[en] Most of classical concrete buildings are conceived to last a few tens of years even hundred years. In the scope of radioactive wastes storage time scales are more important. These time scale imply a better understanding of physical and chemical mechanisms that are the degradation origin. This book presents the planning and the results of the coordinated project, led by the Cea the Andra and EDF on concrete structures. The state of the art, the cracking experiments and the analysis, the simulation and the degradation-cracking coupling are discussed. (A.L.B.)

No abstract available

[en] In the continuity of the safety options, Andra is currently in the license application process of a deep geological disposal facility for HLW and ILW in a clay formation, The Callovo-Oxfordian, in the eastern part of France. This process started in 2011 by the development of an industrial design phase that consists in the proposal of an overall underground architecture for the repository and the definition of the operating principles and the name given to the project was defined: the “Centre industriel de stockage en milieu géologique” (Cigéo, Industrial Center for Geological Disposal). The files and in particular the safety case that will support the demand for license application results on a continuous increase in knowledge, project’s development and associated safety assessment for several decades. Since the French Act in 1991 on the long-term plan for the management of the intermediatelevel (ILW) and high-level (HLW) radioactive waste in France, Andra is running a comprehensive research project including a broad combination of laboratory research, surface and drilling based site investigations, research in the Bure URL and model development. The preparation of the license application is thus the result of a step-wise accumulation of knowledge and iterative process including several safety cases as well as their regulatory review. The safety case development plays a key role in supporting the development of the technical solutions to manage HLW and ILW. It is based on successive “knowledge/design /safety” iterations. Each iteration involves scientific and technological knowledge acquisition, study of the layout designs consistent with this knowledge and safety assessment. Each safety case is associated with key milestones (reliability, siting, underground research, industrial design development, safety options, licensing) based on the “knowledge/design /safety” iteration providing lessons learnt. The successive iterations gradually help to guide the choice toward design solutions, R&D programs, and safety studies. Andra collects and documents knowledge R&D data and analyses residual uncertainties in the knowledge. (author)

[en] The Dossier on Disposal Feasibility Assessment in Meuse/Haute-Marne (Callovo-Oxfordian Clay layers), which was submitted by ANDRA to the French Government in June 2005, is the result of a long way from the Preliminary Geo-scientific Survey in 1994 to the Safety Case. An iterative approach was used, three iteration loops were organised between acquisition of knowledge, architecture and design, safety studies and analysis with milestones in 1996, 2001 and 2005. At each step, the acquired geo-scientific data was used to refine the disposal design and then was integrated to the safety case. During raw data acquisition and interpretation, each value and model were discussed and presented in technical reports with its uncertainties of all kind (e.g. ranges of porosity and permeability, uncertainties on head values, etc). From the raw geo-scientific data, a first integration work (putting together measurements, results of modelling, lines of arguments) provided conceptual and phenomenological models which were the basis for description of the evolution of the repository (Phenomenological analysis of repository situations, PARS). (authors)

[en] This presentation explained the use of Phenomenological Analysis of Repository Situations (PARS) in ANDRA Dossier 2005 Argile to identify and characterise phenomena in repository evolution (out to 1 million years into the future). Under ANDRA approach, the evolution of the repository is segmented in space and time into situations, which represent the phenomenological state (in terms of relevant processes) of part of the repository or of its environment during a given period of time. The ability to segment the disposal system in this way is facilitated by a modular design, by the layered structure of the geological medium, by identifying certain triggers events for key events or processes, and by defining various timescales which characterise important phenomena. A number of situations can then be compiled into a scenario which can be imagined to be like a movie that represents an evolutionary path of situations. (authors)

[en] In France, large-scale decommissioning program (many NPPs) planned for 2030-2040 represents a global industrial challenge by generating a potential significant volume of radioactive waste. To preserve existing radioactive waste disposal capacities, in particular volume and radiological capacities, a reflection about the overall waste management routes (characterization, sorting, processing, etc.) is ongoing between the main actors of the French radioactive waste management and decommissioning program. Within this framework, Andra, as operator of an innovative program, is supporting 29 R and D projects through a national call for proposal launched in 2015. This national call is funded by the French governmental program 'Investments for the future' which aims to encouraging innovation in priority sectors to increase the growth potential of the French economy. The objective of the call is to promote innovation on the optimization of radwaste management from dismantling. Three issues are addressed: (i) preservation of disposal volume capacities thanks to radioactive waste sorting and recycling processes; (ii) treatment and conditioning of radioactive waste that are difficult to handle in disposal, such as reactive metallic waste, tritium conditioning or organic effluents processing; (iii) optimization of in situ measurements (development of new tools, or improvement of sensitivity and precision). Most of the projects will be completed by the end of 2023. The article will present an overview of these projects and their achievements, with a specific focus on their effective valorization. The article will also focus on some examples of innovative projects to illustrate, through their attainments, how this program could improve, or make easier, current radwaste management. (authors)

