www.grimsel.com

Welcome to the Grimsel Test Site (GTS) Website

The Grimsel Test Site (GTS) located in the Swiss Alps was established in 1984 as a centre for underground Research and Development (R&D) supporting a wide range of research projects on the geological disposal of radioactive waste. GTS provides an environment which is analogous to that of a repository site so allowing the development and testing of equipment, methodology and models under fully realistic conditions. International partners from Europe, Asia and North America are working together at this unique facility.

Grimsel's Role in Underground Research & Development

GTS is a research facility and not a potential repository site; although investigations may utilise a wide range of radioactive tracers, no radioactive waste will be disposed of at the GTS.

Grimsel Partners from around the world

News Items from the GTS

News (11.4.2013) : The UK's Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) has become a new Partner of the CFM Project, since March 2013.

Media Release (06.12.2012): The Department of Energy of the USA (USDOE) has become a research partner in Nagra’s Grimsel Test Site, taking part from August 2012 in an international research project looking at the transport behaviour of radioactive substances in granite.

Read the full USDOE media release

Media Release (29.06.2012): GAST : A multi-year, large-scale demonstration experiment has started at Nagra’s Grimsel Test Site, with the aim of confirming important aspects of the functioning of tunnel seals in future geological repositories.

Read the full GAST media release

ISCO Meeting - June, 2013

ISCO 2013 Annual Meeting of International Steering Committee Members and GTS partners to bring participants up to date with onging experiments and to discuss the future directions of the GTS (click for larger image)

25 years of Experience

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25 Years experience
2009 marked a significant milestone in the history of the Grismel Test Site with the running of experiments which have spanned more than 25 years. Read more about the 25 years of scientific exploration in the 25 Years of History at the Gimsel Test Site section.

Grimsel 2010 - English (PDF 1,119 kb )

Grimsel 2010 - Deutsch (PDF 989 kb )

Video Documentation

Colloid Formation and Migration Video
A short video showing the tunnel packer installation.

HLW Repository Overview
A sequence of 3D Animations illustrating a proposed deep geological HLW repository.

GMT Overview
A short sequence of videos documenting the early stages of the GMT Project.

The GTS underground facilities are also available to interested 3rd parties for underground testing and research. The GTS offers cost-effective access to a fully developed, well characterised underground research facility with round the year logistical support - please contact Dr. Ingo Blechschmidt, Head of the Grimsel Test Site, for further details.