Introduction
Study area
Unit ID | Unit name | Age | Zonea | Permeability (m2) | Porosity (−) | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fracture/single continuum | Matrix | Fracture/ single continuum | Matrix | ||||||||
x | y | z | x | y | z | ||||||
28 | Young Alluvial Aquifer | Pliocene-Holocene | 1 | 2.0 × 10−11 | 2.0 × 10−11 | 2.0 × 10−12 | – | – | – | 0.3 | – |
28 | Young Alluvial Aquifer | Pliocene-Holocene | 2 | 9.8 × 10−13 | 9.8 × 10−13 | 9.8 × 10−14 | – | – | – | 0.3 | – |
27 | Young Alluvial Confining Unit | Pliocene-Holocene | 1 | 2.0 × 10−11 | 2.0 × 10−11 | 2.0 × 10−12 | – | – | – | 0.3 | – |
27 | Young Alluvial Confining Unit | Pliocene-Holocene | 2 | 9.9 × 10−15 | 9.9 × 10−15 | 9.9 × 10−16 | – | – | – | 0.3 | – |
26 | Older Alluvial Aquifer | Pliocene-Holocene | 1 | 2.0 × 10−11 | 2.0 × 10−11 | 2.0 × 10−12 | – | – | – | 0.3 | – |
26 | Older Alluvial Aquifer | Pliocene-Holocene | 2 | 1.5 × 10−13 | 1.5 × 10−13 | 1.5 × 10−14 | – | – | – | 0.3 | – |
24 | Limestone Aquifer | Cenozoic, undivided | 5 | 9.8 × 10−14 | 9.8 × 10−14 | 9.8 × 10−14 | – | – | – | 0.01 | – |
23 | Lava Flow Unit | Cenozoic, undivided | 5 | 8.9 × 10−14 | 8.9 × 10−14 | 8.9 × 10−15 | – | – | – | 0.08 | – |
21 | Volcanic and Sedimentary Units | Cenozoic, undivided | 5 | 8.7 × 10−13 | 8.7 × 10−13 | 8.7 × 10−14 | 10−15 | 10−15 | 10−15 | 0.01 | 0.25 |
20 | Timber Mountain Volcanic Aquifer | Miocene | 3 | 9.5 × 10−14 | 4.7 × 10−13 | 4.7 × 10−14 | 10−15 | 10−15 | 10−15 | 0.01 | 0.15 |
20 | Timber Mountain Volcanic Aquifer | Miocene | 4 | 9.5 × 10−14 | 9.5 × 10−14 | 9.5 × 10−15 | 10−15 | 10−15 | 10−15 | 0.01 | 0.15 |
19 | Paintbrush Volcanic Aquifer | Miocene | 3 | 6.4 × 10−14 | 3.2 × 10−13 | 3.2 × 10−14 | 10−15 | 10−15 | 10−15 | 0.01 | 0.15 |
19 | Paintbrush Volcanic Aquifer | Miocene | 4 | 6.5 × 10−14 | 6.5 × 10−14 | 6.5 × 10−15 | 10−15 | 10−15 | 10−15 | 0.01 | 0.15 |
18 | Calico Hills Volcanic Unit | Miocene | 3 | 2.4 + 10−13 | 1.2 × 10−12 | 1.2 × 10−13 | 10−15 | 10−15 | 10−15 | 0.01 | 0.25 |
18 | Calico Hills Volcanic Unit | Miocene | 4 | 2.4 × 10−13 | 2.4 × 10−13 | 2.4 × 10−14 | 10−15 | 10−15 | 10−15 | 0.01 | 0.25 |
17 | Wahmonie Volcanic Unit | Miocene | 3 | 9.8 × 10−14 | 4.9 × 10−13 | 4.9 × 10−14 | 10−15 | 10−15 | 10−15 | 0.01 | 0.25 |
17 | Wahmonie Volcanic Unit | Miocene | 4 | 9.8 × 10−14 | 9.8 × 10−14 | 9.8 × 10−15 | 10−15 | 10−15 | 10−15 | 0.01 | 0.25 |
16 | Crater Flat-Prow Pass Aquifer | Miocene | 3 | 3.1 × 10−12 | 1.5 × 10−11 | 1.5 × 10−12 | 10−15 | 10−15 | 10−15 | 0.01 | 0.23 |
16 | Crater Flat-Prow Pass Aquifer | Miocene | 4 | 3.1 × 10−12 | 3.1 × 10−12 | 3.1 × 10−13 | 10−15 | 10−15 | 10−15 | 0.01 | 0.23 |
15 | Crater Flat-Bullfrog Confining Unit | Miocene | 3 | 5.2 × 10−14 | 2.6 × 10−13 | 2.6 × 10−14 | 10−15 | 10−15 | 10−15 | 0.01 | 0.18 |
15 | Crater Flat-Bullfrog Confining Unit | Miocene | 4 | 5.2 × 10−14 | 5.2 × 10−14 | 5.2 × 10−15 | 10−15 | 10−15 | 10−15 | 0.01 | 0.18 |
