Identification of technical problems encountered in the shallow land burial of low-level radioactive wastes

Jacobs, D.G.; Epler, Joann S.; Rose, R.R.

doi:10.2172/5381758

Cited by 19 publications

(17 citation statements)

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“…Operating experience, dating back to the early 1940s at major lowlevel radioactive waste disposal sites, has shown that interactions of water with the landfill covers caused most containment failures (Duguid, 1977;Jacobs et al, 1980;Hakonson et al, 1982;Herzog et al, 1982). It has also been shown that landfill covers are susceptible to failure during snowmelt periods when large inputs of water occur when evapotranspiration is low (Nyhan et al, 1990).…”

Section: Few Field Studies Have Been Conducted T O Evaluate the Relatmentioning

confidence: 99%

The hydrologic evaluation of four cover designs for hazardous waste landfills at hill air force base

Warren¹,

Hakonson²,

Bostick

1995

Federal Facilities Envir J

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Results are presented here of a field study to evaluate the relative hydrologic performance of various landfill cover technologies installed at Hill Air Force Base, Utah. Four cover designs (two capillary barrier designs, one modified EPA RCRA design, and one control cover) were installed in large lysimeters instrumented to monitor the fate of natural precipitation between January 1, 1990 and September 20, 1993. After 45 months of study, results showed that the cover designs containing barrier layers were effective in reducing deep percolation as compared to the control cover. The RCRA cover, incorporating a clay hydraulic barrier, was the most effective of all cover designs in controlling deep percolation but was not 100‐percent effective. The two capillary barriers were successful in reducing deep percolation, but significant amounts were still produced. Over 90 percent of all percolation through the covers and lateral flow within the covers occurred during the months of February through May of each year, primarily as a result of snowmelt, early spring rains, and low evapotranspiration. Gravel mulch surface treatments (70‐ to 80‐percent ground cover) were effective in reducing runoff and erosion. The two plots receiving the gravel mulch treatments exhibited equal but enhanced amounts of evapotranspiration, despite the fact that one plot was planted with additional shrubs.

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Section: Few Field Studies Have Been Conducted T O Evaluate the Relatmentioning

confidence: 99%

The hydrologic evaluation of four cover designs for hazardous waste landfills at hill air force base

Warren¹,

Hakonson²,

Bostick

1995

Federal Facilities Envir J

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“…The most serious problems encountered in shallow land burial of wastes are related to water management (Jacobs et al, 1980;Fisher, 1986;Nativ, 1991). The movement of water through buried wastes is recognized as a major mechanism for transporting wastes beyond their original burial boundaries.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hydrologic Behavior of Two Engineered Barriers Following Extreme Wetting

Porro¹

2000

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Many engineered barriers are expected to function for hundreds of years or longer. Over the course of time, it is likely that some barriers will experience infiltration to the point of breakthrough. This study compares the recovery from breakthrough of two storage-evapotranspiration type engineered barriers. Replicates of test plots comprising thick soil and capillary/biobarrier covers were wetted to breakthrough in 1997. Test plots were kept cleared of vegetation to maximize hydrologic stress during recovery. Following cessation of drainage resulting from the wetting irrigations, water storage levels in all plots were at elevated levels compared to pre-irrigation levels. As a result, infiltration of melting snow during the subsequent spring overloaded the storage capacity and produced drainage in all plots. Relatively rapid melting of accumulated snowfall produced the most significant infiltration events each year during the study. Capillary barriers yielded less total drainage than thick soil barriers. By limiting drainage, capillary barriers increased water storage in the upper portions of the test plots, which led to increased evaporation from the capillary barrier plots compared to thick soil plots. Increased evaporation in the capillary barrier plots allowed more water to infiltrate in the second season following the wetting tests without triggering drainage. All thick soil plots again yielded drainage in the second season. Within two years of intentionally induced breakthrough, evaporation alone (without transpiration) restored the capability of the capillary barrier covers to function as intended, although water storage in these covers remained at elevated levels.iv

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“…1). The most serious problems encountered in shallow land burial are related to water management (Jacobs et al 1980). As water comes into contact with the buried wastes, either from infiltration of precipitation or from trench cap erosion and subsidence, the integrity of the buried wastes is breached.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Joint DOE/NRC field study of tracer migration in the unsaturated zone

Nyhan¹,

Polzer²,

Essington³

et al. 1986

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The results of a joint DOE/NRC field experiment to evaluate leaching and transport of solutes in a sandy silt backfill used for shallow land burial operations at Los Alamos are presented for steady-state and unsteady-state flow conditions. The migration of iodide, bromide, and lithium through the backfill material is studied as functions of depth and time and they are compared with one another.The bromide and iodide tracer data are used to estimate the diffusion coefficient, the tortuosity factor, and dispersivity. These values are used to calculate effective dispersion coefficients for subsequent analyses of the retardation factor and the distribution coefficient for lithium using least squares procedures.The results of the tracer migration study are discussed relative to challenges facing the waste management community, and chemical transport modeling opportunities are presented for a modeling workshop to be held in FY86.

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Identification of technical problems encountered in the shallow land burial of low-level radioactive wastes

Abstract: Under Contract No. 11V-13619V March 1980 NOTICE. This document contains information of a preliminary nature. It is subject to revision or correction and therefore does not represent a final report.

Cited by 19 publications

References 0 publications

The hydrologic evaluation of four cover designs for hazardous waste landfills at hill air force base

The hydrologic evaluation of four cover designs for hazardous waste landfills at hill air force base

Hydrologic Behavior of Two Engineered Barriers Following Extreme Wetting

Joint DOE/NRC field study of tracer migration in the unsaturated zone

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