Shales and other argillaceous strata in the United States

Gonzales, S.; Johnson, Kenneth S.

doi:10.2172/5927124

Cited by 18 publications

(33 citation statements)

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“…For the reference case, the stratigraphic setting and hydrogeological properties of a generic argillaceous formation are made consistent with the characteristics of argillaceous units in four major shale provinces in the United States based on the classification of Gonzales and Johnson (1984): Eastern Interior, Great Plains, Rocky Mountains, and Colorado Plateau. These provinces were chosen because of the higher number of units with potential for HLW storage (Table 1-1 in Hansen et al 2010).…”

Section: Properties Of the Argillaceous Host Formationmentioning

confidence: 95%

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Generic Argillite/Shale Disposal Reference Case

Zheng¹,

Colon²,

Bianchi³

et al. 2014

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Section: Properties Of the Argillaceous Host Formationmentioning

confidence: 95%

“…Thermal and hydrological parameters for shotcrete Table 12. Properties and distribution of the clay-rich formations in the USA (adapted from Gonzales and Johnson (1984) Table 13. Mineral volume fraction (dimensionless, ratio of the volume for a mineral to the total volume of medium) of Opalinus Clay (Bossart 2011;Lauber et al 2000 …”

Section: Figuresmentioning

confidence: 99%

Generic Argillite/Shale Disposal Reference Case

Zheng¹,

Colon²,

Bianchi³

et al. 2014

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“…Gonzales and Johnson (1984) used "shale" as the general term for desirable rock types; however, the more clay-rich, plastic, less indurated, and less fissile shales could be preferred for repository purposes. Similar to Shurr's (1977) recommendation, Gonzales and Johnson concluded that the most desirable host rock units should be between 300 and 900 m below ground level, at least 75 m thick, relatively homogeneous in composition, and in an area of low seismicity and favorable hydrology that is not likely to be intensively exploited for subsurface resources.…”

Section: Shales and Argillaceous Strata In The United Statesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although this report focuses on clay/shale formations, it should be noted that the continental U.S. has a wealth of potentially acceptable repository sites in salt, granite, shale, and volcanic geologic formations. A substantial review of shale and argillaceous formations in the U.S. was conducted (Gonzales and Johnson 1984) before the nuclear waste program was directed to characterize only Yucca Mountain. In the U.S., there are extensive regions that have clay/shale formations with the appropriate depth and areal extent ( Figure 1).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These specific features and processes need to be considered in concert with the geometry, thickness, depth, and stability of the repository host rock, to assess long-term containment of radionuclides. Clay, shale and other argillaceous media have persisted tens of millions to hundreds of millions of years in almost all geologic provinces in the U.S., and have mostly remained in the same state that was acquired soon after deposition (Gonzales and Johnson 1984).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Shale disposal of U.S. high-level radioactive waste.

Sassani¹,

Stone²,

Hansen³

et al. 2010

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This report evaluates the feasibility of high-level radioactive waste disposal in shale within the United States. The U.S. has many possible clay/shale/argillite basins with positive attributes for permanent disposal. Similar geologic formations have been extensively studied by international programs with largely positive results, over significant ranges of the most important material characteristics including permeability, rheology, and sorptive potential. This report is enabled by the advanced work of the international community to establish functional and operational requirements for disposal of a range of waste forms in shale media. We develop scoping performance analyses, based on the applicable features, events, and processes identified by international investigators, to support a generic conclusion regarding post-closure safety. Requisite assumptions for these analyses include waste characteristics, disposal concepts, and important properties of the geologic formation. We then apply lessons learned from Sandia experience on the Waste Isolation Pilot Project and the Yucca Mountain Project to develop a disposal strategy should a shale repository be considered as an alternative disposal pathway in the U.S.Disposal of high-level radioactive waste in suitable shale formations is attractive because the material is essentially impermeable and self-sealing, conditions are chemically reducing, and sorption tends to prevent radionuclide transport. Vertically and laterally extensive shale and clay formations exist in multiple locations in the contiguous 48 states. Thermal-hydrologicmechanical calculations indicate that temperatures near emplaced waste packages can be maintained below boiling and will decay to within a few degrees of the ambient temperature within a few decades (or longer depending on the waste form). Construction effects, ventilation, iv and the thermal pulse will lead to clay dehydration and deformation, confined to an excavation disturbed zone within a few meters of the repository, that can be reasonably characterized. Within a few centuries after waste emplacement, overburden pressures will seal fractures, resaturate the dehydrated zones, and provide a repository setting that strongly limits radionuclide movement to diffusive transport. Coupled hydrogeochemical transport calculations indicate maximum extents of radionuclide transport on the order of tens to hundreds of meters, or less, in a million years. Under the conditions modeled, a shale repository could achieve total containment, with no releases to the environment in undisturbed scenarios. The performance analyses described here are based on the assumption that long-term standards for disposal in clay/shale would be identical in the key aspects, to those prescribed for existing repository programs such as Yucca Mountain.This generic repository evaluation for shale is the first developed in the United States. Previous repository considerations have emphasized salt formations and volcanic rock formations. Much of the experience gaine...

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Muddy Basins

2005

Mud and Mudstones

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Shales and other argillaceous strata in the United States

Cited by 18 publications

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Generic Argillite/Shale Disposal Reference Case

Generic Argillite/Shale Disposal Reference Case

Shale disposal of U.S. high-level radioactive waste.

Muddy Basins

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