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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Characterization, Modeling, Monitoring, and Remediation of Fractured Rock. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21742.
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Characterization, Modeling,
Monitoring, and Remediation of

FRACTURED ROCK

Committee on Subsurface Characterization, Modeling,
Monitoring, and Remediation of Fractured Rock

Committee on Geological and Geotechnical Engineering

Board on Earth Sciences and Resources

Division on Earth and Life Studies

A Consensus Study Report of

images

THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS
Washington, DC
www.nap.edu

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Characterization, Modeling, Monitoring, and Remediation of Fractured Rock. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21742.
×

THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS 500 Fifth Street, NW Washington, DC 20001

This activity was supported by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration under Grant No. NNX12AR45G, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission under Grant No. NRC-04-09-167, and the U.S. Department of Energy under Contract No. DE-PI000010/DE-DT0002974. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of any organization or agency that provided support for the project.

International Standard Book Number-13: 978-0-309-37372-2
International Standard Book Number-10: 0-309-37372-7
Digital Object Identifier: https://doi.org/10.17226/21742

Additional copies of this publication are available from the National Academies Press, 500 Fifth Street, NW, Keck 360, Washington, DC 20001; (800) 624-6242 or (202) 334-3313; http://www.nap.edu.

Cover design by Eric Edkin.

Copyright 2020 by the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.

Printed in the United States of America

Suggested citation: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Characterization, Modeling, Monitoring, and Remediation of Fractured Rock. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/21742.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Characterization, Modeling, Monitoring, and Remediation of Fractured Rock. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21742.
×

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The National Academy of Sciences was established in 1863 by an Act of Congress, signed by President Lincoln, as a private, nongovernmental institution to advise the nation on issues related to science and technology. Members are elected by their peers for outstanding contributions to research. Dr. Marcia McNutt is president.

The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964 under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences to bring the practices of engineering to advising the nation. Members are elected by their peers for extraordinary contributions to engineering. Dr. John L. Anderson is president.

The National Academy of Medicine (formerly the Institute of Medicine) was established in 1970 under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences to advise the nation on medical and health issues. Members are elected by their peers for distinguished contributions to medicine and health. Dr. Victor J. Dzau is president.

The three Academies work together as the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to provide independent, objective analysis and advice to the nation and conduct other activities to solve complex problems and inform public policy decisions. The National Academies also encourage education and research, recognize outstanding contributions to knowledge, and increase public understanding in matters of science, engineering, and medicine.

Learn more about the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine at www.nationalacademies.org.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Characterization, Modeling, Monitoring, and Remediation of Fractured Rock. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21742.
×

Image

Consensus Study Reports published by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine document the evidence-based consensus on the study’s statement of task by an authoring committee of experts. Reports typically include findings, conclusions, and recommendations based on information gathered by the committee and the committee’s deliberations. Each report has been subjected to a rigorous and independent peer-review process and it represents the position of the National Academies on the statement of task.

Proceedings published by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine chronicle the presentations and discussions at a workshop, symposium, or other event convened by the National Academies. The statements and opinions contained in proceedings are those of the participants and are not endorsed by other participants, the planning committee, or the National Academies.

For information about other products and activities of the National Academies, please visit www.nationalacademies.org/about/whatwedo.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Characterization, Modeling, Monitoring, and Remediation of Fractured Rock. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21742.
×

COMMITTEE ON SUBSURFACE CHARACTERIZATION, MODELING, MONITORING, AND REMEDIATION OF FRACTURED ROCKS1

DAVID E. DANIEL (NAE) (Chair), The University of Texas System

LISA ALVAREZ-COHEN (NAE), University of California, Berkeley

WILLIAM DERSHOWITZ, Golder Associates Inc., Redmond, Washington

HERBERT H. EINSTEIN, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge

CARL GABLE, Los Alamos National Laboratory, New Mexico

FRANKLIN M. ORR, JR., Stanford University, California (resigned December 2014)

DAVID REYNOLDS, Geosyntec Consultants, Inc., Kingston, Ontario, Canada

J. CARLOS SANTAMARINA (NAE), Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta

ALLEN M. SHAPIRO, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia

KAMINI SINGHA, Colorado School of Mines, Golden

Staff

SAMMANTHA L. MAGSINO, Study Director

ERIC J. EDKIN, Senior Program Assistant

___________________

1 Staff and affiliations current as of September 2015.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Characterization, Modeling, Monitoring, and Remediation of Fractured Rock. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21742.
×

COMMITTEE ON GEOLOGICAL AND GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING1

PATRICIA CULLIGAN (Chair), Columbia University, New York, New York

JEAN-LOUIS BRIAUD, Texas A&M University, College Station

JOHN R. CRAYNON, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg

MURRAY W. HITZMAN, Colorado School of Mines, Golden

MARTIN W. MCCANN, Jack R. Benjamin and Associates, Inc., Menlo Park, California

PRISCILLA NELSON, Colorado School of Mines, Golden

JUAN M. PESTANA, University of California, Berkeley

JAMES R. RICE, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts

GLENN RIX, Geosyntec Consultants, Inc., Kennesaw, Georgia

Staff

SAMMANTHA L. MAGSINO, Senior Program Officer

COURTNEY R. DEVANE, Administrative Coordinator

___________________

1 Staff and affiliations current as of September 2015.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Characterization, Modeling, Monitoring, and Remediation of Fractured Rock. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21742.
×

