Graphics-based Nuclear Facility Modeling and Management

Nuclear waste management facilities are characterized by their complexity, many unprecedented features, and numerous competing design requirements. This paper describes the development of comprehensive descriptive databases and three-dimensional models of nuclear waste management facilities and applies the database/model to an example facility. The important features of the facility database/model are its abilities to (1) process large volumes of site data, plant data, and nuclear material inventory data in an efficient, integrated manner; (2) produce many different representations of the data to fulfill information needs as they arise; (3) create a complete three-dimensional solid model of the plant with all related information readily accessible; and (4) support complete, consistent inventory control and plant configuration control. While the substantive heart of the system is the database, graphic visualization of the data vastly improves the clarity of the information presented. Graphic representations are a convenient framework for the presentation of plant and inventory data, allowing all types of information to be readily located and presented in a manner that is easily understood.