Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) Complex Warm Waste Pond Liner Replacement

October 24, 2016

Background Information and Challenge

Liner removal and typical anchor trench was not an option due to radioactive contamination within and around the perimeters of the two waste ponds. The engineered detail was to leave the existing double liner system in place and build an elevated berm on the existing ground elevation in order to not disturb the potential radioactive contamination under the ground surface. This made a difficult transition to avoid bridging between the existing slope elevation and the new sandbag berm.

During the construction process, it was determined that the east pond could  be needed to store liquid coming from the reactor above the original design elevation and, therefore, the pond needed to be watertight between the existing berm and the new sandbag berm in a worst case scenario. It was also determined that Radiation II training was required for all personal inside the posted areas

Solution and Results

The sandbag berm was built to maintain the existing slope angle to minimize the possibility o f bridging. On Pond #2, a prefabricated skirt was seamed to the existing 20+ year old CSPE liner and extended up and over the sandbag berm.

A water tight barrier was formed between the existing top of berm and the top of the new sandbag berm. Allowing the water from Pond #1 to be pumped Into Pond #2 allowing the installation of the double-lined system

About Layfield Environmental Containment

Layfield Environmental Containment is a leading North American vertically integrated company involved in the manufacturing, fabrication, installation, and maintenance of geomembranes and floating cover systems used for environmental containment.