KURT, a small-scale underground research laboratory for the research on a high-level waste disposal

To obtain information on an underground environment and to investigate the behavior of repository barriers in an underground environment, a small-scale underground research laboratory named KURT was constructed at the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute. Geological survey including a seismic refraction survey, an electronic resistivity survey, and a borehole drilling as well as in situ and laboratory tests were carried out. Using the geological survey results, the design of KURT and an analysis of its mechanical stability to confirm the validity of the design were performed. The construction of KURT was started in May 2005 and it was successfully completed in July 2006. Also, the operation of KURT was started in November 2006. The research programs in KURT are introduced here. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.