14 | Crater Flat-Tram Aquifer | Miocene | 3 | 9.4 × 10−13 | 4.7 × 10−12 | 4.7 × 10−13 | 10−15 | 10−15 | 10−15 | 0.01 | 0.21 |
14 | Crater Flat-Tram Aquifer | Miocene | 4 | 9.4 × 10−13 | 9.4 × 10−13 | 9.3 × 10−14 | 10−15 | 10−15 | 10−15 | 0.01 | 0.21 |
12 | Older Volcanic Units | Oligocene-Miocene | 3 | 9.8 × 10−16 | 4.9 × 10−15 | 4.9 × 10−16 | 10−17 | 10−17 | 10−17 | 0.01 | 0.21 |
12 | Older Volcanic Units | Oligocene-Miocene | 4 | 9.8 × 10−16 | 9.8 × 10−16 | 9.8 × 10−17 | 10−17 | 10−17 | 10−17 | 0.01 | 0.21 |
11 | Lower Volcanic and Sedimentary Units | Cenozoic, undivided | 3 | 1.1 × 10−14 | 5.5 × 10−14 | 5.5 × 10−15 | 10−15 | 10−15 | 10−15 | 0.01 | 0.21 |
11 | Lower Volcanic and Sedimentary Units | Cenozoic, undivided | 4 | 1.1 × 10−14 | 1.1 × 10−14 | 1.1 × 10−15 | 10−15 | 10−15 | 10−15 | 0.01 | 0.21 |
9 | Lower Carbonate Aquifer (thrusted) | Cambrian-Devonian | 5 | 5.6 × 10−12 | 5.6 × 10−12 | 5.6 × 10−12 | – | – | – | 0.01 | – |
8 | Lower Clastic Confining Unit (thrusted) | Proterozoic-Cambrian | 5 | 9.8 × 10−19 | 9.8 × 10−19 | 9.8 × 10−19 | – | – | – | 0.18 | – |
6 | Upper Clastic Confining Unit | Devonian-Mississippian | 5 | 9.8 × 10−16 | 9.8 × 10−16 | 9.8 × 10−16 | – | – | – | 0.18 | – |
5 | Lower Carbonate Aquifer | Cambrian-Devonian | 5 | 9.7 × 10−15 | 9.7 × 10−15 | 9.7 × 10−15 | – | – | – | 0.01 | – |
4 | Lower Clastic Confining Unit | Proterozoic-Cambrian | 5 | 9.7 × 10−17 | 9.7 × 10−17 | 9.7 × 10−17 | – | – | – | 0.18 | – |
3 | Crystalline Confining Unit | Middle Proterozoic | 5 | 1.0 × 10−16 | 1.0 × 10−16 | 1.0 × 10−16 | – | – | – | 0.00001 | – |
40 | Fortymile Fault | 5 | 1.4 × 10−10 | 1.4 × 10−10 | 1.4 × 10−10 | – | – | – | 0.18 | – | |
41 | Bare Mountain Fault | 5 | 9.9 × 10−16 | 9.9 × 10−16 | 9.9 × 10−16 | – | – | – | 0.18 | – | |
42 | Crater Flat Fault | 5 | 9.7 × 10−17 | 9.7 × 10−17 | 9.7 × 10−17 | – | – | – | 0.18 | – | |
43 | Highway 95 Fault | 5 | 1.0 × 10−14 | 1.0 × 10−14 | 1.0 × 10−14 | – | – | – | 0.18 | – | |
44 | Solitario Canyon Fault | 5 | 5.0 × 10−16 | 5.0 × 10−16 | 5.0 × 10−16 | – | – | – | 0.18 | – | |
46 | Stage Coach Fault | 5 | 4.7 × 10−16 | 4.7 × 10−16 | 4.7 × 10−16 | – | – | – | 0.18 | – | |
47 | Windy Wash Fault | 5 | 4.8 × 10−16 | 4.8 × 10−16 | 4.8 × 10−16 | – | – | – | 0.18 | – |
The repository
Model setup
Hydraulic properties and transport parameters
General properties | |
Simulation period (a) | 1,000,000 |
Model length/width (m) | 35,250/30,000 |
Model height (m) | 1400 |
Model temperature (°C) | 25 |
Rock grain density (kg/m3) | 2800 |
Residual liquid saturation (−) | 0 |
Residual gas saturation (−) | 0 |
Fracture spacing (m) | 13 |
van-Genuchten parameter for two-phase flow α [fracture, single continuum] (1/Pa) | 1.5 × 10−3 |
van-Genuchten parameter for two-phase flow m [fracture, single continuum] (−) | 0.63 |
