**A Challenge on Development of an Advanced Knowledge Management System (KMS) for Radioactive Waste Disposal: Moving from Theory to Practice**

Hitoshi Makino, Kazumasa Hioki, Hideki Osawa, Takeshi Semba and Hiroyuki Umeki *Japan Atomic Energy Agency Japan* 

#### **1. Introduction**

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In recent years there has been much discussion on the topic of knowledge management in many areas of nuclear science, particularly associated with the nuclear renaissance and the evident shortage of skilled manpower (e.g. Yanev, 2008). More generally, however, the exponentially expanding capacity of computer systems parallels an explosion in the documentation and databases supporting nuclear projects. This is nowhere more evident than in the field of radioactive waste management, characterised, as it is, by the extremely wide range of disciplines involved and very long project timescales (e.g. Kawata et al., 2006; Umeki et al., 2008; Umeki et al., 2009).

Although this may not yet be universally accepted, there is increasing evidence that the rapid rate of growth of material supporting complex technical projects – which we will term 'knowledge' – is rapidly reaching, if not passing, the point where conventional management systems show signs of collapse. Although tried and tested over millennia, the type of Knowledge Management System (KMS) developed to handle written documents is proving inherently incapable of being simply modified to cope with the present flood of electronic material. Although Moore's Law of expansion of data transfer speeds and storage capacity means that some of the simpler tasks involving document collation and archiving can be handled, there has been little progress in addressing the more difficult problems of how the huge volumes of documentation being produced can be critically reviewed/quality assured, synthesised, integrated and communicated to all the interested stakeholders in a form that they can understand.

A common blockage to progress is that, while many of the component problems (symptoms) may be acknowledged, it is not easy for organisations to perceive the magnitude of the approaching catastrophic system collapse and hence to implement the paradigm shift needed to introduce effective solutions. Indeed, it is a classic Catch-22 situation: the breakdown of conventional approaches means that those involved lack the overview required to see that their KMS is becoming increasingly dysfunctional.

The exponential growth in the knowledge base for radioactive waste management is a cause for concern in many national programmes. In the Japanese radioactive waste disposal field,

A Challenge on Development of an Advanced Knowledge Management

subject to the Japanese waste management programme.

Review Board

**Communication Interface** User-friendly knowledge service Requirements / requests

Fig. 1. Outline KMS concept: Structure and key elements

Knowledge supply

Knowledge search

scale and platform independent.

Users • Implementers • Regulatory • Experts • Other stakeholders incl. policy makers, general public, etc.

**CoolRep** Online report

Actions • Workshops • Communities

System (KMS) for Radioactive Waste Disposal: Moving from Theory to Practice 167

waste caused by Fukushima Dai-ichi accident occurred in 2011 will become significant

Taken together, these constraints on the KMS lead to a requirement for a holistic approach that will form the core of a programme to be implemented over a period extending beyond the 21st century. Clearly, major developments in technology are to be expected over this period, although these are inherently unpredictable in detail. Emphasis is thus placed on development of a fundamental KMS concept that will evolve in line with advancing technology, supported by tools and approaches that are, to the maximum extent possible,

The overall structure and key components of the KMS are illustrated in Figure 1. It should be noted that the remit of the Knowledge Office is very wide and the KMS thus includes all aspects of tacit knowledge management (e.g. focused training and experience transfer schemes – often denoted as human resource management), focused quality management (discussed in more detail below) and anticipation of technology developments and future requirements (e.g. using a think tank approach – elsewhere often part of strategic planning or requirements management). Therefore, the combination of the challenging boundary conditions and wide remit led to the decision to establish a support team (Knowledge Office) composed of staff with wide experience of radioactive waste management, and knowledge engineering, who can tailor established methodology and tools effectively and efficiently to the various requirements needed for development of the KMS. In retrospect, this strategic decision probably contributed significantly to the successes achieved to date.

Staff

METI Coordination executive Relevant R&D organisations

R&D Sectors Factory of knowledge production

Training Capture of tacit knowledge

• Knowledge management strategy/approach

• Executive analysis/evaluation • Toolkit development • Quality management

> Anticipating requirements / knowledge

Think Tank -Space for innovative knowledge

The various different types of knowledge involved and the management functions required are summarised in Table 1. This table also notes which functions have the potential to be, at least partially, automated or facilitated using advanced knowledge engineering tools. Automation and/or computer support of knowledge management functions is a key to

JAEA Radwaste Knowledge Base

Knowledge Office

creation

Long-term programme goals

Key gaps in Knowledge Base Focused production of new knowledge

> World Knowledge Base Web

Autonomic knowledge generation

the problems of information overload were recognised during a comprehensive assessment of High-Level Waste (HLW) disposal feasibility at the turn of the century (JNC, 2000). This problem is exacerbated by a Japanese volunteering approach to siting of a deep geological repository, which requires particular flexibility in the tailoring of site characterization plans, repository concepts and associated Performance Assessments (PAs). Recognition of this situation led, in 2005, to initiation by Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) of an ambitious project to develop an advanced KMS aimed to facilitate its role as the supplier of background R&D support to both regulators and implementers of geological disposal.

The chapter introduces the background to this initiative and the basic approach selected, and then review progress to date in this work, with emphasis on tailoring of existing Knowledge Engineering tools and methods to radioactive waste management requirements, and outline future developments and challenges (Umeki et al., 2009; Osawa et al., 2009b; Semba et al., 2009; Makino et al., 2009a; Makino et al., 2011).
