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Infrastruct."],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,12]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>This paper presents a scientifically grounded framework for an excavated material strategy in the early planning phase of large underground research infrastructures, using the Einstein Telescope (ET) as a case study. The storage, transport, processing, and utilisation of tunnel excavation material fundamentally affects project approvability, environmental impact, total cost, and public acceptance. These dimensions must, therefore, be systematically managed under uncertainty from the earliest possible project stage. The methodology follows a process- and criteria-based approach in which risk management serves as the overarching governance logic, linked to a continuous quality management chain. Utilisation planning is conceptualised as a portfolio and matching task, mapping material properties, quantities, and temporal availability against use-case requirements and site-specific constraints. The case study analyses site-specific utilisation pathways for the three ET candidate regions: Euregio Meuse-Rhine (EMR), Lusatia (Saxony, Germany), and Sos Enattos (Sardinia, Italy), relating them to relevant geological and legal frameworks. The central result is the development of an integrated Quality Management Strategy defining material segmentation, batch management, sampling, acceptance criteria, monitoring, and escalation paths for non-compliance. An innovative roadmap addresses future requirements for logistics, market studies, environmental assessments, and sensor-based online characterisation of material streams.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1007\/s41781-026-00172-9","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,29]],"date-time":"2026-07-29T04:12:37Z","timestamp":1785298357000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/springer_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Excavated Material Strategy for Large Underground Research Infrastructures in Early Planning Phases: A Risk and Quality Management Framework Applied to the Einstein Telescope"],"prefix":"10.1007","volume":"10","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0002-7632-280X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"D.","family":"Schneider","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"R.","family":"Galler","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"297","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,29]]},"reference":[{"key":"172_CR1","unstructured":"IFAE (2025) ET Preparatory Phase Project. https:\/\/etpp.ifae.es\/about\/. 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