Application of 3D geological modeling in screening of sites preselected for geological disposal of high-level radioactive wastes: A case study of Tianhu preselected site, Xinjiang

Based on the theories and methods of 3D geological visualization models and the geological data of the Tianhu preselected site, a geological model of the site was established in this study using the Deep Insight TM geoscience modeling software. It describes the 3D tectonic morphology of the preselected site, carries out 3D visual analysis of the geological conditions of the study area from 2D to 3D, from overall to local, and from macroscopic to microscopic aspects,and intuitively expresses the distribution regularity of geological information in the main rockmass used for the disposal of high-level radioactive wastes. The granite rock massatthe Tianhu site occurs in equiaxed rock stocks, with simple lithology and large volume.There is only an NW-tending fault with a length of 2 km developing in the southeastern part of the rock mass. Besides, veins and alteration zones are relatively developed in the rock mass, which affects the integrity of the rock mass to a certain degree. The model can be used to query and update geological data at any time, analyze the distribution characteristics and laws of various geological information in the whole model, and improve the understanding of geological laws. All these willassist in better guiding the site selection, assessment, and construction of disposal repositories.