Architecture and management of a geological repository - Andra

7 – The shafts and the drifts7.3.3.1 Personnel transfer shaftThe personnel transfer shaft has a usable diameter of 6.50 m. Its sizing depends mainly on theequipment’s size and ventilation needs.It is equipped with a main cage which can carry simultaneously several tens of persons. A secondarycage is used to evacuate, if necessary, the personnel from the main cage.Figure 7.3.3Section of the personnel transfer shaft7.3.3.2 Construction shaftThe construction shaft has a diameter of 11.50 m, exactly like that of the package transfer shaft.The shaft is divided into two compartments :- a compartment equipped with two skips (movable hoppers for transporting bulky materials) forraising broken rocks and lowering backfills 119 ;- a compartment equipped with a large cage, for raising and lowering vehicles and large equipment.The cage has a usable capacity of 40 tons. It is designed to evacuate the personnel from theunderground installations in case the personnel transfer shaft is unavailable.In each compartment, an emergency cage allows evacuating the personnel from the shaft.According to ther characteristics, the concretes can be lowered by pipelines or by mixing drums usingthe cage.119 Depending on the shaft design, these two operations can be simultaneously performedDOSSIER 2005 ARGILE -ARCHITECTURE AND MANAGEMENT OF A GEOLOGICAL DISPOSAL SYSTEM296/495