[en] Andra is currently in the license application process for a deep geological disposal facility for high level waste (HLW) and intermediate level waste (ILW) in a clay formation, the Callovo-Oxfordian, in the eastern part of France. This process started in 2011 by the development of an industrial design phase that consists of a proposed overall underground architecture for the repository and the definition of the operating principles, and the name given to the project was defined: the “Centre industriel de stockage en milieu géologique” (Cigéo, Industrial Center for Geological Disposal). The files and in particular the safety case that will support the license application result from a continuous increase in knowledge, project development, and associated safety assessment for several decades. Since the French Act in 1991 on the long term plan for the management of ILW and HLW in France, Andra is running a comprehensive research project including a broad combination of laboratory research, surface and drilling based site investigations, research in the Bure URL and model development. The preparation of the license application is thus the result of a stepwise accumulation of knowledge and iterative process including several safety cases as well as their regulatory review. The safety case development plays a key role in supporting the development of the technical solutions to manage HLW and ILW. It is based on successive “knowledge/design /safety” iterations. Each iteration involves scientific and technological knowledge acquisition, study of the layout designs consistent with this knowledge and safety assessment. Each safety case is associated with key milestones (reliability, siting, underground research, industrial design development, safety options, licensing) based on the “knowledge/design /safety” iteration providing lessons learnt. The successive iterations gradually help to guide the choice toward design solutions, R&D programmes, and safety studies. Andra collects and documents knowledge R&D data and analyses residual uncertainties in the knowledge. (author)

[en] The December 30, 1991 French Waste Act entrusted ANDRA, the French national agency for radioactive waste management, with the task of assessing the feasibility of deep geological disposal of high- and medium-level long-lived waste (HLW and ILW, respectively C-waste and B-waste types in French) plus spent fuel (CU in French). In that context, the 'Dossier 2005 Argile' submitted by ANDRA presents the feasibility assessment - with regard to the technical capacity to accommodate all wastes, to reversibility, and to safety - of a radioactive waste disposal in a clay formation studied at the Meuse/Haute-Marne URL. This report was built upon an iterative approach between site characterisation, design, modelling, phenomenological analysis and safety analysis, in which two principles always guided the elaboration of the safety case: the principle of robustness - repository components must maintain their functionality given reasonable solicitations, taking into account uncertainties on the nature and level of these solicitations; and the principle of demonstrability - safety must be verified without requiring complex demonstrations, and based on multiple lines of evidence/argument (numerical simulation, qualitative arguments such as use of natural analogues, experiments and technological demonstrators). In that respect, the EBS definition, demonstration and confirmation of design is a part of the overall safety case. The 'Dossier 2005 Argile' was submitted to three independent peer reviews. The aim. of this article is to present the methodology that ANDRA implemented in the context of 'Dossier 2005 Argile' for defining, demonstrating and confirming the EBS design as well as the future programme with respect with the new Act of 28 June 2006. (author)

[en] Identifying design requirements and constraints of a repository system is an iterative process. It is seeded by an initial analysis and interpretation of varying stakeholder needs and requirements, and evolves with the improved understanding of site specific characteristics, increasingly detailed design concepts, experimental and modeling results pertaining to engineered barrier and near field evolution, and intermediate results of safety analyses. Requirements and constraints applicable to waste disposal package (noted WDP) are derived from system wide functional analysis and design specifications, from the interface between WDPs and other engineered repository components, and from the scientific understanding of WDP behaviour in its environment. This paper describes the procedure followed by ANDRA to identify design requirements and constraints, in general, considerations pertaining to French WDPs, in particular, and presents the status of current WDP design concepts. WDPs include a primary Waste Package (noted WP, as designed and manufactured by the waste producer), and possibly an over-pack. A fundamental design constraint of the French research program on geological disposal is given by the substantial variety of primary WPs. These are grouped in three broad categories, containing transuranic waste (intermediate level or B-type waste, noted ILW), vitrified waste (high level or C-type waste, noted HLW) and spent fuel (noted SF). Each category contains a variety of waste types, packaged in primary containers of different material and dimensions. Note that it has not yet been decided whether or not spent fuel will be disposed of. Various scenarios are being studied, some of which include the disposal of SF. (author)

[en] Design requirements of the man made components of the repository, including the Engineered Barrier System (EBS) are established based on a list of considerations. Where applicable, these design requirements address general and EBS specific regulatory considerations, in an effort to provide technologically feasible and economically viable solutions. They take into account the interactions between the construction and operation of the EBS and the natural environment. They respond to the specific attributes of waste types. They evolve taking into consideration lessons learnt from prior safety assessments, peer review comments and regulatory authority requirements and recommendations. (authors)