Technical know-how for the investigation and modelling of topographic evolution for site characterisation

Doke, Ryosuke; Yasue, Kenichi; Niizato, Tadafumi  ; Nakayasu, Akio

Palaeo-hydrogeological information based on reconstructing topographical evolution for disposal sites is considered to be available to build a predictive repository safety assessment. However, the construction of the topographical evolution models has a complicated and tacit working process. Additionally, in the investigation and modeling of topographical evolution for site characterization, it is important to make available the technical know-how (e.g., decision-making process) accumulated over decades of research and development and to transfer the knowledge during initiation and implementation phase. The aim of this study is to externalize the technical know-how for the construction of the topographical evolution models. The working process of the model construction is illustrated as a "task-flow" including the tasks of setting of time scale, extraction of information, construction of conceptual model and construction of numerical model. In each task, explanations with the information of input and output data are described in detail. The linkages with other task-flows, such as the investigations and other modeling, were also described in the task-flow. Additionally, the decision-making processes in the investigations are expressed as IF-THEN format in flow-diagrams for each task. Accordingly, IT-based expert systems including the externalized technical know-how are constructed to support planning and implementation of the investigations and modeling for topographical evolution.