Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-r5fsc Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-25T18:23:27.605Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Geophysical Applications for Deep Geological Repository Studies in Plutonic Rocks of Canada

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Ganpat S. Lodha ,
Mulugeta H. Serzu ,
Ed T. Kozak ,
Richard A. Everitt ,
Dzintars K. Tomsons  and
John G. Hayles
Ganpat S. Lodha
Affiliation:
Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd., Pinawa, Manitoba, R0E 1L0 Edgemont Enterprises Ltd., 158 Newcombe Crescent, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R2J 3T6
Mulugeta H. Serzu
Affiliation:
Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd., Pinawa, Manitoba, R0E 1L0
Ed T. Kozak
Affiliation:
Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd., Pinawa, Manitoba, R0E 1L0
Richard A. Everitt
Affiliation:
Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd., Pinawa, Manitoba, R0E 1L0
Dzintars K. Tomsons
Affiliation:
Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd., Pinawa, Manitoba, R0E 1L0
John G. Hayles
Affiliation:
Hayles Geoscience Surveys, P.O. Box 1526, Beausejour, Manitoba, R0E 0C0
Get access

Abstract

Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) has been conducting detailed geological, geophysical and geotechnical investigations in plutonic rocks at several research areas. The main focus of the work was on developing and testing site evaluation and site characterization methods to investigate progressively smaller volumes of plutonic rocks in greater details. In this process extremely detailed airborne, surface and borehole geophysical surveys were done to identify fractures and understand groundwater flow conditions. A brief review of geophysical methods, which demonstrate the area scale, site scale and vault scale characterization techniques has been included in this paper. The boreholes in the Whiteshell Research Area (WRA) of Lac du Bonnet Batholith and at its Underground Research Laboratory (URL) excavated to 420 m depth have provided extensive opportunities to develop and test these methods. One example of geophysical surveys associated with the Moderately Fractured Rock (MFR) experiment at 240 Level is discussed in some length.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 807: Symposium Scientific Basis for Nuclear Waste Management XXVII , 2003 , 509
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2004

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

1. Russell, S.B. and Simmons, G.R. (2003), “Engineered Barrier System for a Deep Geological Repository in Canada” Proceedings of the 10th International High-level Radioactive Waste Management Conference (IHLRWM), Las Vegas, Nevada, March 30-April 2, 2003, 563–570.Google Scholar
2. AECL (1994), “Environmental impact statement on the concept for disposal of Canada's nuclear fuel waste”. Atomic Energy of Canada Limited Report AECL-10721, COG-93–11.Google Scholar
3. Davison, C.C., Brown, A., Everitt, R.A., Gascoyne, M., Kozak, E.T., Lodha, G.S., Martin, C.D., Soonawala, N.M., Stevenson, D.R., Thorne, G.A. and Whitaker, S.H (1994), “The Disposal of Canada's Nuclear Fuel Waste: Site Screening and Site Evaluation Technology”, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited Report, AECL-10713, COG-93–3.Google Scholar
4. Lodha, G.S., Davison, C.C. and Gascoyne, M. (1998), “Characterizing Fractured Plutonic Rocks of the Canadian Shield for Deep Geological Disposal of Canada's Radioactive Wastes”, Proceedings from the 3rd Aspo International Seminar, Oskarshamn, June 10–12, 1998, SKB Report, TR-98–10, 1–14.Google Scholar
5. Soonawala, N.M., Holloway, A.L. and Tomsons, D.K. (1990), “Geophysical Methodology for the Canadian Nuclear Fuel Waste Management Program”, In: Geotechnical and Environmental Geophysics, Vol. 1, Review and Tutorial, Ward, S.H. (ed.), Society of Exploration Geophysicists, 309–331.Google Scholar
6. Dvorak, Z. (1988), “Report on Combined Helicopter Magnetic, Electromagnetic, and VLF-EM Survey for the Whiteshell Research Area, Pinawa, Manitoba”, Aerodat Limited Contract Report, Mississauga, Ontario.Google Scholar
7. Tomsons, D.K., Lodha, G.S., Street, P.J. and Auger, J.L.F. (1995), “A Bouguer Gravity Anomaly Map and Geophysical Interpretation of the Geometry of the Lac du Bonnet Batholith, Whiteshell Research Area, Southern Manitoba”, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited Technical Report, TR-633.Google Scholar
8. Moon, W.M., Kim, J.S., Lodha, G., Serzu, M. and Soonawala, N. (1993), “Application of High Resolution Seismic Reflection Techniques for Fracture Mapping in Crystalline Rocks”, Engineering Geology, 34, 261–280.Google Scholar
9. Wu-Xianghong, Ferguson, I., Lodha, G. and Tomsons, D. (1999), “Determination of Shallow Resistivity Structure in the Lac du Bonnet Batholith, Whiteshell Research Area, Manitoba, Using the Time Domain Electromagnetic Method”, Ontario Power Generation Report, 06819-REP-01200–10007-R00.Google Scholar
10. Stevens, K.M., Lodha, G.S., Holloway, A.L. and Soonawala, N.M. (1993), “The Application of Ground Penetrating Radar for Mapping Fractures in Plutonic Rocks Within the Whiteshell Research Area, Pinawa, Manitoba, Canada”, Journal of Applied Geophysics, 33, 125–141.Google Scholar
11. Serzu, M.H., Kozak, E.T., Lodha, G.S., Everitt, R. and Woodcock, D. (2002), “Use of Borehole Radar Technique to characterize a region of moderately fractured granite rock”. Paper presented at joint KEGS-MGLS Conference in Toronto during August 21–23, 2002. Paper accepted for publication in the Journal of Applied Geophysics.Google Scholar
12. Everitt, R., Brown, A., Ejeckam, R., Sikorsky, R. and Woodcock, D. (1998), “Litho-structural Layering Within the Archean Lac du Bonnet Batholith, at AECL's Underground Research Laboratory, South-eastern Manitoba”, Journal of Structural Geology, Vol. 20, 9/10, 1221–1304.Google Scholar