scholarly journals Biological Intrusion of Low-Level Waste Trench Covers

1981 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas E. Hakonson ◽  
Ernest S. Gladney
Keyword(s):  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Ground Surface ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Water Infiltration ◽  
Test Facility ◽  
Burial Site ◽  
Barrier Materials ◽  
Low Level ◽  
Stable Tracers ◽  
Physical And Chemical

ABSTRACTThe long-term integrity of low-level waste shallow land burial sites is dependent on the interaction of physical, chemical, and biological factors that modify the waste containment system. Past research on low-level waste shallow land burial methods has emphasized physical (i.e., water infiltration, soil erosion) and chemical (radionuclide leaching) processes that can cause waste site failure and subsequent radionuclide transport.The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the need to consider biological processes as being potentially important in reducing the integrity of waste burial site cover treatments. Plants and animals not only can transport radionuclides to the ground surface via root systems and soil excavated from the cover profile by animal burrowing activities, but they modify physical and chemical processes within the cover profile by changing the water infiltration rates, soil erosion rates and chemical composition of the soil.One approach to limiting biological intrusion through the waste cover is to apply a barrier within the profile to limit root and animal penetration with depth. Experiments in the Los Alamos Experimental Engineered Test Facility were initiated to develop and evaluate biological barriers that are effective in minimizing intrusion into waste trenches. The experiments that are described employ four different candidate barrier materials of geologic origin. Experimental variables that will be evaluated, in addition to barrier type, are barrier depth and soil overburden depth. The rate of biological intrusion through the various barrier materials is being evaluated through the use of activatable stable tracers.

Nature and magnitude of soil erosion in sugarcane land on the wet tropical coast of north-eastern Queensland

1995 ◽  
Vol 35 (5) ◽  
pp. 641 ◽  
Author(s):  
BG Prove ◽  
VJ Doogan ◽  
PNV Truong
Keyword(s):  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Measurement Techniques ◽  
Ground Surface ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
Dominant Factor ◽  
No Tillage ◽  
Tillage Practices ◽  
Average Annual Loss ◽  
North Eastern ◽  
Physical And Chemical

This paper reports measures of soil erosion in sloping sugarcane land under conventional cultivation and various no-tillage surface management techniques and explores the reasons for the differences measured. Soil erosion from conventionally cultivated ratoon cane lands was measured in the range 47-505 t/ha.year, with an average annual loss of 148 t/ha.year. No-tillage practices reduced this erosion to <15 t/ha.year. Groundcover did not affect soil erosion significantly. In the absence of hydrological data, it is anticipated that consolidation of the soil surface at harvest, rather than ground surface cover, is the dominant factor reducing soil erosion. The effect of groundcover on soil erosion is less than the accuracy of the measurement techniques employed (� 20 t/ha.year). Physical and chemical analyses of in situ and eroded soil indicate that sediment from the no-tillage practice may be transported further from the erosion site and carry a more mobile fraction of nutrients.

Identification of Possible High Integrity Containers for Low-Level Nuclear Waste Disposal

1981 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey D. Williams
Keyword(s):  
South Carolina ◽  
Structural Integrity ◽  
Exchange Resin ◽  
Ion Exchange Resin ◽  
Economic Factors ◽  
Burial Site ◽  
Low Level ◽  
High Integrity ◽  
Low Level Radioactive Waste ◽  
Selection Of

ABSTRACTIncreased concern by the State of South Carolina over the condition and capacity of the low-level radioactive waste burial site at Barnwell has prompted them to promulgate new regulations on waste burial containers. As of September 30, 1981, ion exchange resin and filter media waste with an activity of 1 μCi/cc or greater and with isotopes with halflives greater than five years disposed at Barnwell shall be solidified or confined in a “high integrity container”. The materials and designs of these containers are required to provide waste isolation from the environment for a period of 300 years and provide the structural integrity specified in 49 CFR 173.398(b). HITTMAN has been active in the design and development of containers suitable for this purpose with this paper detailing the analyses involved. Material selections were limited to stainless steel, fiberglass, and polyethylenes. Structural concerns focused on overpressure requirements, drop-testing requirements, and lifting capabilities. With a lifetime dose of up to 108 rads, the possibilities of radiation damage were considered. Preliminary selection of polyethylene was based on satisfactory resolution of these issues and economic factors.

scholarly journals Short-term velocity variations at three rock glaciers and their relationship with meteorological conditions

