FACTORS OF GROUNDWATER FLUCTUATION IN SHIN KORI NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS IN KOREA

Abstract

To establish an aging management plan considering seawater influx and changes in groundwater within nuclear power plant sites, the characteristics of groundwater flow must be understood. This study investigated the characteristics of groundwater flow within the site and analyzed groundwater level recorded by monitoring wells to evaluate groundwater flow characteristics and elements that affected these characteristics for supplying the information to conduct the appropriate aging management for ensuring the safety of the safety-related structures in Shin Kori Unit 1 and 2. The increase in groundwater level during the wet season results from high sea-level conditions and the large amount of precipitation. As a result of the analysis of groundwater distribution and change characteristics, the site could be divided into a rainfall-affected area and a tide-affected area. First, the rainfall-affected area can further be divided into areas that are affected simultaneously by excavation, backfill, and a permanent dewatering system. Secondly, areas that are not affected by excavation, or the dewatering system, or by structure arrangement and excavation. Analysis of the spectrum for wells affected by tides resulted in confirmation of the M2 component (12.421 hr) and S2 component (12.000 hr) of the semidiurnal tides, and the O1 component (25.819 hr) of the diurnal tides. In the cross-correlation results regarding tides and groundwater levels, the lag time occurred diversely within 1-3 hours by the effect of the well location from sea, the distribution of the backfill material with depth, and the concrete structure.

Keywords

• Aging Management
• Groundwater Flow
• Safety-related Structure
• Rainfall
• Tide
• Excavation
• Dewatering System