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Conceptual uncertainty in crystalline bedrock: Is simple evaluation the only practical approach?

Acta Universitatis Carolinae, Geologica
By: , and 

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Abstract

A simple evaluation can be used to characterise the capacity of crystalline bedrock to act as a barrier to releases of radionuclides from a nuclear waste repository. Physically plausible bounds on groundwater flow and an effective transport-resistance parameter are estimated based on fundamental principles and idealised models of pore geometry. Application to an intensively characterised site in Sweden shows that, due to high spatial variability and uncertainty regarding properties of transport paths, the uncertainty associated with the geological barrier is too high to allow meaningful discrimination between good and poor performance. Application of more complex (stochastic-continuum and discrete-fracture-network) models does not yield a significant improvement in the resolution of geologic-barrier performance. Comparison with seven other less intensively characterised crystalline study sites in Sweden leads to similar results, raising a question as to what extent the geological barrier function can be characterised by state-of-the art site investigation methods prior to repository construction. A simple evaluation provides a simple and robust practical approach for inclusion in performance assessment.
Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Conceptual uncertainty in crystalline bedrock: Is simple evaluation the only practical approach?
Series title Acta Universitatis Carolinae, Geologica
Volume 46
Issue 2-3
Year Published 2002
Language Czech
Larger Work Type Article
Larger Work Subtype Journal Article
Larger Work Title Acta Universitatis Carolinae, Geologica
First page 544
Last page 548
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