Application of Formal Knowledge Engineering Approaches to Develop a Design Catalogue for a Japanese HLW Repository
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Application of Formal Knowledge Engineering Approaches to Develop a Design Catalogue for a Japanese HLW Repository Masaaki Matsumoto1, Osamu Sato1, Hiroo Okubo1, Hitoshi Makino2, Yasuhiro Ochi2, Kazumasa Hioki2, Hiroyuki Umeki2, Sumio Masuda3, Ian G. McKinley4 1 Mitsubishi Research Institute, Inc., Tokyo, 100-8141, Japan 2 Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Tokyo, 100-8577, Japan 3 Nuclear Safety Research Association, Tokyo, 105-0004, Japan 4 McKinley Consulting, 5405 Baden / Dättwil, Switzerland ABSTRACT The volunteer siting of disposal facilities for vitrified high-level radioactive waste (HLW) and TRU waste in Japan results in a particular need for flexibility to allow repositories to be tailored to specific sites. Instead of a single reference concept, a “catalogue” of designs for individual repository components is being developed, which can then be combined to form optimum solutions for particular site boundary conditions. As highlighted in a companion paper – Makino et al: Supporting Development of Practical Designs for a Japanese HLW Repository –, which puts the repository design process in the context of the Japanese HLW programme, the complexity of this work justifies use of advanced Knowledge Engineering approaches. In this paper three components are described – development of the knowledge base, assessing tacit system understanding and production of innovative solutions to resolve conflicts between requirements. INTRODUCTION Any design process inevitably involves compromises and trade-offs. The Japanese reference design for a HLW repository was developed about 2 decades ago [1], at a time when system understanding was more limited and, importantly, the pros and cons of alternative options were not rigorously documented. Over the years this concept has been refined [2], but there is a “Catch 22” aspect to this: because research was focused on the reference design, it was much better understood than other options – which were then discounted due to lack of background data. The Japanese HLW implementer, Nuclear Waste Management Organization of Japan (NUMO), has attempted to break out of this vicious circle by developing a catalogue of options for different components of the Engineered Barrier System (EBS) and associated repository infrastructure [3]. Nevertheless, this was carried out in a rather informal manner, based on literature surveys and expert brainstorming, constrained by a desire to utilise as much experience as possible from past Japanese R&D. Here, NUMO has now responsibility for geological disposal of not only HLW but also TRU waste. The incentive for NUMO to initiate this work derives from the decision to base repository siting on an open call for volunteers, which results in a particular need for flexibility to allow repositories to be tailored to specific sites. After volunteers come forward, a staged site characterisation programme will involve increasing levels of invasive study as the number of locations under consideration is narrowed down. It is important that the very sensitive comparisons be
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