Features, events, and processes

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Features, Events, and Processes (FEP) are terms used in the fields of radioactive waste management, carbon capture and storage, and hydraulic fracturing to define relevant scenarios for safety assessment studies. [1] For a radioactive waste repository, features would include the characteristics of the site, such as the type of soil or geological formation the repository is to be built on or under. Events would include things that may or will occur in the future, like, e.g., glaciations, droughts, earthquakes, or formation of faults. Processes are things that are ongoing, such as the erosion or subsidence of the landform where the site is located on, or near.

Several catalogues of FEP's are publicly available, a.o., this one elaborated for the NEA Clay Club dealing with the disposal of radioactive waste in deep clay formations, [2] [3] and those compiled for deep crystalline rocks (granite) by Svensk Kärnbränslehantering AB, SKB, the Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Company. [4] [5] [6]

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References

  1. Tatomir, A., McDermott, C., Bensabat, J., Class, H., Edlmann, K., Taherdangkoo, R., & Sauter, M. (2018) https://www.adv-geosci.net/45/185/2018/. Conceptual model development using a generic Features, Events, and Processes (FEP) database for assessing the potential impact of hydraulic fracturing on groundwater aquifers, Advances in Geosciences, v.45, p185-192.
  2. Mazurek, M.; Pearson F.J.; Volckaert G.; Bock H. (2003). Features, Events and Processes evaluation catalogue for argillaceous media (PDF). Nuclear Energy Agency, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (NEA, OECD). OECD 2003 Report NEA4437.
  3. NEA, OECD (2007). "RWM Nuclear Energy Agency". Nuclear Energy Agency, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (NEA, OECD). Archived from the original on 2005-10-23. Retrieved 2005-10-18.
  4. Skagius, Kristina; Ström, Anders; Wiborgh, Marie (1995). The use of interaction matrices for identification, structuring and ranking of FEPs in a repository system. Application on the farfield of a deep geological repository for spent fuel. SKB TR 95-22. Archived from the original on 2007-10-17. Retrieved 2007-10-21.
  5. SKB R-04-32: Interim FEP report for the safety assessment SR-Can. Svensk Kärnbränslehantering AB. 2004.
  6. SKB TR-06-20: FEP report for the safety assessment SR-Can. Svensk Kärnbränslehantering AB. 2006.

Free PDF reports are accessible from here: