Waste isolation safety assessment program. Collection and generation of transport data

A project devoted to evaluation of mechanisms and rates of radioactive waste transport in igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks is described. The research effort includes/ (1) calculation of the range of concentration expected for different radionuclides in given geologic environments by computer simulation of the groundwater chemistry; (2) development of a comprehensive theory relating exchange constants (K/sub D/s) to significant variables; (3) fabrication of test equipment to measure waste radionuclide transport rates in rock samples; (4) identification of transport rate controlling mechanisms; (5) experiments to determine K/sub D/ values for important radioactive waste elements for a variety of rock types and environmental conditions