Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Project Exploratory Studies Facilities Construction Status

Allan, J. N.; Leonard, T. M.; ,

Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Project Exploratory Studies Facilities Construction Status

by J. N. Allan, Morrison Knudsen Corp, Las Vegas, United States,
T. M. Leonard, Morrison Knudsen Corp, Las Vegas, United States,

Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: High Level Radioactive Waste Management 1993

Abstract:

This paper discusses the progress to date on the construction planning and development of the Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Project (YMP) Exploratory Studies Facilities (ESF). The purpose of the ESF is to determine early site suitability and to characterize the subsurf ace of the Yucca Mountain Site to assess its suitability for a potential high level nuclear waste repository. The present ESF configuration concept is for two main ramps to be excavated by tunnel boring machines (TBM) from the surface to the Topopah Spring Member of the Paintbrush tuff formation. From the main ramps, slightly above Topopah Spring level, supplemental ramps will then be penetrated to the Calico Hills formation below the potential repository. There will be exploratory development drifts driven on both levels with the main test area being located on the Topopah Spring level, which is the level of the proposed repository. The Calico Hills formation lies below the Topopah Spring member and is expected to provide the main geo-hydrologic barrier between the potential repository and the underlying saturated zones in the Crater Flat tuff.

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