Introducing human performance modeling in digital nuclear power industry

Abstract

Human performance modeling (HPM) can be used to explain and predict human behaviors under certain situations, helping designers in the design stage through evaluating the interface, procedure, staffing, etc. This study discusses the feasibility of introducing HPM methods into digital nuclear power industry through 1) the new characteristics of human- system interaction/human performance in digital main control rooms (MCRs) of nuclear power plants (NPPs), 2) the simulating abilities of available HPMs on their latest progress. Based on the review of the two issues, we conclude that: 1) digitalization of NPPs changes operators' performance through the system, task, environment and human himself. 2) HPM is classified as human reliability modeling and cognitive modeling. The lack of performance data could be an obstacle for applying human reliability modeling in digital MCRs. The unclear underlying mechanism of human-system interaction in digital MCRs constrains the introducing of cognitive modeling. © 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.