Virtual Site Access: Bringing Certainty to Site Operations

Context

Building nuclear decommissioning infrastructure can pose several challenges due to restrictions on site, strict timelines and rigorous stipulations for people interacting with ‘active’ nuclear environments. In this project on the Sellafield site, AtkinsRéalis were asked to establish a level 1 digital twin for a Box Encapsulation Plant Production Store/Direct Import Facility (BEPPS/DIF) – a new large-scale facility recently completed on site. A digital twin gives engineers greater certainty by enabling them to trial activities virtually first, which saves time and reduces the need for people to be on site – especially important on an active nuclear decommissioning site.

Client challenges

After completing construction on the BEPPS/DIF facility, the onsite team requested a full ‘as built’ pointcloud to show deviations from the initial design. The facility’s upcoming operational start meant that the areas had to be scanned swiftly, because they were going to be restricted soon afterwards. Another challenge the digital twin project aimed to resolve was data availability. With the preexisting storage solution only being accessible in the office, data was difficult to access remotely. By implementing a cloud hosting solution, the aim was to reduce the number of onsite visits.

Our approach

The facility was systematically divided into 86 independent zones, covering both internal and external areas. Each zone included a geospatially accurate pointcloud and a 360-degree video, paired together to improve data ingestion. The data was to be stored and accessed via CIRRUSinsite AtkinsRéalis’ official certified cloud hosting platform, which powers our remote site data management tool Virtual Site Access. This allowed it to be accessed on standard company-issue hardware.

After logging into the website, users could access the facility by selecting one of the available zones. To further ensure data security, we used principles of the ISO19650 naming convention to support the desensitisation process through functional and spatial breakdown code. A zoning strategy with interactive links was produced alongside the CIRRUSinsite page to act as a key to navigating the data effectively.

Our solution

Our solution streamlined survey availability, data processing speeds, and provided accurate geospatial data that accurately represented the facility. CIRRUSinsite was used to hold the data, with additional measures taken to desensitise sensitive information to adhere to the client's requirements. With the use of CIRRUSinsite, internal and external clients can access the survey data globally. By storing the project's data on the cloud, engineers can view, download, and model without entering the client's site. Reducing site access improved efficiency, removed travel costs and key to the client – reduced risk.

Key benefits and success factors:

• Reduction in ‘onsite’ hours, improving safety
• Fast access to cloud data, available remotely
• Savings in travel time and cost