Gravel-Based Anti-wind Erosion Cover Design for Long-Term Stability of Near-Surface Radioactive Waste Disposal

Near surface disposal facilities in the arid regions of Northwest China face significant challenges from severe wind erosion, which threatens the long term stability of engineered cover layers. Taking a representative site in this region as a case study, this paper analyzes local meteorological and geo-logical conditions, prioritizes wind erosion resistance in cover design, and proposes a gravel based structural solution. Comparative analyses using three wind erosion models show that the gravel layer substantially reduces long term erosion depth, preserving cover integrity and performance on a millennial timescale. The design meets regulatory requirements for nuclear safety, where the barrier functions should be effective for not less than 300 years, thus providing a practical guidance for cover system design in arid, wind prone environments.