MAIN ASPECTS OF THE FRENCH UNDERGROUND RESEARCH LABORATORY CONSTRUCTION
Jean-Michel Bosgiraud · 2001
On December 1998, the French Government authorized Andra to build an underground research laboratory in a deep argilite formation, located in eastern France. The decree for the application of this decision, published on August 3 RD 1999, states that the investigations and experiments in the underground laboratory are aimed at compiling the necessary data for the design, optimization, retrievability and safety of a potential radioactive waste repository and that the permit to operate the underground laboratory is granted up to December 31 ST 2006. Following a brief reminder of the main administrative and legal milestones of the French URL Project, this paper presents: • the physical features of the URL (and the associated design criteria), • the planning of construction works, • the interface and the links with the scientific characterization activities, • the various techniques involved in building surface and underground facilities.