The ETH Zurich curated nuclear events database: Layout, event classification, and analysis of contributing factors

Ali Ayoub, Andrej Stankovski, Kröger, Wolfgang and Didier Sornette

Reliability Engineering and System Safety, 2021, vol. 213, issue C

Abstract: We present an open database of nuclear events focused on worldwide safety significance with potentials for precursors. Explaining our events collection method and classification approach, each of the 1250 events in the database has been subjugated to coherent breakdown of features such as significance, origin, operating conditions, failure chains, contributing factors, severity of failures, and others. The events have been analyzed by experts and researchers in nuclear technology and safety, and are accessible using a custom-made user interface, making the database the largest open, comprehensive, curated, and user-friendly database in the world. We find that the majority of events (52%) have originated outside the nuclear island compared to within (48%). The most commonly affected components are related to the emergency power and emergency core cooling systems (ECCS). Design residuals are the major contributor to systems’ unreliability, with an occurrence frequency of more than 20%. Finally, the importance of vigilance by the plant staff and regulators is highlighted, as the contribution of human/organizational factors is found to be similar to that of technical factors.

Keywords: Nuclear accidents; Operational experience; Database; PSA; Safety; Risk analysis; Statistical analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:reensy:v:213:y:2021:i:c:s0951832021003069

DOI: 10.1016/j.ress.2021.107781

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