have been performed in the BET. The methodologies and technologies established in the BET will serve for URL construction.According to the achievements of the characterization of the URL site, a preliminary design of the URL with a maximum depth of 560 m is proposed and necessary in situ tests in the URL are planned.展开更多
Underground research laboratory(URL)plays an important role in safe disposal of high-level radioactive waste(HLW).At present,the Xinchang site,located in Gansu Province of China,has been selected as the final site for...Underground research laboratory(URL)plays an important role in safe disposal of high-level radioactive waste(HLW).At present,the Xinchang site,located in Gansu Province of China,has been selected as the final site for China’s first URL,named Beishan URL.For this,a preliminary design of the Beishan URL has been proposed,including one spiral ramp,three shafts and two experimental levels.With advantages of fast advancing and limited disturbance to surrounding rock mass,the tunnel boring machine(TBM)method could be one of the excavation methods considered for the URL ramp.This paper introduces the feasibility study on using TBM to excavation of the Beishan URL ramp.The technical challenges for using TBM in Beishan URL are identified on the base of geological condition and specific layout of the spiral ramp.Then,the technical feasibility study on the specific issues,i.e.extremely hard rock mass,high abrasiveness,TBM operation,muck transportation,water drainage and material transportation,is investigated.This study demonstrates that TBM technology is a feasible method for the Beishan URL excavation.The results can also provide a reference for the design and construction of HLW disposal engineering in similar geological conditions.2020 Institute of Rock and Soil Mechanics,Chinese Academy of Sciences.Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V.This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).展开更多
Social concerns regarding the safety of high-level radioactive waste have increased with growing public awareness of environmental issues and nuclear power.The performance assessment of deep geological disposal system...Social concerns regarding the safety of high-level radioactive waste have increased with growing public awareness of environmental issues and nuclear power.The performance assessment of deep geological disposal systems is crucial to reduce the uncertainties associated with high-level radioactive waste disposal and enhance the overall public confidence in nuclear safety.Accordingly,the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute(KAERI)has undertaken various studies on the development of a deep geological disposal system for high-level waste and disposal safety evaluation.The KAERI Underground Research Tunnel(KURT),South Korea's only underground research laboratory dedicated to radioactive waste disposal,was constructed in 2006 and expanded in 2015.Since its construction,numerous in-situ experiments have been conducted and are currently underway in the KURT.The KURT plays a significant role in assessing the feasibility,safety,stability and appropriateness of a deep geological disposal system in South Korea and also provides an opportunity to revitalize industrial-academic-scientific cooperation between related institutions.This report summarizes two key in-situ experiments and international joint research conducted between 2007 and 2017 to assess the performance of the engineered and natural barriers of the KURT.The research experiences from the in-situ tests conducted at the KURT will provide crucial information on the safety and feasibility validation of the deep geological disposal system and will be an important contributor to the success of the Korean high-level radioactive waste disposal program in the future.展开更多
文摘Underground research laboratories(URLs),including "generic URLs" and "site-specific URLs",are underground facilities in which characterisation,testing,technology development,and/or demonstration activities are carried out in support of the development of geological repositories for high-level radioactive waste(HLW) disposal.In addition to the generic URL and site-specific URL,a concept of "areaspecific URL",or the third type of URL,is proposed in this paper.It is referred to as the facility that is built at a site within an area that is considered as a potential area for HLW repository or built at a place near the future repository site,and may be regarded as a precursor to the development of a repository at the site.It acts as a "generic URL",but also acts as a "site-specific URL" to some extent.Considering the current situation in China,the most suitable option is to build an "area-specific URL" in Beishan area,the first priority region for China's high-level waste repository.With this strategy,the goal to build China's URL by 2020 may be achieved,but the time left is limited.
