A multidisciplinary analysis of the hydrogeology of the Maricopa superconducting super collider (SSC) site, Maricopa County, Arizona

摘要

Geology and tunnelling was given by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) as the most important criteria in siting the SSC. The impact of ground water on construction and vice-versa is an important part of a sites geologic and tunnelling attributes, and its potential environmental impacts. Because of the site's undeveloped nature, only limited reconnaissance-type investigations of the regions hydrogeology had occurred prior to the siting of the SSC. To overcome this ignorance geological, geotechnical, and geophysical characteristics of the site were used to describe the hydrogeology. A hydrologically ideal site would lie above any aquifers, have little or no surface water interaction, and yet, have an adequate and reliable supply of good quality water nearby. The Maricopa site possesses all of these characteristics while apparently being absent of subsidence due to ground-water withdrawal.