Äspö Hard Rock Laboratory

SKB’s research village on the island of Äspö comprises several facilities, the best-known being the underground Hard Rock Laboratory, operational since 1995. The facility is used for research, development and full-scale demonstration of the actual equipment and materials to be used in SKB’s repositories.

At Äspö, SKB has carried out long-term and short-term tests on a wide range of subjects related to geological disposal, from microbes and groundwater chemistry to engineering, repository production and disposal processes. The whole Äspö area could be described as a “dress rehearsal” for the development of a final repository for spent nuclear fuel.

The Äspö Hard Rock Laboratory is a unique research facility. There are only a few similar laboratories around the world. At a depth of almost 500 metres, experiments are conducted in collaboration with Swedish and international expertise.

On top of the laboratory, in the Äspö research village, there is also an accredited water chemistry laboratory for sampling and analysis, as well as a multipurpose test facility where SKB investigate buffer materials, buffer emplacement logistics, equipment, etc.

The Äspö underground facility will after 30 years of research work be closed mid-2025, so no more visits will be possible. The legacy of Äspö will however live on, as the knowledge and a framework for continued research and development is being transferred to the Forsmark International Forum.

Multipurpose Test Facility

In the Multipurpose Test Facility, SKB develop and test the bentonite clay required in the Spent Fuel Repository, both as a buffer and as a backfill material for the emplacement tunnels. Experiments and trials are carried out on bentonite in various forms. It provides, for instance, equipment for mixing bentonite materials and manufacturing pellets, as well as tools to lift the buffer rings. There is a specially adapted robot to stack the blocks of bentonite.

The Multipurpose Test facility is located at the Äspö research village. In its 450 square meter hall there are full-scale and half-scale models of the emplacement tunnels in which installation equipment can be tested under controlled conditions. There are also two holes in the floor intended to resemble the emplacement holes in the repository. This is where the emplacement process can be tested and how the bentonite reacts to differences in the flow of water can be evaluated.

Water and Chemistry Laboratory

The main purpose of the Water and Chemistry Laboratory at Äspö is to perform the sampling and analyses of water samples collected in streams, lakes and boreholes in the surrounding area and in the tunnel. In combination with groundwater flow, groundwater composition is of great importance for repository performance in both the short and long term.

The laboratory does not only serve Äspö but all of SKB’s projects. In 2011, new laboratory areas were built which made it possible for external organisations to use the laboratory while performing experiments at Äspö HRL.

For the moment, the Water and Chemistry Laboratory can perform 14 different analyses for water samples. Nine of these analyses are accredited.