Engineering geophysical studies of the Loviisa nuclear power plant site, Finland

Field studies have been performed in the power plant area of Loviisa in southern Finland to evaluate the suitability of the local bedrock for disposal of low-level and intermediate-level reactor wastes. The aim of the borehole geophysical studies was to evaluate the geometry and properties of fracture zones in relatively homogeneous granite. Of the single-hole methods, the dipmeter method was used to determine the orientation of individual fractures. The sonic log was used to evaluate the openness (width or thickness) of fractures. Cross-hole methods such as the seismic and the mise-a-la-masse method were used to determine the geometry and continuity of fractured zones between boreholes. It was, in general, impossible to evaluate the continuity of single fractures. However, fracture sets can be identified based on the dipmeter data. The continuity of fracture zones can be evaluated with the combined results of single- and cross-hole methods