Ground-water flow and radionuclide transport research by the repository technology program

A comprehensive program of laboratory, field, and mathematical modeling studies is being conducted by the Repository Technology Program of the U.S. Department of Energy and its contractors to investigate ground-water flow and radionuclide transport in geologic media, with strong emphasis on fractured rocks. Field studies include the development of techniques to characterize the flow and transport properties of fractured rocks, and the characterization of fractured rocks to test these techniques. Laboratory experiments are being conducted to investigate detailed mechanisms affecting flow and transport properties of fractured rocks. Mathematical models for ground-water flow and radionuclide transport in fractured rocks are being developed and tested with the data being collected and the understanding gained from the field studies and laboratory experiments. (author) 25 refs