Architecture and management of a geological repository - Andra

6 – Overall underground architectureTable 6.1.2Annual package flowsNumber ofprimarypackagesprocessed perannum 101number ofprimarypackagesproduced perannumDuration of operationNot very or slightly exothermic packagesB waste 5,000 1,400 40 years (scenario S1)30 years (scenario S2)Moderately exothermic packagesC0 Waste 400 400 10 yearsSF3 spent fuel 400 150 15 yearsHighly exothermic packagesC1 C2 C3 C4 Waste 600 to 700 600 to 700 55 years (scenario S1)15 years (scenario S2)SF1 spent fuel 1,500 350 35 yearsSF2 spent fuel 150 150 35 years (scenario S1)25 years (scenario S2)6.1.4.3 Other flowsBecause of the concomitance of the operation of the repository and construction work, the main flowsproduced by these activities are an essential factor in the dimensioning of the architecture, in particularthe flows of broken rock resulting from excavation work and the flows of concrete related with theinstallation of the lining in the drifts. Closure work also produces major flows of backfill.Flows related to construction are determined on the one hand by the construction of the repositorymodules described in Chapter 5, that is to say, the cells and access drifts from which they areexcavated, and on the other, by the construction of the drifts that provide the connections between theshafts and repository modules. The latter represent a significant part of the construction flows. At thisstage in the project, only orders of magnitude can be given.On the basis of the conventional rates used above, the "typical values" of the annual excavatedvolumes vary depending on the package types. In the case of B packages, this figure is in the region of50,000 m 3 per year 102 . These volumes are significantly higher in the case of very exothermic packages:of the order of 80,000 m 3 per year for C packages, 120,000 m 3 per year for CU2 packages and up to300,000 m 3 per year for CU1 packages although they are not significant for moderately exothermic C0(and CU3) packages, the number of which is low. These figures constitute orders of magnitude aroundwhich the actual values may vary greatly 103 in accordance with decisions taken on repositorymanagement.On the basis of the conservative hypotheses currently used for the lining of the drifts, the flows ofconcrete amount to approximately 50% of the excavation flows. With regard to backfill, backfill ratesin the region of 200,000 m 3 of drift backfilled per year are foreseeable. However, this is not a valuedefined for the repository, but a possible order of magnitude.Infrastructure must also be designed to allow the passage of other flows that circulate in the repositorysuch as building materials (steel for support, clay buffer) and consumables required for mobileequipment operation.101 Or number of spent fuel assemblies or cladding.102 Volume excavated. Because of the “swell factor” of the broken rock, the actual volume to be transported is approximately 50% greater.103 With a range in the region of ± 50 %DOSSIER 2005 ARGILE -ARCHITECTURE AND MANAGEMENT OF A GEOLOGICAL DISPOSAL SYSTEM258/495