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The human factor in licensing and operating the next generation of nuclear plants
As human factors specialists working at the intersection of human performance and nuclear operations, we are witnessing one of the nuclear sector’s most significant transitions in decades. The emergence of small modular reactors, microreactors, and other advanced designs is reshaping the industry’s landscape. Digital instrumentation and controls, passive safety systems, and increased automation are creating opportunities for greater safety margins and more flexible operation. These same features also fundamentally redefine what it means to “operate” a nuclear plant. Interactions among human roles, automation, and passive systems shape how people maintain awareness, exercise judgment, and intervene when necessary. These developments affect both operational realities and the regulatory foundations on which nuclear safety is built.
Mesut Ramazan Ekici, Emre Tabar, Ramazan Yilmaz, Gamze Hoşgör, Emrah Bulut
Nuclear Technology | Volume 211 | Number 11 | November 2025 | Pages 2748-2764
Research Article | doi.org/10.1080/00295450.2025.2454121
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
This study aimed to investigate the gamma radiation shielding properties of zinc-based alloys. For this purpose, Zn1Mg, Zn1Mg0.1Mn, Zn3Mg, Zn3Mg0.1Mn, Zn5Mg, Zn5Mg1Fe, and Zn30Mg were produced using powder metallurgy. The mass attenuation coefficient (MAC) for different photon energies was investigated using the FLUKA Monte Carlo code. The half-value layers were also extracted. A comparison of the simulation with the theoretical results of XCOM showed satisfactory agreement (with a percentage difference below 1%). The obtained results for the MAC ranged from 0.8103 to 0.6297 cm2/g, 0.3339 to 0.2806 cm2/g, 0.1340 to 0.1284 cm2/g, 0.07321 to 0.07420 cm2/g, 0.06051 to 0.06164 cm2/g, 0.05469 to 0.05571 cm2/g, and 0.05131 to 0.05201 cm2/g for 81 keV, 122 keV, 245 keV, 662 keV, 964 keV, 1173 keV, and 1332 keV, respectively.
The microstructures of all alloys were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction to determine the structural changes caused by doping zinc with different elements. Microstructural studies and gamma permeability measurements of the zinc-based alloys were compatible.
