Potential containment failure mechanisms and their consequences at a radioactive waste repository in bedded salt in New Mexico

Historical Background on Assessment the Performance of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

“…The choice of New Mexico as a potential disposal site for nuclear waste in 1973 (Claibome and Gera, 1974) was one in a series of episodes in which New Mexico had figured prominently with regard to nuclear phenomena. In 1942, the Manhattan Engineering District selected New Mexico for assembling the scientists, engineers, and technicians who would develop the first atomic bomb.…”

Review of scenario selection approaches for performance assessment of high-level waste repositories and related issues.

“…Hunter (1989) modified the approach used by Bingham and Barr (1979) to identify scenarios for use in the first iteration of the annual PA exercise for the WIPP. She examined a wide range of initiating events which have been postulated for the WIPP (Clairborne and Gera, 1974;Bingham and Barr, 1979) as well as for deep geologic disposal in generic bedded-salt sites (Arthur D. Little, Inc., 1980;Cranwell et al, 1990) for their applicability to the WIPP site. She evaluated a total of 24 events 2-15 NUREGKR-6351 and eliminated 14 of them based on: (i) physical reasonableness; (ii) probability; (iii) possible consequence; and (iv) regulatory guidance (Hunter, 1989).…”

Draft Title 40 CFR 191 compliance certification application for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. Volume 9: Appendices RM, SCR, SER, SUM, WRAC

“…Similar calculations have been used to derive rates of impact of between lo-'* and year for meteorites large enough to disrupt a deep repository (see, for example, Hartmann 1979; Khbrihslesakerhet 1978; Logan and Berbano 1978;Claiborne and Gera 1974;Cranwell et al 1990; Thorne 1992 in the bibliography). Meteorite impact can thus be eliminated on the basis of low probability.…”