{"id":20697,"date":"2026-10-12T09:46:55","date_gmt":"2026-10-12T09:46:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tunnelingworld.com\/?p=20697"},"modified":"2026-10-12T09:52:48","modified_gmt":"2026-10-12T09:52:48","slug":"hyundai-spent-nuclear-fuel-disposal-excavation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tunnelingworld.com\/?p=20697","title":{"rendered":"Hyundai E&C Demonstrates Spent Nuclear Fuel Disposal Excavation Equipment"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hyundai E&C has successfully excavated a spent nuclear fuel deposition hole in rock at an underground research tunnel, using equipment developed through its HMG Construction Technology Research Institute.<\/p>\n

The demonstration forms part of a government-funded research and development programme on spent nuclear fuel management led by the Korea Radioactive Waste Agency (KORAD). The work supports the development of the Korea Advanced Disposal System (KORADIS).<\/p>\n

The dedicated excavation equipment measures 1.75 metres in diameter and 5.7 metres in length. Its key feature is a foldable cutterhead, which allows the cutting assembly to be retracted after excavation so the equipment can be safely recovered and reused for subsequent holes.<\/p>\n

AI and Digital Technologies Support Excavation<\/strong><\/h5>\n

During the demonstration, artificial intelligence analysed excavation data in real time to assess ground conditions and help optimise excavation operations. Following excavation, LiDAR-based digital mapping was used to inspect the hole and verify construction quality.<\/p>\n

Hyundai E&C is also developing supporting technologies for geological disposal facilities, including specialised concrete and grout to improve engineered-barrier performance and control groundwater inflow. Additional research covers rock classification adapted to Korean geological conditions, digital rock assessment and long-term monitoring.<\/p>\n

According to the HMG Construction Technology Research Institute, Hyundai E&C is the first South Korean company to develop dedicated deposition-hole excavation equipment and verify its performance through full-scale excavation in rock.<\/p>\n

