To validate the previous conceptual design of cover system, construction of the engineered barrier test facility is completed and the performance tests of the disposal cover system are conducted. The disposal test facility is composed of the multi-purpose working space, the six test cells and the disposal information space for the PR center. The dedicated detection system measures the water content, the temperature, the matric potential of each cover layer and the accumulated water volume of lateral drainage. Short-term experiments on the disposal cover layer using the artificial rainfall system are implemented. The sand drainage layer shows the satisfactory performance as intended in the design stage. The artificial rainfall does not affect the temperature of cover layers. It is investigated that high water infiltration of the artificial rainfall changes the matric potential in each cover layer. This facility is expected to increase the public information about the national radioactive waste disposal program and the effort for the safety of the planned disposal facility.

Abstract   I. Introduction   II. Conceptual Design of New Surface Disposal Facility   III. Construction Experiences of the Near Surface Disposal Test facility    1. Disposal Test Facility    2. Detection System   IV. Operational Experiences of the Near Surface Disposal Test Facility    1. Disposal Test Facility    2. Short-term Artificial Rainfall Test    3. PR Center for Near Surface Disposal   V. Conclusions   VI. Acknowledgements   VII. References

• Jin-Beak Park(한국수력원자력(주) 원자력환경기술원) | 박진백
• Se-Moon Park(한국수력원자력(주) 원자력환경기술원) | 박세문
• Chang-Lak Kim(한국수력원자력(주) 원자력환경기술원) | 김창락