Technical operations and data collection details of the in situ Wipp materials interface interactions test

The WIPP Materials Interface Interaction Tests (MIIT) experiments involve the in situ testing of multiple pineapple-slice shaped samples of simulated (nonradioactive) waste glasses, potential canister and overpack metals, brine, and rock salt in the salt repository environment at WIPP. This series of experiments involves multiple emplacements of various US and foreign glass waste forms (all nonradioactive) in contact with/interacting with several container metals, rock salt, brine, etc., all maintained at approximately 90 ±50C. The focus of this paper is on the technical aspects and operations of the MIIT experimental program, including assorted repository-relevant observations and experience gathered after more than two years of in situ test operation. As such, this is primarily a descriptive hardware and test operations document; test data are presented in parallel documents