2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 103-123 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Wirz ◽  
S. Gruber ◽  
R. S. Purves ◽  
J. Beutel ◽  
I. Gärtner-Roer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pore Water Pressure ◽  
Water Pressure ◽  
Ground Surface ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Water Infiltration ◽  
High Temporal Resolution ◽  
Rock Glacier ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Rock Glaciers ◽  
Velocity Variations

Abstract. In recent years, strong variations in the speed of rock glaciers have been detected, raising questions about their stability under changing climatic conditions. In this study, we present continuous time series of surface velocities over 3 years of six GPS stations located on three rock glaciers in Switzerland. Intra-annual velocity variations are analysed in relation to local meteorological factors, such as precipitation, snow(melt), and air and ground surface temperatures. The main focus of this study lies on the abrupt velocity peaks, which have been detected at two steep and fast-moving rock glacier tongues ( ≥  5 m a−1), and relationships to external meteorological forcing are statistically tested.The continuous measurements with high temporal resolution allowed us to detect short-term velocity peaks, which occur outside cold winter conditions, at these two rock glacier tongues. Our measurements further revealed that all rock glaciers experience clear intra-annual variations in movement in which the timing and the amplitude is reasonably similar in individual years. The seasonal decrease in velocity was typically smooth, starting 1–3 months after the seasonal decrease in temperatures, and was stronger in years with colder temperatures in mid winter. Seasonal acceleration was mostly abrupt and rapid compared to the winter deceleration, always starting during the zero curtain period. We found a statistically significant relationship between the occurrence of short-term velocity peaks and water input from heavy precipitation or snowmelt, while no velocity peak could be attributed solely to high temperatures. The findings of this study further suggest that, in addition to the short-term velocity peaks, the seasonal acceleration is also influenced by water infiltration, causing thermal advection and an increase in pore water pressure. In contrast, the amount of deceleration in winter seems to be mainly controlled by winter temperatures.

scholarly journals Transition Energy, Orientation Force and Work Done in Transitional Behavior Atoms: Formulating New Principles in Thermodynamics

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mubarak Ali
Keyword(s):  
Potential Energy ◽  
Transition State ◽  
Transition Energy ◽  
Condensed Matter ◽  
Ground Surface ◽  
First Law Of Thermodynamics ◽  
Transitional Behavior ◽  
Liquid States ◽  
Physical And Chemical ◽  
Work Done

<p></p><p>A study of different parameters in thermodynamics is important for sustainable science behind physical and chemical phenomena. This study finds anomaly associated with the first law of thermodynamics. The anomaly is resolved for the equations of change in the internal energy of a system composed of atoms. A gas atom involves transitional energy gained to undertake transition state. Hence, the work is carried out by that gas atom. This can be registered symbolically in a plus form. A solid atom involves transitional energy absorbed to undertake transition state. Hence, the work is carried out on that solid atom, which can be registered in a minus form. At typical level of a ground surface, atoms give birth to condensed matter physics, so<b> </b>atoms of solid behaviors should also give birth to transition matter physics. In a system composed of gas or solid atoms, varying energy and force introduce different transition states. Orientational force of an electron either in the transition of gas atom or in the transition of solid atom is by varying potential energy under transitional energy. Thus, understandable concepts of cooling and heating are deduced from their respective gas atoms and solid atoms when they are recovered from their attained liquid states.</p><p></p>

scholarly journals Transition Energy, Orientation Force and Work Done in Transitional Behavior Atoms; Formulating New Principles in Thermodynamics

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mubarak Ali
Keyword(s):  
Potential Energy ◽  
Transition State ◽  
Transition Energy ◽  
Condensed Matter ◽  
Ground Surface ◽  
First Law Of Thermodynamics ◽  
Transitional Behavior ◽  
Liquid States ◽  
Physical And Chemical ◽  
Work Done

<p>Study of different parameters in thermodynamics is important for sustainable science behind physical and chemical phenomena. This study finds anomaly associated with the first law of thermodynamics. The anomaly is resolved for the equations of change in internal energy of a system composed of atoms. A gas atom involves transition energy gained to undertake transition state. Hence, work done is carried out by that gas atom. Symbolically, this can be registered in plus form. However, a solid atom involves transition energy absorbed to undertake transition state. Hence, work done is carried out on that solid atom, which can be registered in minus form. At typical level ground surface, atoms give birth to condensed matter physics, so<b> </b>atoms of solid behaviors should also give birth to transition matter physics. In a system composed of gas or solid atoms, varying energy and force introduce different transition states. Orientation force of an electron either in transition of gas atom or in transition of solid atom is by varying potential energy under transition energy. So, understandable concepts of cooling and heating are deduced from respective gas atoms and solid atoms when recovering from their liquid states. </p>

