Validation &Verification context for NPP design and construction

Abstract

Nuclear power, as one of the most sophisticated and technologically advanced industry sectors, sets very demanding safety requirements. Fulfilment thereof is mostly to be implemented and justified at the design and construction stages. The process of Validation and Verification (V&V) for such facilities should cover all possible disciplines and cases, therefore a systematic approach to its organization is needed, which is not fully. The article objective is to determine the reasons for such strict safety requirements and explore the methods for achieving it, including the V&V process, as well as determining the factors (V&V dimensions) forming the V&V context, which is going to be used for choosing a specific type of V&V activities (to be conducted during the design and construction phases). Then, the article shall determine the interrelations between disciplines that use the V&V results depending on the context. V&V Context is setting up the parameters defining specific V&V activities. Generally, the V&V Context includes the following dimensions: Discipline (Construction, Electrical, Instrumentation and Control), Hierarchy (Design Levels – Plant, System, Components and Structures levels), NPP Construction Project phases (Design, Construction, Installation, Commissioning). The V&V process is a complex one and it will be different for each combination of the above-mentioned V&V dimensions together forming the V&V Context.