Near-Field Processes and Evolution toward to Assessment of Radionuclide Migration in Geological Disposal of High-Level Radioactive Waste

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue of Minerals will focus on the key processes and evolution of the near-field (NF) towards the assessment of radionuclide migration for high-level radioactive waste (HLW) disposal. The NF comprises the engineered barrier system (EBS) and the surrounding host rock in its immediate proximity that is significantly affected by repository construction and waste emplacement. Topics related to the following aspects, including laboratory experiments, in situ experiments, and modeling studies, will be considered for this Special Issue:

Early processes and the evolution of the EBS:

• The corrosion of the canister/container/overpack;
• THM processes and the evolution of the bentonite buffer (e.g., thermal processes, hydraulic/gas processes, mechanical processes, coupled processes and evolution);
• Geochemical processes and the evolution of the bentonite buffer (e.g., salt accumulation, cementation, buffer chemical evolution);
• Piping and/or erosion.

Long-term processes and the evolution of the NF:

• Interactions of different materials (e.g., iron–bentonite interactions, cement–bentonite interactions, or cement–rock interactions);
• Organic/microbe/colloid influence on radionuclide migration;
• Sorption and/or diffusion behavior in the EBS and the surrounding rock mass;
• Coupled modeling with radionuclide migration.

Dr. Hiroshi Sasamoto
Dr. Yukio Tachi
Dr. Randy Arthur
Dr. James Wilson
Guest Editors

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