Abstract
We present an analysis and interpretation of potential cliff stability at a low-level waste disposal facility at Los Alamos National Laboratory, New Mexico, using cliff morphologic and fracture characteristics coupled with carbon-14 surface exposure dating. Our study is important as it directly bears on the licensing criteria for low-level radioactive waste sites. We find that future characteristic cliff failures will likely not breach disposal pits and shafts over the 1000-year minimum regulatory period. Further, we find, using a multivariate regression model, that slope angle and cliff face aspect are sub-equal in importance to predict regions of high risk of failure when combined with surface exposure ages and assuming that old exposure ages are most indicative of stability (instability) and therefore can aid decision making in final design implementation.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 547-558 |
| Number of pages | 12 |
| Journal | GeoHazards |
| Volume | 5 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jun 2024 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Funding
This work was performed for the U.S. DOE-Environmental Management. This work was performed by the Los Alamos National Laboratory, which is operated by Triad National Security for the National Nuclear Security Administration of the USDOE (contract No. 89233218CNA000001). The authors thank Matt Sandoval for assistance with fracture mapping. Article approved for public release under LA-UR-21-22717. We would also like to thank the staff of the Center for Accelerator Mass Spectrometry at Lawrence Livermore National Lab for their outstanding C measurements. We would also like to thank funding and support from DOE-EM-LA, N3B, and LANL ER program and LANS.
Keywords
- arid environments
- cliff retreat
- slope stability
- waste disposal