Abstract
Underground storage is currently being considered by numerous countries as a long term solution for the disposal of high level nuclear waste. Research and design within each national program is generally tailored to a specific rock type, such as stable granitic plutons, bedded salt formations, clay, and sedimentary rocks ranging from limestone to shale. One important technical aspect of these designs is the accommodation of the mechanical impacts of thermal inputs (heating) from the fuel as it goes through the remainder of its life cycle. The results of experiments completed in a variety of different geological settings, including FEBEX by ENRESA in Grimsel, Switzerland, the Drift Scale Test (DST) at Yucca Mountain, the Äspö Pillar Stability Experiment (ASPE) from the Hard Rock Laboratory (HRL) in Sweden, and the Mine-By Experiment (MBE) by Atomic Energy Canada Limited’s (AECL) Underground Research Laboratory (URL), are analysed and compared to examine how thermal loading and the modelling process varies between different rock types.
