International repository research
Country / Region: independent
Begin of project: April 8, 2014
End of project: December 31, 2026
Status of project: January 8, 2024
International nuclear repository research
Source: BGR
The application-oriented repository research work at BGR is focused on solving geoscientific and geotechnical problems. In addition to the national exchange of scientific know-how, it is also indispensable to be involved in international cooperation. BGR therefore participates in numerous international research projects, cooperation activities and committee work.
BGR makes use of the international cooperation activities and the technical-scientific exchange of experience with international experts, to extend its understanding of geoscientific and geotechnical processes as well as evaluation criteria and methods for investigations of potential host rocks for radioactive waste repositories in Germany, and to strengthen its research findings.
Comprehensive and internationally recognized expertise on host rock salt has BGR already acquired. It is also important to keep this know-how up to date with the latest scientific and technical state in the future. Therefore, through cooperation with national and international partners, BGR expands its understanding of new subjects, such as bedded salt deposits and their barrier properties as well as engineering geological characterization, and the compaction behaviour of crushed salt as a backfill material in salt.
In addition to the research works on the repositories in rock salt, BGR is strengthening its investigations of the host rocks claystones, crystalline rocks and geotechnical barriers (e.g. bentonite). BGR is intensively involved in international underground research laboratories (URLs) in Switzerland, France and Sweden, also since there are currently no URLs in Germany for the investigations for radioactive waste repositories.
BGR is involved in additional cooperation activities at an international level, including:
- Participation in the OECD/NEA “Salt Club”
- Participation in the OECD/NEA “Clay Club”
- Participation in the OECD/NEA "Crystalline Club"
- Participation in the OECD/NEA “Integration Group for the Safety Case” (IGSC)
Participation in the “International Society for Rock Mechanics“ (ISRM) Commission:
- “Commission on Radioactive Waste Disposal”
„Commission on Underground Research Laboratory (URL) Networking“
- Participation in the “Task Force on Engineered Barrier Systems” of SKB Sweden.
- Participation in the European nuclear repository platform “Implementing Geological Disposal of Radioactive Waste Technology Platform” (IGD-TP)
Involvement in the “US/German Workshop on Salt Repository Research, Design, and Operation”
- Cooperation with the Chinese Beijing Research Institute of Uranium Geology (BRIUG) for the technical-scientific exchange of expertise involving nuclear repository issues
- Cooperation with ANDRA for the technical-scientific exchange of expertise involving nuclear repository issues
- Technical-scientific exchange of know-how with Sandia National Laboratories (SNL),
- Technical-scientific exchange of expertise with the Moscow Institute for the Geology of Ore Bodies, Petrography, Mineralogy and Geochemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IGEM).The BGR's cooperation with Russia is suspended due to the Ukraine war.
- Participation in the “Expert Group on Swiss Deep Repositories“ (ESchT) on behalf of the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB) in the Swiss selection procedure for a deep repository for radioactive waste
- Involvement in the international project “Decovalex 2023”
The next International Conference on Clays in Natural and Engineered Barriers for Radioactive Waste Confinement (Clay Conference 2024) will take place from 24th to 29th November 2024 in Hannover. It will be organized by the Federal Company for Radioactive Waste Disposal (BGE) in cooperation with the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR). The Clay Conference dates back to an initiative of the French waste management organisation Andra and is generally held every two years. The focus of the Clay Conference is on the disposal of radioactive waste in argillaceous rocks. Clay acts as a natural geological safety barrier and clay-based materials are used as engineered barriers for backfilling disposal tunnels. The Clay Conference provides a unique networking platform for experts and newcomers from various disciplines related to clays to share their knowledge and exchanging experience.
Link: www.clayconference2024.de