MOnitoring equipment and DAta Treatment for Safe repository operation and staged closure (MODATS)

'What'

The ambition of the MODATS WP is to consolidate the implementation strategy for monitoring systems by developing methods through which confidence can be demonstrated in the data acquired and benefits derived for repository implementation. Repository monitoring also presents challenges related to evaluation of multi-modal data, i.e. data that is measured by different sensors, resulting in a range of independent parameters, at different locations and at varying spatial and temporal sampling. The WP will undertake R&D into data acquisition, data management and presentation, and use of data in system understanding. The WP want also to push forward what is possible in terms of monitoring, it is crucial to stay abreast with the technological development to apply and adapt emerging technologies to waste repository monitoring and develop new technologies that are suitable for the specific requirements of repository monitoring.

'Why'

The MODATS WP covers three main topics of the Eurad Roadmap with two consider as high priority.
Monitoring is a broad research area with many aspects. International collaborative research on monitoring has focused activities in a few projects that have typically addressed high-level topics. This research has helped to develop the general principals applying to repository monitoring, and to establish an international community of experts in the subject The work in the MODATS WP would provide a mechanism for this international community to commence the development of the more detailed aspects of monitoring, in particular building confidence in the acquisition, treatment and management of data. By engaging in this work now, the knowledge, experience and expertise of the monitoring community can be used in developing solutions to detailed questions associated with monitoring data. This information will be of use to programmes that are close to the start of operations and less mature programmes just setting out in the repository implementation process. The expected outputs from the WP are captured in the following:
-    Learning from the monitoring of URL experiments to provide lessons for repository monitoring design and safety case implications.
-    Improving monitoring technologies: especially by measuring challenging monitoring parameters.
-    Investigate the impact of monitoring  technology on the performance of a range of disposal systems
-    Improving data treatment methods and tools (example: digital twin…) in support the elaboration of the monitoring plan.
-    Documents and guidances describing a set of case studies of how monitoring data might be validated and enhance system understanding if collected during repository operation.
-    Use of monitoring data to support dialogues with stakeholders.

Closing words from WP Leader

MODATS has provided developments that indicate how confidence in monitoring data can be achieved, and approaches that could be adopted within different programmes. 

All aspects of the data lifecycle have been addressed, including acquisition, management (processing and storage), use of the data (modelling) and communication of the data for decision making. 

The guidance provided from MODATS is generic and needs to be tailored to specific repository programmes, which respond to their specific boundary conditions.