Experimental drop testing of waste containers for the Konrad repository - 59269

Document available in abstract form only. Full text of publication follows: The Konrad repository for not heat generating radioactive wastes was licensed in 2002 primarily. Due to legal actions the final confirmation of this license took place not until 2007. Subsequently, the Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) began scheduling backfitting of the former iron ore mine into a repository. The licensed repository volume is 303, 000 m3 considering estimations of expected waste volumes to be disposed off. The mine itself would offer a much larger volume. Waste packages can be disposed off as recently as the repository is ready for operation what is expected not before the end of this decade. Nevertheless, there is high interest of qualified and certified waste conditioning and packaging for disposal today, what for from BAM and BfS tested, evaluated and certified containers are needed. In recent years numerous container prototypes made of steel, concrete and ductile cast iron have been tested by BAM, the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing in Germany. To cover the Konrad test requirements in a conservative manner container drop tests are performed mostly onto the unyielding IAEA target of BAMs large drop test facility instead of a representative foundation of the repository