RD&D-Programme 2004 - SKB

In step D2, the facility description is revised taking into account the information from the
complete site investigation. One of the end products is the facility description that serves as a
basis for SR-Site and the environmental impact statement, and that is included in the supporting
material for the application, see section A4.5.
The design and gradual build-out of the deep repository on the selected site will take many
years. The work will be affected by the rock conditions encountered, among other things. It
is therefore important that the solutions that are arrived at during the site investigation phase
provide sufficient flexibility for possible changes later on. More or less final decisions must
nevertheless be made on issues that are of great importance for the site-specific design of certain
subsystems as well as for the facility as a whole.
Tables 3a and 3b show design issues that are of central importance during the site investigation
phase, in the sense that important choices or prioritizations must be made. Significant links to
the design of the facility as such (layout, engineering, construction, operation), and its long-term
safety and performance, as well as health and environmental aspects, are indicated in qualitative
form. The issues span over a wide field with respect to development needs, and tables 3a and 3b
correspond to a rough breakdown into two categories:
• Table 3a pertains to issues or subsystems that can be said to be “conventional” in the sense
that they are not unique to the deep repository – equivalent functions can be found in other
hard rock facilities, and technology is available.
• Table 3b pertains to issues or subsystems that require extensive development work because
they are unique to the deep repository, or because available technology must be modified to
a greater extent.
With few exceptions, the design issues or subsystems shown in Table 3a are not related to
long-term safety other than indirectly. The required knowledge and technology can therefore
be obtained from outside sources, and the work essentially consists of adapting solutions to the
requirements of the deep repository and conditions on the site, based on this knowledge and on
various analyses and alternative comparisons. As is evident from the table, this applies to:
• Infrastructure and facilities parts above ground (conventional site preparation and civil
engineering works).
• Access alternatives (schematic solution and locations).
• Rock spoil (hoisting, handling, treatment).
• Ventilation and drainage of the underground facilities.
Table 4 summarizes interim goals for these issues, for design steps D1 and D2, and documents
(main and construction documents) that are needed in the next step. Note that D1 and D2 are
facility descriptions that should be submitted at given times according to Figure 11. Main and
construction documents, on the other hand, are prepared during the construction phase as they
are needed for contract procurements.
The issues or subsystems given in Table 3b are, as noted above, all subject to technology
development, in some cases with the support of basic research. The solutions arrived at are
implemented during the design process. Section A4.4 gives an overview of interim goals
etc linked to the design stages in the site investigation phase. Status and programme for the
development work are presented in Chapter 11.
RD&D-Programme 2004 391