Design specifications of optimized technologies and materials for excavation including construction-induced fractures, design requirements for the support in a facility in clay rock and post-closure phase, Building Information Model (BIM) in which (perturbed) clay rock properties are included. Incorporation of emerging Best Available Technologies (BAT) including environmental impact.

Design specifications of optimized technologies and materials for manufacturing engineered clay barriers for sealing and backfilling, design requirements for the operational and post-closure phase. Incorporation of emerging Best Available Technologies (BAT) including environmental impact. Methods and requirements for the installation of engineered clay barriers e.g. to prevent piping erosion in the post-closure evolution. Potential sources for the supply of qualitative good clay material including environmental impact and characterization methodologies.

Sensor technologies that could measure properties in the clay rock and swelling engineered clay in order to follow these clay properties in the constructional and operational phase of the geological disposal facility. Clay behaviour deduced from measuring properties of other engineered materials are also included. Data management and high-performance data analytics to optimally use the obtained monitoring data.

Mineralogy and other solid phases (organic matter, phosphate), solid-water interactions, pore-water chemistry, and geochemical modelling. Migration of radionuclides and chemo-toxic substances through a clay host rock and swelling engineered clay.

Post-closure evolution of the clay rock in the near-field including potential interactions with engineered materials: thermal, hydro-mechanical (water and gas transport processes), chemical (solute processes), and biological processes. The impact of the processes on the functions of the clay rock should be highlighted.

Post-closure evolution of the swelling engineered clay including potential interactions with a host rock and other engineered materials: thermal, hydro-mechanical (water and gas transport processes), chemical (solute processes), and biological processes. The impact of the processes on the functions of the engineered clay should be highlighted.

Site characterization (boreholes, seismic, geophysics, URLs) sedimentology, diagenesis, dating techniques, discontinuities in clay rocks, isotopes, and hydrogeology modelling in a performance assessment for the far-field.

The role that the safety case takes throughout the conceptual, site selection, constructional, operational, closure, and post-closure phase phases is different. Not-site specific safety cases are not for licensing but can serve an important role in a country. A general licence of the site may be provided on the review of the site specific safety case by the licensing body. Licensing of the construction and/or operation of the geological disposal facility based on the review of the safety case by the licensing body has taken place in Europe considering the progress made in geological disposal projects.