The buffer is installed around the disposal canister, subjected to heating due to decay heat while simultaneously experiencing expansion influenced by groundwater inflow from the surrounding rock. The engineering barrier system for deep geological disposal require the evaluation of longterm evolution based on the verification of individual component performance and the interactions among components within the disposal environment. Thus, it is crucial to identify the thermalhydro- mechanical-chemical (THMC) processes of the buffer and assess its long- and short-term stability based on these interactions. Therefore, we conducted experimental evaluations of saturationswelling, dry heating, gas transport, and mineralogical alterations that the buffer may undergo in the heated-hydration environment. We simulated a 310 mm-thick buffer material in a cylindrical form, simulating the domestic disposal system concept of KRS+ (the improved KAERI reference disposal system for spent nuclear fuel), and subjected it to the disposal environment using heating cartridges and a hydration system. To monitor the thermal-hydro-mechanical behavior within the buffer material, load cells were installed in the hydration section, and both of thermal couples and relative humidity sensors were placed at regular intervals from the heat source. After 140 days of heating and hydration, we dismantled the experimental cell and conducted post-mortem analyses of the samples. In this post-mortem analysis, we performed functions of distance from the water contents, heat source, wet density, dry density, saturation, and X-Ray diffraction analysis (XRD). The results showed that after 140 days in the heated-hydration environment, the samples exhibited a significant decrease water contents and saturation near the heat source, along with very low wet and dry densities. XRD Quantitative Analysis did not indicate mineralogical changes. The findings from this study are expected to be useful for input parameters and THMC interaction assessments for the long-term stability evaluation of buffer in deep geological disposal.

Disposal methods of radioactive waste can be mainly divided into near-surface disposal and deep geological disposal. If the radioactive waste is exposed to groundwater for a long time in the disposal environment, no matter how the decommissioning waste generated from the nuclear power plant is disposed of, the radionuclides may be released from the disposal site. Decommissioning waste from nuclear power plant contains radionuclides that are harmful to ecosystem including humans. Radionuclides released from disposal site behave in a complex and sensitive manner affected by geochemical conditions such as soil, geological media and groundwater. Sorption is one of the important mechanisms to retard the migration of radionuclides in a subsurface environment. In this study, geochemical properties of groundwater were collected and analyzed in the disposal environment considering disposal method in order to evaluate the geochemical behavior of radionuclides. The formation of aqueous and precipitated species of cesium and cobalt in a disposal condition were calculated and estimated. The sorption properties were also evaluated and predicted by considering the changes in the geochemical conditions such as pH, redox potential and geological media for the safety assessment.

경주 방폐물 처분시설의 1단계 시설로 건설된 지하 사일로 구조는 2014년에 10만 드럼 규모로 완공되어 현재 운영중에 있다. 지하 사일로 구조는 지름 25m, 높이 50m로써 방폐물을 저장하는 실린더부분과 돔 부분으로 구성되어 있으며, 돔부분은 운영터널과 연결 되는 하부 돔 부분과 상부 돔 부분으로 구분할 수 있다. 지하 사일로 구조의 벽체는 철근콘크리트 라이너이고, 두께는 약 1m이다. 본 논문에서는 지하 사일로 구조의 건설과정 및 운영과정의 단계별 유한요소해석을 수행하였다. SMAP-3D 프로그램을 사용하여 2차원 축대칭 유한요소해석을 수행하였다. 2차원 축대칭 유한요소모델의 신뢰성을 검토하고자 3차원 유한요소해석도 수행하였다. 본 논문 에서는 지하 사일로 구조의 구조거동을 분석하고 구조적 안전성을 검토결과를 제시하였다.

In nuclear power plants and nuclear facilities, radioactive waste containing hazardous substances (Mixed waste) is continuously generated due to research such as radiochemical study and nuclide analysis. In addition, radioactive waste including heavy metals and asbestos is generated during the dismantling process of nuclear power plants. Mixed wastes have both radiation hazards and chemical hazards, and there’s a possibility of synergistic effects generation. However, in most countries except the United States, there are no regulatory standards for the chemical hazards of mixed waste. The regulations applicable to mixed waste in Korea include the Nuclear Safety Act and the Waste Management Act. The Nuclear Safety Act prohibits the acceptance of hazardous radioactive waste in disposal facilities, but there is no definition or characteristic identification procedure for “hazardous.” The Waste Management Act also does not state the regulation for radioactive waste. In the Gyeongju disposal facility in Korea, the leachate in the disposal facility is expected to be a groundwater saturated with concrete and is expected to irradiated by radioactive waste. On the other hands, most of the non-radioactive waste landfill facilities are built on the surface, and the leachate is expected to be rainwater that reacts with the soil. Due to the differences in leaching environments, there’s a potential to overestimate or underestimate the leaching properties of hazardous substances if the standard leaching test is applied. To show for this, a leaching test simulating disposal facility’s environment were applied to sample waste containing heavy metals. The leaching solution was groundwater collected from the area near the Gyeongju disposal facility, which is then saturated with concrete and adjusted to pH 12.5. In addition, gamma-ray irradiation was conducted during the leaching test to observe changes in the leaching behavior of heavy metals in the actual radioactive waste disposal environment. As a result, lead showed significantly increased leaching compared to the standard test method, and cadmium was not detected in all experimental conditions except heavy irradiation. This study suggested that regulations on the hazardous of mixed waste should be settled, which should be established in sufficient consideration of the types and characteristics of substances contained in the waste.

