Optimising the safety case through transdisciplinary research?
Authors: Eckhardt Anne , Heiermann Martina , Kluge Dirk , Röhlig Klaus-Jürgen 
Published: September 2023

Abstract. The primary goal of the management of radioactive waste is safety. On the
disposal path leading to a repository for radioactive waste, safety cases
for disposal facilities have an important function as a basis for
management-related, licensing, and political decisions. In the German site
selection process, the preliminary safety analyses play a central role: they
must inform siting decisions at three important steps of the process. Many stakeholders therefore have high expectations of these safety
assessments. Past experiences suggest that their expectations are not always
met by the current safety cases, which have grown historically, therefore
follow internationally established conventions, and are extensive, complex, and
difficult to comprehend. Transdisciplinary research has the potential to provide the implementer, BGE (Federal Company for Radioactive Waste Disposal), the regulator, BASE (Federal Office for the Safety of Nuclear Waste Management), and other actors in waste management with valuable
information for the design and review of safety analyses that better meet
the expectations of different stakeholders and actors. It provides new
impulses, opens up other perspectives on questions concerning the safety
case, and introduces novel proposals for solutions. In this way, it
contributes to robust safety assessments and a resilient safety of
repositories for radioactive waste. Based on tangible results from the research project TRANSENS
(Transdisciplinary research on the management of high-level radioactive
waste in Germany), we want to discuss how the safety case can be optimised
in a transdisciplinary way. Topics that will be addressed in the workshop
are the following.
The design of a digital safety case. A digital safety case opens possibilities not
only for improving the assessments of safety-relevant
information, but also new perspectives on the cooperation of all those
involved in the development of a safety case and their exchange with the
interested public. Extensions of the features, events, and processes (FEP) catalogue. The FEP catalogue often gives
rise to discussions with experts and the interested public. How can it be
ensured that, as far as possible, all relevant information is covered and
finds appropriate input into further activities (scenario development or
modelling)? Here, digital and transdisciplinary methods offer new approaches
to solutions. The benefits of extended peer communities. Extended peer
communities can contribute to the quality, legitimacy, and acceptance of
science-based documents such as safety cases. This finding from the social
sciences can be applied well to the participatory, science-based,
transparent, self-questioning, and learning site selection process. However, what about feasibility in practice?
At the same time, we will introduce and try out transdisciplinary methods
and tools like Research Marketplace, Soft Systems Methodology or Rich
Picture. Transdisciplinary research differs from other forms of social
science research in its higher degree of openness to inputs from
participants. Toolboxes offer a wide range of instruments that can be used
to suit the research question at hand. The workshop therefore not only offers the opportunity to exchange ideas on
topics concerning the safety case, but also to get experiences with
transdisciplinary methods and tools first hand.