An Assessment of the Radiological Impact of Human Intrusion at the UK Low Level Waste Repository (LLWR)

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tim. Hicks ◽  
Tamara Baldwin ◽  
Richard Cummings ◽  
Trevor Sumerling
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Safety ◽  
Assessment Model ◽  
Disposal Site ◽  
Barrier Materials ◽  
Low Level ◽  
Geotechnical Investigations ◽  
Safety Case ◽  
Waste Repository ◽  
The Uk

The UK Low Level Waste Repository Ltd submitted an Environmental Safety Case for the disposal of low-level waste (LLW) to the Environment Agency on the 1st of May 2011. The Environmental Safety Case (ESC) presents a complete case for the environmental safety of the Low Level Waste Repository (LLWR) both during operations and in the long term (Cummings et al, in these proceedings). This includes an assessment of the long-term radiological safety of the facility, including an assessment of the potential consequences of human intrusion at the site. The human intrusion assessment is based on a cautiously realistic approach in defining intrusion cases and parameter values. A range of possible human intrusion events was considered based on present-day technologies and credible future uses of the site. This process resulted in the identification of geotechnical investigations, a housing development and a smallholding as requiring quantitative assessment. A particular feature of the site is that, because of its proximity to the coast and in view of expected global sea-level rise, it is vulnerable to coastal erosion. During such erosion, wastes and engineered barrier materials will be exposed, and could become targets for investigation or recovery. Therefore, human intrusion events have been included that are associated with such activities. A radiological assessment model has been developed to analyse the impacts of potential human intrusion at the site. A key feature of the model is the representation of the spatial layout of the disposal site, including the engineered cap design and the large-scale spatial heterogeneity of radionuclide concentrations within the repository. The model has been used to calculate the radiation dose to intruders and to others following intrusion at different times and at different locations across the site, for the each of the selected intrusion events, considering all relevant exposure modes. Potential doses due to radon and its daughters in buildings constructed on excavated spoil from the repository are a particular concern. Options for managing the emplacement of the radium-bearing waste packages with regard to human intrusion have been assessed. These calculations show that a managed waste emplacement strategy can ensure that calculated doses are consistent with regulatory guidance levels.

Soil assessment of apple orchards under conventional and organic management

Soil Research ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 44 (8) ◽  
pp. 745 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iris Vogeler ◽  
Rogerio Cichota ◽  
Siva Sivakumaran ◽  
Markus Deurer ◽  
Ian McIvor
Keyword(s):  
Management Practices ◽  
Soil Strength ◽  
Fruit Production ◽  
Water Infiltration ◽  
Organic Management ◽  
Conventional Management ◽  
Chemical Soil ◽  
Integrated Fruit Production ◽  
Physical And Chemical ◽  
Wheel Track

To determine the effect of wheel traffic and two different management practices on soil compaction and its consequences on physical and chemical soil properties, we measured penetration resistance, water infiltration, bulk density, macroporosity, chemical mobility, air permeability, and soil strength in a conventional orchard (integrated fruit-production program) with bare (sprayed with herbicides) rows and an organic apple orchard with grassed rows. Resistance measurements were taken both within the tree row and the wheel track, down to a depth of 0.35 to 0.40 m. The results indicate that compaction is greater in the wheel tracks under both management methods. Compaction in the wheel track was higher under organic than conventional management. Organic management resulted in a higher macroporosity in both the row and the wheel-track than conventional management. The ‘close-to-saturation’ infiltration rate was significantly greater within the row of the organic orchard (0.06 m/h) compared with the row of the conventional orchard (0.02 m/h), and compared with the wheel tracks (0.01 m/h). The precompression stress value in the top 100 mm, a measure of the soil strength, was low on all sites. The chemical mobilities were 57 and 50% in the organic orchard, and 86 and 93% in the conventional orchard, respectively, for wheel track and row. Apart from the compaction in the wheel track of the organic orchard, physical and chemical soil characteristics were in a better condition compared with the conventional orchard.

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