WP3 Design and technical construction feasibility of the plugs and seals

Objectives

The WP3 is lead by ANDRA and its primary objectives of this work package are:

  • to (further) develop a comprehensive design basis for the in-situ demonstration experiments planned in the Czech Republic, Finland and France;
  • to carry out large/full-scale tests (EPSP, FSS) in underground rock laboratories or mock-up drifts, and URCF ONKALO (POPLU), proving that the stated reference design, which is used as subsystem justification in the license applications for the final repositories fulfils the requirements and can be implemented on an industrial scale;
  • to monitor full-scale demonstration (DOMPLU) at Äspö HRL; and
  • to address seal plug materials with respect to long-term behaviour, providing experimental data needed for numerical simulations in order to demonstrate material suitability.

The large/full-scale tests within DOPAS are performed to demonstrate that the plug design can be implemented on an industrial-scale and that the design and behaviour of the plug is according to specifications. Besides the further development of engineering designs for plugs and seals, the laboratory work performed addresses the mechanical-hydraulic and the chemical-hydraulic seal plug material behaviour to check that the measured performances are in line with the allocated performances.

Laboratory investigations will support the large/full scale test within DOPAS.