Seismic and Dynamic Analysis and Design Considerations for High Level Nuclear Waste Repositories

This committee report was created to fulfill two primary objectives: 1) to provide guidance for assessing and defining the dynamic loads that must be considered in the design of a repository for high level nuclear waste and for developing detailed design procedures; and 2) to provide an overview of current state-of-the-art practice with respect to load definition and design principles and practices as applied to facilities having comparable public safety impact. It begins by presenting the historical background and unique characteristics of repositories. The second section then explores the physical and functional aspects of repository facilities. Sections 3 through 6 present guidelines to define applicable dynamic loads, determine fault displacement loads and analyze technical criteria for the design of subsurface and surface facilities. In addition to these guidelines, the appendixes provide state-of-the-art discussions on several specific issues such as assessing earthquake size, effects of site geology on vibratory ground motion, and seismic design loads consistent with established seismic performance goals. A review of dynamic continuum and discontinuum analyses and guidelines for instrumentation and monitoring are also presented.