Effect of Saltstone Vault Roof Configuration on the Rate of Contaminant Transport

At the Savannah River Site, low-level radioactive decontaminated salt solution is mixed with slag, flyash, and cement to form a grout-like material called ``Saltstone``. The Saltstone is poured into concrete vaults constructed at the Saltstone Disposal Facility (SDF). The impact of SDF on groundwater has been studied in a radiological performance assessment (PA). Sophisticated groundwater models were used to predict the groundwater flow and contaminant transport problems. The modeling effort was divided into two parts: the unsaturated-zone model and the saturated zone model. One of the major performance objectives is to show that the impacted groundwater will be in compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act