*** FULLY BOOKED *** 2025, Grimsel, Guttannen, CH
This 2-day course provides a general understanding of the role of underground research laboratories (URL) in Radioactive Waste management programmes. Participants will engage with the management and design of URL experiments ranging from relatively small experiments with one or two boreholes up to large scale experiments testing and demonstrating the performance of engineered barrier system (EBS) component(s). Each experiment is unique; there is no ‘manual’ that can be referred to.
As the GTS is one of the few URLs where radioactive tracers can be used for in situ migration tests both in the rock matrix and in water-bearing channels in fractures and faults or other structural features, the course will also highlight the specificities and role of these experiments.
To this end, new techniques and/or procedures typically have to be designed and developed to achieve the experimental goals and RD&D objectives. Lessons learned from designing and running URL experiments at the Grimsel Test Site (GTS) over the last 4 decades and other URLs will also be presented and discussed.
Programme
General lecture hours from 09:00 am to 5:00 pm
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Day 1 |
Welcome, introduction and overview of course Role of URL in RWM-programmes From repository concept to staged RD&D requirements HLW disposal concept and RD&D requirements derived from it Life cycle of URL experiments - from the requirements to planning and conceptualisation, implementation and monitoring, to dismantling |
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Day 2 |
Relevant in-situ parameters and how can these be measured, further processed and what are the limits Site visit to ongoing in-situ experiments and large-scale demonstration experiments Experiments using radionuclides (“Hot-Experiments”) – Objectives, planning and implementation Hot-Experiments - Site visit to radioprotection-controlled zone “Lessons Learned” from about 40 years underground research in Switzerland and elsewhere Summary of Course |
Date:
Monday,20 October 2025 until
Tuesday, 21 October 2025
Location:
Nagra's underground rock laboratory (Grimsel Test Site - GTS), near Guttannen, Switzerland – www.grimsel.com
Costs:
CHF 1750.- (incl. transportation Meiringen – GTS, Coffee & Lunch at GTS, lecturers, courseware, 1 course dinner)
(excl. travel, accommodation, further dinners).
We are happy to support you to organise appropriate accommodation or local transportation if desired.
A pre-booking at Hotel Rebstock in Meiringen (Hotel Rebstock - Meiringen) has been made. Price per person/night CHF 115.- incl. breakfast, single room.
Requirements:
Participants shall bring their own laptop.
Clothing should be adequate for an Autumn mountainous regional environment. Temperature in the GTS research galleries is about 14°C.
Registration:
The expected number of participants is between 8 and 10. Please note that in the case of not reaching the minimum number of participants the course will not take place.