Disposal of radioactive waste
- sealing of deep boreholes as part of SKB’s investigations for location of the final repository for spent fuel from Swedish reactors, now proposed to be at Forsmark. The study has four phases of which the latest concerns characterization and preparation of boreholes to 1000 m depth, the techniques being based on my work since 1983 (cf. Fig.). Reporting in the form of Int. Technical Reports in SKB’s series, and as a paper accepted by Engineering Geology (Elsevier Publ. Co) for publication in 2011.
- testing of SKB’s empirical models for chemical and mineralogical processes in dense smectite clay (bentonite) used for isolating containers with highly radioactive waste (buffer). The work has been made in co-operation with professors Liu Xiaodong, Geol. Dept. East China Institute of Technology, and Richard Prikryl, Geol. Dept. Charles University, Prague. It showed that exposure of three buffer candidates to repository-like conditions gives minor chemical impact but significant stiffening, which can affect the function of the clay-embedded containers in case of tectonically induced rock movements. Reporting in the form of papers published by Applied Clay Science in 2010, and in Engineering Geology (both Elsev. Publ. Co) in 2011, and in books published by Taylor & Francis 2010 and 2011 with professors R N Yong, Canada, and Masashi Nakano, Tokyo University as co-authors.
- lecturing at Wessex Institute of Technology (Southampton) in September (3 days) on “Disposal of Highly Radioactive Waste”, using a 250 p book written by me and published by Wessex Institute of Technology. The same course would be suitable for LTU as well.
Roland Pusch
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