HARMONICS - EU FP7 PROJECT ON THE RELIABILITY ASSESSMENT OF MODERN NUCLEAR IC SOFTWARE

摘要

The reliability and safety of computer-based systems that implement safety functions arc critical issues for the construction and modernisation of nuclear power plants. This is due to the fact that software can usually not be proven to be defect-free, and that postulated residual defects could be suspected of leading to common cause failure that could defeat redundancy and defence-in-depth. The differences in current safety justification principles and methods between different countries restrict co-operation and hinder the emergence of widely accepted best practices. Given the experience with nuclear-related and software-based systems worldwide, there is now the possibility of using empirical reliability data in a way that has not been feasible before. Advances in computer power and testing techniques means that simulated experience and statistical testing are becoming more practicable as forms of evidence. Advances have also been made in several other domains, such as software formal verification, defensive measures to tolerate postulated residual software faults, and safety justification frameworks. The overall objective of the EU FP7 project HARMONICS (Harmonised Assessment of Reliability of Modern Nuclear I&C Software) is to ensure that the nuclear industry has well founded and up-to-date methods and data for assessing software of computer-based safety systems. It will take advantage of the aforementioned advances to propose systematic and consistent, yet realistic and practical approaches for software verification, software safety justification and quantification of software failure rates. HARMONICS will focus on the independent confidence building for software of I&C systems implementing Category A functions.