The Cascades Proposal for the Deep Underground Science and Engineering Laboratory

TL;DR

This paper discusses the proposal to establish a Deep Underground Science and Engineering Laboratory in the Cascade mountain range, leveraging existing tunnels in the Mt. Stuart batholith for efficient and safe underground research.

Contribution

It introduces a novel site proposal utilizing existing tunnels in the Cascade range, highlighting its advantages for underground scientific research.

Findings

Utilizes existing tunnels to reduce construction costs.

Offers a safe, low-risk environment for underground experiments.

Provides features like clean, horizontal access and container-module transport.

Abstract

One of the options for creating a Deep Underground Science and Engineering Laboratory (DUSEL) is a site in the Mt. Stuart batholith, a granodiorite and tonalite rock mass in the Cascade mountain range in Washington State. The batholith's 100-year history in hard-rock tunneling includes the construction of the longest and deepest tunnels in the U.S., the parallel Cascade and Pioneer tunnels. The laboratory plan would utilize these two tunnels to produce a laboratory that has many desirable features, including dedicated, clean, horizontal access, container-module transport, and low operations costs. Various aspects of the site help to reduce geotechnical, environmental, and safety risks.