BOARD ON EARTH SCIENCES AND RESOURCES1

CORALE L. BRIERLEY (Chair), Brierley Consultancy LLC, Denver, Colorado

CHRISTOPHER CAMERON, GeoLogic Consulting, LLC, Houston, Texas

SUSAN L. CUTTER, University of South Carolina, Columbia

CAROL P. HARDEN, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville

T. MARK HARRISON, University of California, Los Angeles

ANN S. MAEST, Buka Environmental, Boulder, Colorado

DAVID R. MAIDMENT, The University of Texas at Austin

M. MEGHAN MILLER, UNAVCO, Inc., Boulder, Colorado

ISABEL P. MONTAÑEZ, University of California, Davis

HENRY N. POLLACK, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

MARY M. POULTON, The University of Arizona, Tucson

JAMES M. ROBERTSON, Wisconsin Geological & Natural History Survey

PETER M. SHEARER, University of California, San Diego

SHAOWEN WANG, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

GENE WHITNEY, Congressional Research Service (retired, Washington, DC)

Staff

ELIZABETH A. EIDE, Director

ANNE M. LINN, Scholar

SAMMANTHA L. MAGSINO, Senior Program Officer

MARK D. LANGE, Program Officer

NICHOLAS D. ROGERS, Financial and Research Associate

COURTNEY R. GIBBS, Program Associate

ERIC J. EDKIN, Senior Program Assistant

___________________

1 Staff and affiliations current as of September 2015.

Page viii Cite
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Characterization, Modeling, Monitoring, and Remediation of Fractured Rock. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21742.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Characterization, Modeling, Monitoring, and Remediation of Fractured Rock. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21742.
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Reviewers

This Consensus Study Report was reviewed in draft form by individuals chosen for their diverse perspectives and technical expertise. The purpose of this independent review is to provide candid and critical comments that will assist the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in making each published report as sound as possible and to ensure that it meets the institutional standards for quality, objectivity, evidence, and responsiveness to the study charge. The review comments and draft manuscript remain confidential to protect the integrity of the deliberative process.

We thank the following individuals for their review of this report:

Although the reviewers listed above provided many constructive comments and suggestions, they were not asked to endorse the conclusions or recommendations of this report nor did they see the final draft before its release. The review of this report was overseen by George Hornberger, Vanderbilt University. He was responsible for making certain that an independent examination of this report was carried out in accordance with the standards of the National Academies and that all review comments were carefully considered. Responsibility for the final content rests entirely with the authoring committee and the National Academies.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Characterization, Modeling, Monitoring, and Remediation of Fractured Rock. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21742.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Characterization, Modeling, Monitoring, and Remediation of Fractured Rock. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21742.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Characterization, Modeling, Monitoring, and Remediation of Fractured Rock. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21742.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Characterization, Modeling, Monitoring, and Remediation of Fractured Rock. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21742.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Characterization, Modeling, Monitoring, and Remediation of Fractured Rock. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21742.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Characterization, Modeling, Monitoring, and Remediation of Fractured Rock. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21742.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Characterization, Modeling, Monitoring, and Remediation of Fractured Rock. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21742.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Characterization, Modeling, Monitoring, and Remediation of Fractured Rock. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21742.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Characterization, Modeling, Monitoring, and Remediation of Fractured Rock. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21742.
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Page viii Cite
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Characterization, Modeling, Monitoring, and Remediation of Fractured Rock. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21742.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Characterization, Modeling, Monitoring, and Remediation of Fractured Rock. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21742.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Characterization, Modeling, Monitoring, and Remediation of Fractured Rock. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21742.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Characterization, Modeling, Monitoring, and Remediation of Fractured Rock. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21742.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Characterization, Modeling, Monitoring, and Remediation of Fractured Rock. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21742.
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Fractured rock is the host or foundation for innumerable engineered structures related to energy, water, waste, and transportation. Characterizing, modeling, and monitoring fractured rock sites is critical to the functioning of those infrastructure, as well as to optimizing resource recovery and contaminant management. Characterization, Modeling, Monitoring, and Remediation of Fractured Rock examines the state of practice and state of art in the characterization of fractured rock and the chemical and biological processes related to subsurface contaminant fate and transport. This report examines new developments, knowledge, and approaches to engineering at fractured rock sites since the publication of the 1996 National Research Council report Rock Fractures and Fluid Flow: Contemporary Understanding and Fluid Flow. Fundamental understanding of the physical nature of fractured rock has changed little since 1996, but many new characterization tools have been developed, and there is now greater appreciation for the importance of chemical and biological processes that can occur in the fractured rock environment.

The findings of Characterization, Modeling, Monitoring, and Remediation of Fractured Rock can be applied to all types of engineered infrastructure, but especially to engineered repositories for buried or stored waste and to fractured rock sites that have been contaminated as a result of past disposal or other practices. The recommendations of this report are intended to help the practitioner, researcher, and decision maker take a more interdisciplinary approach to engineering in the fractured rock environment. This report describes how existing tools—some only recently developed—can be used to increase the accuracy and reliability of engineering design and management given the interacting forces of nature. With an interdisciplinary approach, it is possible to conceptualize and model the fractured rock environment with acceptable levels of uncertainty and reliability, and to design systems that maximize remediation and long-term performance. Better scientific understanding could inform regulations, policies, and implementation guidelines related to infrastructure development and operations. The recommendations for research and applications to enhance practice of this book make it a valuable resource for students and practitioners in this field.

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