Geomechanical challenges within the framework of the french 2006 planning ACT on the sustainable management of radioactive waste

The Planning Act of 28 June 2006 concerning the sustainable management of radioactive waste marks a new step in French legislation. It sets 2015 as the deadline to submit the statutory application for the commissioning of a deep geological and reversible repository for high-level and long-lived radioactive waste by 2025. In this paper, some of the major milestones envisioned for the upcoming repository design phase are outlined. Research and studies pertaining to site selection and evaluation for the license application are briefly described. Focus is put on the geomechanical program, in particular on the tests and experiments planned in the French Meuse/Haute-Marne underground research laboratory, and on the associated stakes in view of Performance Assessment. (authors)