基金support from the China Atomic Energy Authority (CAEA) for China's URL Development Program and the Geological Disposal ProgramThe International Atomic Energy Agency is specially thanked for its support for China's geological disposal program through its Technical Cooperation Projects
文摘With the rapid development of nuclear power in China, the disposal of high-level radioactive waste(HLW) has become an important issue for nuclear safety and environmental protection. Deep geological disposal is internationally accepted as a feasible and safe way to dispose of HLW, and underground research laboratories(URLs) play an important and multi-faceted role in the development of HLW repositories. This paper introduces the overall planning and the latest progress for China's URL. On the basis of the proposed strategy to build an area-specific URL in combination with a comprehensive evaluation of the site selection results obtained during the last 33 years, the Xinchang site in the Beishan area,located in Gansu Province of northwestern China, has been selected as the final site for China's first URL built in granite. In the process of characterizing the Xinchang URL site, a series of investigations,including borehole drilling,geological mapping, geophysical surveying,hydraulic testing and in situ stress measurements, has been conducted. The investigation results indicate that the geological,hydrogeological, engineering geological and geochemical conditions of the Xinchang site are very suitable for URL construction. Meanwhile, to validate and develop construction technologies for the Beishan URL, the Beishan exploration tunnel(BET), which is a 50-m-deep facility in the Jiujing sub-area, has been constructed and several in situ tests, such as drill-and-blast tests, characterization of the excavation damaged zone(EDZ), and long-term deformation monitoring of surrounding rocks, have been performed in the BET. The methodologies and technologies established in the BET will serve for URL construction.According to the achievements of the characterization of the URL site, a preliminary design of the URL with a maximum depth of 560 m is proposed and necessary in situ tests in the URL are planned.
基金China Atomic Energy Authority is thanked for its financial support for this project.The authors would like to acknowledge China Railway Engineering Equipment Group Co.,Ltd.,China Railway Construction Heavy Industry Co.,Ltd.,Herrenknecht AG,China Railway 18th Bureau Group Co.,Ltd.,China Railway Tunnel Group Co.,Ltd.,and Liaoning Censcience Industry Co.,Ltd.for their technical support on this research.The valuable comments by two reviewers are appreciated as well.
文摘Underground research laboratory(URL)plays an important role in safe disposal of high-level radioactive waste(HLW).At present,the Xinchang site,located in Gansu Province of China,has been selected as the final site for China’s first URL,named Beishan URL.For this,a preliminary design of the Beishan URL has been proposed,including one spiral ramp,three shafts and two experimental levels.With advantages of fast advancing and limited disturbance to surrounding rock mass,the tunnel boring machine(TBM)method could be one of the excavation methods considered for the URL ramp.This paper introduces the feasibility study on using TBM to excavation of the Beishan URL ramp.The technical challenges for using TBM in Beishan URL are identified on the base of geological condition and specific layout of the spiral ramp.Then,the technical feasibility study on the specific issues,i.e.extremely hard rock mass,high abrasiveness,TBM operation,muck transportation,water drainage and material transportation,is investigated.This study demonstrates that TBM technology is a feasible method for the Beishan URL excavation.The results can also provide a reference for the design and construction of HLW disposal engineering in similar geological conditions.2020 Institute of Rock and Soil Mechanics,Chinese Academy of Sciences.Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V.This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
基金supported by the Nuclear Research and Development Program of the National Research Foundation of Korea(2021M2E1A1085193).
文摘Social concerns regarding the safety of high-level radioactive waste have increased with growing public awareness of environmental issues and nuclear power.The performance assessment of deep geological disposal systems is crucial to reduce the uncertainties associated with high-level radioactive waste disposal and enhance the overall public confidence in nuclear safety.Accordingly,the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute(KAERI)has undertaken various studies on the development of a deep geological disposal system for high-level waste and disposal safety evaluation.The KAERI Underground Research Tunnel(KURT),South Korea's only underground research laboratory dedicated to radioactive waste disposal,was constructed in 2006 and expanded in 2015.Since its construction,numerous in-situ experiments have been conducted and are currently underway in the KURT.The KURT plays a significant role in assessing the feasibility,safety,stability and appropriateness of a deep geological disposal system in South Korea and also provides an opportunity to revitalize industrial-academic-scientific cooperation between related institutions.This report summarizes two key in-situ experiments and international joint research conducted between 2007 and 2017 to assess the performance of the engineered and natural barriers of the KURT.The research experiences from the in-situ tests conducted at the KURT will provide crucial information on the safety and feasibility validation of the deep geological disposal system and will be an important contributor to the success of the Korean high-level radioactive waste disposal program in the future.
