The UK Low Level Waste Repository Ltd (LLWR) submitted an Environmental Safety Case (ESC) for the disposal of low-level waste (LLW) to the UK Environment Agency on the 1st of May 2011. As part of the ESC, the LLWR have to demonstrate that a programme of site investigation and site characterisation has been carried out to provide the requisite information for the ESC and support facility design and construction. This paper explains the development of the site investigation programme and how the understanding of the geology of the site has developed. The geological environment in the region of the LLWR consists of Quaternary age deposits overlying older bedrock. The site has been subjected to a series of site investigation programmes from 1939 to the present day. The development of 3-D geological models was necessary to integrate data from boreholes, trial pits, geophysical investigations and beach exposures and data gained from site operations. The understanding of the geology has developed with each new set of data. Early simple interpretations from a few boreholes have been superseded by a series of more complex interpretations each incorporating the increasingly detailed observations. Initial attempts to develop a lithostratigraphic representation of the geology proved difficult. It was also difficult provide a clear link between the geology and the hydrogeology using a lithostratigraphic approach as required for the development of hydrogeological models. A lithofacies approach to characterising the geology was adopted in 2007, which has allowed the grouping of geological units with similar hydraulic properties and the development of a regional 3-D geological model. The 3-D geological model has been used as the framework for the development of a hydrogeological model for the site. The development of the 3-D geological models has been iterative. It was observed that there are differences between models developed using solely mathematical interpolation and those controlled by geological interpretation. The different representations of the geological information have been used to consider the effects of uncertainty in the geological interpretation in the hydrogeological modelling.
Skip Nav Destination
ASME 2011 14th International Conference on Environmental Remediation and Radioactive Waste Management
September 25–29, 2011
Reims, France
Conference Sponsors:
- Nuclear Engineering Division and Environmental Engineering Division
ISBN:
978-0-7918-5498-3
PROCEEDINGS PAPER
Characterisation of the Geology of the UK Low Level Waste Repository
John Shevelan,
John Shevelan
LLWR Ltd., Holmrook, Cumbria, UK
Search for other works by this author on:
Nicholas T. Smith
Nicholas T. Smith
National Nuclear Laboratory Ltd., Warrington, UK
Search for other works by this author on:
John Shevelan
LLWR Ltd., Holmrook, Cumbria, UK
Nicholas T. Smith
National Nuclear Laboratory Ltd., Warrington, UK
Paper No:
ICEM2011-59146, pp. 361-370; 10 pages
Published Online:
August 17, 2012
Citation
Shevelan, J, & Smith, NT. "Characterisation of the Geology of the UK Low Level Waste Repository." Proceedings of the ASME 2011 14th International Conference on Environmental Remediation and Radioactive Waste Management. ASME 2011 14th International Conference on Environmental Remediation and Radioactive Waste Management, Parts A and B. Reims, France. September 25–29, 2011. pp. 361-370. ASME. https://doi.org/10.1115/ICEM2011-59146
Download citation file:
32
Views
Related Proceedings Papers
Gas Compressor Station Rebuild
IPC2002
Related Articles
A New Variable-Fidelity Optimization Framework Based on Model Fusion and Objective-Oriented Sequential Sampling
J. Mech. Des (November,2008)
Prediction and Measurement of Sealing Properties of Joints Between Wavy Metal Surfaces
J. Pressure Vessel Technol (October,2018)
Reliability Assessment of Failure Assessment Diagram Based Fitness for Service Procedure Including the Effect of Bias in Modeling
J. Pressure Vessel Technol (October,2017)
Related Chapters
Modeling of SAMG Operator Actions in Level 2 PSA (PSAM-0164)
Proceedings of the Eighth International Conference on Probabilistic Safety Assessment & Management (PSAM)
On the Exact Analysis of Non-Coherent Fault Trees: The ASTRA Package (PSAM-0285)
Proceedings of the Eighth International Conference on Probabilistic Safety Assessment & Management (PSAM)
Developing Human Performance Measures (PSAM-0207)
Proceedings of the Eighth International Conference on Probabilistic Safety Assessment & Management (PSAM)