van-Genuchten parameter for two-phase flow α [matrix] (1/Pa) | 1.0 × 10−4 |
van-Genuchten parameter for two-phase flow m [matrix] (−) | 0.27 |
FEHM parameter for colloid transport SLOPE_KF (−) | 1 |
FEHM parameter for colloid transport CINT_KF (−) | 0.95 |
Number of simultaneous contaminant sources (−) | 101 |
Repository | |
Capacity (MTHM)a | 70,000 |
Number of waste containers (−) | 11,629 |
Initial inventory | |
Am-241 (Bq) | 8.67 × 1018 |
Am-243 (Bq) | 7.66 × 1016 |
C-14 (Bq) | 2.03 × 1014 |
Cl-36 (Bq) | 3.54 × 1013 |
Cs-135 (Bq) | 1.56 × 1015 |
I-129 (Bq) | 9.55 × 1013 |
Np-237 (Bq) | 1.00 × 1015 |
Pa-231 (Bq) | 1.01 × 1013 |
Pu-239 (Bq) | 8.33 × 1017 |
Pu-240 (Bq) | 1.44 × 1018 |
Pu-242 (Bq) | 6.40 × 1015 |
Ra-226 (Bq) | 3.43 × 109 |
Se-79 (Bq) | 2.15 × 1014 |
Tc-99 (Bq) | 4.02 × 1016 |
Th-230 (Bq) | 1.01 × 1012 |
U-233 (Bq) | 1.10 × 1014 |
U-234 (Bq) | 3.41 × 1015 |
U-236 (Bq) | 7.67 × 1014 |
U-238 (Bq) | 9.04 × 1014 |
Half-life | |
Am-241 (a)b | 4.33 × 102 |
Am-243 (a)c | 7.37 × 103 |
C-14 (a) | 5.71 × 103 |
Cl-36 (a) | 3.01 × 105 |
Cs-135 (a) | 2.3 × 106 |
I-129 (a) | 1.57 × 107 |
Np-237 (a)b | 2.14 × 106 |
Pa-231 (a) | 3.28 × 104 |
Pu-239 (a)c | 2.41 × 104 |
Pu-240 (a)d | 6.56 × 103 |
Pu-242 (a)e | 3.75 × 105 |
Ra-226 (a)f | 1.60 × 103 |
Se-79 (a) | 2.90 × 105 |
Tc-99 (a) | 2.13 × 105 |
Th-230 (a)f | 7.54 × 104 |
U-233 (a)b | 1.59 × 105 |
U-234 (a)f | 2.46 × 105 |
U-236 (a)d | 2.34 × 107 |
U-238 (a)e | 4.47 × 109 |
Distribution coefficient | |
Am (mL/g) | 5500 |
C (mL/g) | 0 |
Cs (mL/g) | 728 |
Cl (mL/g) | 0 |
I (mL/g) | 0 |
Np (mL/g) | 0.69 |
Pa (mL/g) | 5500 |
Pu (mL/g) | 100 |
Se (mL/g) | 14.3 |
Tc (mL/g) | 0 |
Th (mL/g) | 5500 |
U (mL/g) | 2 |
Diffusivity | |
All radionuclides (m2/s) | 5 × 10−11 |
Dispersivity | |
Longitudinal, all radionuclides (m) | 10 |
Transverse, horizontal, all radionuclides (m) | 0.05 |
Transverse, vertical, all radionuclides (m) | 0.0005 |
Biodose conversion factor | |
Am-241 (Sv/a:Bq/m3) | 8.34 × 10−7 |
Am-243 (Sv/a:Bq/m3) | 8.88 × 10−7 |
C-14 (Sv/a:Bq/m3) | 1.39 × 10−9 |
Cl-36 (Sv/a:Bq/m3) | 8.09 × 10−9 |
Cs-135 (Sv/a:Bq/m3) | 1.45 × 10−8 |
I-129 (Sv/a:Bq/m3) | 1.29 × 10−7 |
Np-237 (Sv/a:Bq/m3) | 2.74 × 10−7 |
Pa-231 (Sv/a:Bq/m3) | 2.44 × 10−6 |
Pu-239 (Sv/a:Bq/m3) | 9.55 × 10−7 |
Pu-240 (Sv/a:Bq/m3) | 9.51 × 10−7 |
Pu-242 (Sv/a:Bq/m3) | 9.07 × 10−7 |
Ra-226 (Sv/a:Bq/m3) | 3.78 × 10−6 |
Se-79 (Sv/a:Bq/m3) | 2.42 × 10−8 |
Tc-99 (Sv/a:Bq/m3) | 1.12 × 10−9 |
Th-230 (Sv/a:Bq/m3) | 1.08 × 10−6 |
U-233 (Sv/a:Bq/m3) | 8.97 × 10−8 |
U-234 (Sv/a:Bq/m3) | 8.19 × 10−8 |
U-236 (Sv/a:Bq/m3) | 7.67 × 10−8 |
U-238 (Sv/a:Bq/m3) | 7.87 × 10−8 |
Computer codes
Flow model
Boundary conditions and initialisation
Flow field calculation
Transport simulation
Radioactive dose
Base case
Sensitivity cases
- the location of the water table;
- the permeabilities of the rocks in the contaminant-transport zone.