고준위방사성폐기물의 처분터널 및 처분공 간격을 결정하고 처분시스템의 성능을 평가하기 위해서는 열-수리-역학적인 복합 거동 변화에 대한 이해가 반드시 필요하고 이를 반영하여 해석해야만 한다. 하지만 한국형 기준 처분시스템에서의 처분 터널 및 처분공 간격을 결정하기 위해 수행된 기존의 연구들은 이러한 복합거동 특성을 반영하지 않고 열 해석 결과만을 근거로 처분시스템을 설계하였다. 따라서 본 연구에서는 열-수리-역학적인 복합거동 특성을 반영하여 한국형 기준 처분시스템의 성능을 TOUGH2-MP/FLAC3D를 이용하여 평가하였다. 고준위방사성폐기물이 처분된 이후 방사성 붕괴열에 의해 처분 시스템의 온도는 급격히 증가하다가 붕괴열의 감소로 온도는 서서히 감소하였으며, 해석 기간 1,000년 동안 벤토나이트 완충재의 최고 온도는 설계 기준인 100℃ 이하로 유지되는 것으로 나타났다. 처분용기와 벤토나이트 완충재의 계면에서의 최고 온도는 약 3.21년이 지난 시점에 용기의 중간 지점에서 약 96.2℃로 나타났으며, 암반에서의 최고 온도는 폐쇄 후 약 17년 이 지난 시점에서 약 68.2℃로 계산되었다. 처분용기 부근 벤토나이트 완충재는 처분 초기에 온도 변화에 따른 건조현상이 발생하여 포화도가 감소하지만, 시간이 지남에 따라 주변 암반으로부터의 지하수 유입에 의해 포화도가 증가하는 것으로 계 산되었다. 이후, 벤토나이트 완충재 및 뒷채움재 모두 약 266년 이후 완전히 포화되는 것으로 계산되었다. 처분시스템에서의 온도 변화에 따른 열응력 그리고 벤토나이트 완충재 및 뒷채움재의 팽윤압으로 인한 응력 변화가 처분장 주변 암반에 미치는 영향을 평가하고자 수치해석에서 계산된 응력을 스폴링 강도(spalling strength)와 Mohr-coulomb 파괴 기준식과 비교 하였다. 계산 결과 일축압축강도와 스폴링 강도에 도달하지 않는 것으로 나타나 처분시스템이 스폴링에 의한 파괴는 나타나지 않을 것으로 판단되며, Mohr-coulomb 파괴 기준 역시 충족하는 것으로 나타났다. 본 연구에서 사용된 수치해석 코드와 방법론은 다양한 조건에서의 한국형 기준 처분시스템에 대한 성능평가뿐만 아니라, 복층 처분시스템에 대한 설계와 성능평가에 활용될 수 있을 것으로 판단된다.

This study identified fashion consumers disposal behavior and analyzed the effects of consumers pursuing values in disposal, environmental awareness, and sustainable fashion consumption attitudes in regards to fashion disposal behavior. A survey questionnaire was developed and data were obtained from 460 consumers in their 20's to 50's in Korea who had experienced fashion disposal behaviors during last 12 months. As a result, there were four different fashion disposal behaviors such as economical, practical, and social disposal as well as hoarding behaviors. Consumers pursuing values in disposal affected fashion disposal behavior. Practical and economical values had positively impacted economical disposal and hoarding behaviors. While hedonic value had a negative impact on economical disposal behavior, it had a positive impact on social disposal behavior. Also, environmental-social values had positively impacted practical and social disposal behaviors. Fashion-related environmental knowledge had positively impacted economical and practical disposal behaviors and PCE affected social disposal behavior, while environmental concerns had a negative impact on economical disposal behavior. Consumers attitude toward usedfashion items, fashion recycling, and fashion innovativeness affected all of fashion disposal behaviors. Although hoarding behavior has been an under researched area, the finding implied that hoarding behavior was affected by consumer's pursuing value in disposal and sustainable consumption attitude. Also, environmental-social values and attitudes toward used-fashion items would induce practical disposal behavior such as reuse by alteration or reform. Consumers economical and hedonic values can promote donations or exchange/resale of unwanted fashion items, which can lead to sustainable consumption.