ASPO HARD-ROCK LABORATORY - RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND DEMONSTRATION FOR DEEP DISPOSAL OF SPENT NUCLEAR-FUEL

The Aspo Hard Rock Laboratory (Aspo HRL) provides an important scienti fic and technical basis for the programme of implementation and operat ion of a future deep repository for spent nuclear fuel in Sweden. A ma jor milestone has now been reached with the completion of the pre-inve stigation and construction phases. The comprehensive research conducte d has permitted valuable development and verification of site characte rization methods applied from the ground surface, boreholes and underg round excavations. The present database of the crystalline rock at the Aspo area is one of the most comprehensive databases in the world, co ntaining data from a large number of investigation methods from the su rface clown to 1700 m below ground level. Site characterization in con junction with construction work, at Aspo has basically confirmed the p reconstruction models. The work at Aspo has shown that such pre-constr uction models can be obtained for the studied key issues through the a pplication of ''standard methodology of good quality'' for measurement s, data analyses, modelling and evaluation The site characterization a t Aspo has been a realistic ''dress-rehearsal'' that will be invaluabl e for planning and executing surface and underground site characteriza tion for the deep repository for spent fuel in Sweden. (C) 1997 Elsevi er Science Ltd.