ABSTRACT
Containment systems are usually designed to perform at an acceptable level of service for time periods ranging from about 10 years for a slurry wall to more than 1000 years for nuclear waste repositories. The effectiveness of a containment system with respect to meeting the design objectives can be expressed generically as a function of several factors, represented as follows:
Et f [(D Pm C ) (Q) (Mo Me) (Sg Sh) (Lt)] (12.1) where
Et effectiveness of the containment system at a particular time after its construction
D dimensions of components of the containment structure Pm material properties of the structural components C configuration (arrangement) of components Q quality assurance practices during construction
Mo design and operational efficiency of the monitoring system Me maintenance effectiveness in terms of the type and frequency
of maintenance activities Sg geotechnical/geological characteristics of the site Sh Hydrologic/climatic characteristics of the site Lt Time-variable loads and phenomena that induce stresses within
and/or among the components of the structure
A change in design affects primarily D, Pm, and C; change in location changes Sg and Sh; and a change in maintenance and monitoring plans affects Me and Mo.
