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Conceptual structure and computational organization of the 2008 performance assessment for the proposed high-level radioactive waste repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada

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  • Helton, J.C.
  • Hansen, C.W.
  • Sallaberry, C.J.

Abstract

Extensive work has been carried out by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in the development of a proposed geologic repository at Yucca Mountain (YM), Nevada, for the disposal of high-level radioactive waste. This presentation describes the overall conceptual structure and computational organization of the 2008 performance assessment (PA) for the proposed YM repository carried out by the DOE in support of a licensing application to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). The following topics are addressed: (i) regulatory background, (ii) the three basic entities underlying a PA, (iii) determination of expected, mean and median dose to the reasonably maximally exposed individual (RMEI) specified in the NRC regulations for the YM repository, (iv) the relationship between probability, sets and scenario classes, (v) scenario classes and the characterization of aleatory uncertainty, (vi) scenario classes and the determination of expected dose to the RMEI, (vii) analysis decomposition, (viii) disjoint and nondisjoint scenario classes, (ix) scenario classes and the NRC’s YM review plan, (x) characterization of epistemic uncertainty, and (xi) adequacy of Latin hypercube sample size used in the propagation of epistemic uncertainty. This article is part of a special issue of Reliability Engineering and System Safety devoted to the 2008 YM PA and is intended as an introduction to following articles in the issue that provide additional analysis details and specific analysis results.

Suggested Citation

  • Helton, J.C. & Hansen, C.W. & Sallaberry, C.J., 2014. "Conceptual structure and computational organization of the 2008 performance assessment for the proposed high-level radioactive waste repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 223-248.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:reensy:v:122:y:2014:i:c:p:223-248
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ress.2013.06.010
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    1. Perwez Shahabuddin, 1994. "Importance Sampling for the Simulation of Highly Reliable Markovian Systems," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 40(3), pages 333-352, March.
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    5. Helton, Jon C. & Hansen, Clifford W. & Sallaberry, Cédric J., 2012. "Uncertainty and sensitivity analysis in performance assessment for the proposed high-level radioactive waste repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 44-63.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Wei, Pengfei & Lu, Zhenzhou & Song, Jingwen, 2015. "Variable importance analysis: A comprehensive review," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 142(C), pages 399-432.
    3. Nicola Pedroni & Enrico Zio & Alberto Pasanisi & Mathieu Couplet, 2017. "A critical discussion and practical recommendations on some issues relevant to the non-probabilistic treatment of uncertainty in engineering risk assessment," Post-Print hal-01652230, HAL.
    4. Cadini, F. & Gioletta, A. & Zio, E., 2015. "Improved metamodel-based importance sampling for the performance assessment of radioactive waste repositories," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 188-197.
    5. Tosoni, E. & Salo, A. & Govaerts, J. & Zio, E., 2019. "Comprehensiveness of scenarios in the safety assessment of nuclear waste repositories," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 188(C), pages 561-573.
    6. Edoardo Tosoni & Ahti Salo & Enrico Zio, 2018. "Scenario Analysis for the Safety Assessment of Nuclear Waste Repositories: A Critical Review," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 38(4), pages 755-776, April.
    7. Chabridon, Vincent & Balesdent, Mathieu & Bourinet, Jean-Marc & Morio, Jérôme & Gayton, Nicolas, 2018. "Reliability-based sensitivity estimators of rare event probability in the presence of distribution parameter uncertainty," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 178(C), pages 164-178.
    8. Helton, Jon C. & Brooks, Dusty M. & Sallaberry, Cédric J., 2020. "Margins associated with loss of assured safety for systems with multiple weak links and strong links," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 195(C).
    9. Nicola Pedroni & Enrico Zio & Alberto Pasanisi & Mathieu Couplet, 2017. "A Critical Discussion and Practical Recommendations on Some Issues Relevant to the Nonprobabilistic Treatment of Uncertainty in Engineering Risk Assessment," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 37(7), pages 1315-1340, July.

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