Application of a novel approach to assess the thermal evolution processes associated with the disposal of high-heat-generating waste in a geological disposal facility

The widely accepted solution for the long-term management of higher activity radioactive waste is disposal in a suitably engineered facility, located deep underground. A geological disposal facility (GDF) consists of a series of engineered and natural barriers preventing or inhibiting the release of radioactivity. These barriers include: the radioactive wasteform, the waste disposal container, the buffer material to protect the container and the natural barrier provided by the rocks in which the facility is constructed. This multi-barrier system aims to isolate the waste and contain the harmful effects of the radioactivity on humans and biota in the surface environment.