Abstract Over the past 25 years, the focus of military geology at the U.S. Geological Survey has moved away from classical “terrain intelligence” traditionally used by ground forces (e.g., surface construction, trafficability), and toward the strategic assessment of very small areas of the Earth's surface—such as a single underground nuclear test site or foreign underground facility. Along with this change in focus has come a demand for great precision in the remote assessment of rock properties, as the users of geologic data assess the detailed effects of the rock environment on both weapons testing and targeting. The recent opening of the former Soviet Union has provided sources of “ground truth” for evaluating remote assessments of geology made over three decades. These sources have proved the efficacy of making reliable and detailed estimates of foreign geologic environments primarily through the use of published reports and satellite image data. Current U.S. Geological Survey efforts are in two broad fields: geologic support for monitoring treaties limiting nuclear testing and geologic assessments at the sites of underground structures. Nuclear test monitoring at low seismic magnitudes, where many seismic events may occur per day in countries in which nuclear proliferation is a concern, will require the construction of digital geologic data sets that can be used in an operational mode. Recent work in this area includes the assessment of mines and mine blasts as sources of seismicity and the feasibility of constructing large cavities for clandestine testing. Evaluation of underground facilities is also a subject of increasing interest. Without a “nuclear option,” a nation's targeting strategies must rely on a combination of “smart” penetrating weapons and a detailed knowledge of the penetrability and shock-wave propagation of the near-surface materials. Geologic data are also required for many other types of facility monitoring, both remote and on-site.

Abstract During the “great decade” of siting and construction of nuclear power plants that ended in 1975, the nuclear industry mustered the largest geologic task force in this country’s history, resulting in rapid advances in geologic technologies. Many of the advances are discussed in this volume, a major contribution to engineering geology. Subjects treated are the regulatory, siting, and licensing processes; seismicity of the central and western U.S., with a consumer’s guide to instrumental methods for determination of hypocenters; and techniques, such as remote-sensing, microfacies analysis, dating techniques in faults, trenching as an exploratory method, borehole geophysics, and ground-water studies. Includes a useful glossary.

Abstract The selection of a site and the development of geologic and seismic design parameters may be facilitated through the use of a three-phase program of investigation. This program is cost effective and expedites management decisions that benefit from current relevant geologic information. A resource review and regional reconnaissance during Phase I serve to eliminate areas of low potential, to focus on favorable areas, and to identify possible problems that may require further study. Preliminary estimates of certain design parameters during Phase I may be used to initiate contract negotiations with a plant supplier. Candidate sites and associated problems can then be examined through analysis of large-scale maps and imagery, preliminary geologic mapping, and subsurface investigation during Phase II. Phase II may lead to preparation of an Early Site Review Report (ESRR) for submission to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). A Phase III investigation leading to the preparation of a Preliminary Safety Analysis r Report (PSAR) can be performed concurrently or sequentially on any or all candidate sites recommended at the conclusion of Phase III. This approach is illustrated with examples from Spain and Iran showing how such a program assists in selection and study of possible sites.