Modelling of radionuclide waste release from final repository

Facts that are to be taken into account when assessing the impacts of radioactive waste disposal are dealt with. A good estimate of the efficiency of barriers can be obtained by mathematical modelling. A number of phenomena must be accounted for when treating the leak problem, e.g. the flow of underground waters through the repository, the physical containment, solubility of the radionuclides stored, their sorption, gas evolution and migration, nature of underground water, migration of the radionuclides and of gases through the geosphere, etc. Examples of data obtained by mathematical modelling are given. These are expressed by a single index, viz. the dose (the maximum annual individual doses from the wastes and the collective dose to the population). (Z.S.). 2 tabs., 2 figs