The technologies are intended to support the construction and long-term safety of geological disposal facilities for spent nuclear fuel.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hyundai E&C has successfully excavated a spent nuclear fuel deposition hole in rock at an underground research tunnel, using equipment developed through its HMG Construction Technology Research Institute. The demonstration forms part of a government-funded research and development programme on spent nuclear fuel management led by the Korea Radioactive Waste Agency (KORAD). The work supports the development of the Korea Advanced Disposal System (KORADIS). The dedicated excavation equipment measures 1.75 metres in diameter and 5.7 metres in length. Its key feature is a foldable cutterhead, which allows the cutting assembly to be retracted after excavation so the equipment can be […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":20698,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[41],"tags":[5702,5701],"class_list":["post-20697","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-hmg-construction-technology-research-institute","tag-hyundai-engineering-construction-hyundai-ec","post--single"],"yoast_head":"\nHyundai E&C Demonstrates Nuclear Waste Disposal Excavation<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Hyundai E&C demonstrates foldable-cutterhead excavation equipment for spent nuclear fuel disposal holes, using AI and LiDAR technologies.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/tunnelingworld.com\/?p=20697\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Hyundai E&C Demonstrates Nuclear Waste Disposal Excavation\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Hyundai E&C demonstrates foldable-cutterhead excavation equipment for spent nuclear fuel disposal holes, using AI and LiDAR technologies.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/tunnelingworld.com\/?p=20697\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Tunnelingworld\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-10-12T09:46:55+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-10-12T09:52:48+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"rosebell\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"rosebell\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"2 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/tunnelingworld.com\\\/?p=20697#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/tunnelingworld.com\\\/?p=20697\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"rosebell\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/tunnelingworld.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/4d2f4182b445645aa0b79f3f43560eba\"},\"headline\":\"Hyundai E&C Demonstrates Spent Nuclear Fuel Disposal Excavation Equipment\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-10-12T09:46:55+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-10-12T09:52:48+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/tunnelingworld.com\\\/?p=20697\"},\"wordCount\":252,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/tunnelingworld.com\\\/?p=20697#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/tunnelingworld.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/10\\\/Image-1-9.avif\",\"keywords\":[\"HMG Construction Technology Research Institute\",\"Hyundai Engineering & Construction (Hyundai E&C)\"],\"articleSection\":[\"News\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/tunnelingworld.com\\\/?p=20697\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/tunnelingworld.com\\\/?p=20697\",\"name\":\"Hyundai E&C Demonstrates Nuclear Waste Disposal Excavation\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/tunnelingworld.com\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/tunnelingworld.com\\\/?p=20697#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/tunnelingworld.com\\\/?p=20697#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/tunnelingworld.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/10\\\/Image-1-9.avif\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-10-12T09:46:55+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-10-12T09:52:48+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/tunnelingworld.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/4d2f4182b445645aa0b79f3f43560eba\"},\"description\":\"Hyundai E&C demonstrates foldable-cutterhead excavation equipment for spent nuclear fuel disposal holes, using AI and LiDAR technologies.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/tunnelingworld.com\\\/?p=20697#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/tunnelingworld.com\\\/?p=20697\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/tunnelingworld.com\\\/?p=20697#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/tunnelingworld.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/10\\\/Image-1-9.avif\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/tunnelingworld.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/10\\\/Image-1-9.avif\",\"width\":650,\"height\":433,\"caption\":\"spent nuclear fuel disposal excavation equipment\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/tunnelingworld.com\\\/?p=20697#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/tunnelingworld.com\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Hyundai E&C Demonstrates Spent Nuclear Fuel Disposal Excavation Equipment\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/tunnelingworld.com\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/tunnelingworld.com\\\/\",\"name\":\"Tunnelingworld\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/tunnelingworld.com\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/tunnelingworld.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/4d2f4182b445645aa0b79f3f43560eba\",\"name\":\"rosebell\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/40b92c3f35ab56dec639479a669ce3f5158c2ac3b5cf54852fc3df01779a0812?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/40b92c3f35ab56dec639479a669ce3f5158c2ac3b5cf54852fc3df01779a0812?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/40b92c3f35ab56dec639479a669ce3f5158c2ac3b5cf54852fc3df01779a0812?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"rosebell\"},\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/tunnelingworld.com\\\/?author=5\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Hyundai E&C Demonstrates Nuclear Waste Disposal Excavation","description":"Hyundai E&C demonstrates foldable-cutterhead excavation equipment for spent nuclear fuel disposal holes, using AI and LiDAR technologies.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/tunnelingworld.com\/?p=20697","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Hyundai E&C Demonstrates Nuclear Waste Disposal Excavation","og_description":"Hyundai E&C demonstrates foldable-cutterhead excavation equipment for spent nuclear fuel disposal holes, using AI and LiDAR technologies.","og_url":"https:\/\/tunnelingworld.com\/?p=20697","og_site_name":"Tunnelingworld","article_published_time":"2026-10-12T09:46:55+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-10-12T09:52:48+00:00","author":"rosebell","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"rosebell","Est. reading time":"2 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/tunnelingworld.com\/?p=20697#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/tunnelingworld.com\/?p=20697"},"author":{"name":"rosebell","@id":"https:\/\/tunnelingworld.com\/#\/schema\/person\/4d2f4182b445645aa0b79f3f43560eba"},"headline":"Hyundai E&C Demonstrates Spent Nuclear Fuel Disposal Excavation Equipment","datePublished":"2026-10-12T09:46:55+00:00","dateModified":"2026-10-12T09:52:48+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/tunnelingworld.com\/?p=20697"},"wordCount":252,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/tunnelingworld.com\/?p=20697#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/tunnelingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Image-1-9.avif","keywords":["HMG Construction Technology Research Institute","Hyundai Engineering & Construction (Hyundai E&C)"],"articleSection":["News"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/tunnelingworld.com\/?p=20697","url":"https:\/\/tunnelingworld.com\/?p=20697","name":"Hyundai E&C Demonstrates Nuclear Waste Disposal Excavation","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/tunnelingworld.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/tunnelingworld.com\/?p=20697#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/tunnelingworld.com\/?p=20697#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/tunnelingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Image-1-9.avif","datePublished":"2026-10-12T09:46:55+00:00","dateModified":"2026-10-12T09:52:48+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/tunnelingworld.com\/#\/schema\/person\/4d2f4182b445645aa0b79f3f43560eba"},"description":"Hyundai E&C demonstrates foldable-cutterhead excavation equipment for spent nuclear fuel disposal holes, using AI and LiDAR technologies.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/tunnelingworld.com\/?p=20697#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/tunnelingworld.com\/?p=20697"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/tunnelingworld.com\/?p=20697#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/tunnelingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Image-1-9.avif","contentUrl":"https:\/\/tunnelingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Image-1-9.avif","width":650,"height":433,"caption":"spent nuclear fuel disposal excavation equipment"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/tunnelingworld.com\/?p=20697#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/tunnelingworld.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Hyundai E&C Demonstrates Spent Nuclear Fuel Disposal Excavation Equipment"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/tunnelingworld.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/tunnelingworld.com\/","name":"Tunnelingworld","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/tunnelingworld.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/tunnelingworld.com\/#\/schema\/person\/4d2f4182b445645aa0b79f3f43560eba","name":"rosebell","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/40b92c3f35ab56dec639479a669ce3f5158c2ac3b5cf54852fc3df01779a0812?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/40b92c3f35ab56dec639479a669ce3f5158c2ac3b5cf54852fc3df01779a0812?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/40b92c3f35ab56dec639479a669ce3f5158c2ac3b5cf54852fc3df01779a0812?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"rosebell"},"url":"https:\/\/tunnelingworld.com\/?author=5"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tunnelingworld.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20697","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tunnelingworld.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tunnelingworld.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tunnelingworld.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tunnelingworld.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=20697"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/tunnelingworld.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20697\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20699,"href":"https:\/\/tunnelingworld.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20697\/revisions\/20699"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tunnelingworld.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/20698"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tunnelingworld.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=20697"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tunnelingworld.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=20697"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tunnelingworld.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=20697"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}