An industrial evaluation of SysML: The case of a nuclear automation modernization project

The System Modeling Language (SysML) has been defined as a general-purpose modeling language to unify the various modeling languages currently used for systems engineering applications. In this paper, industrial motivations for making a technology upgrade to SysML are explored. Nuclear power plant automation modernization projects are identified as potential early adopters of SysML. This paper reports on a SysML evaluation done in one such modernization project that is currently in the pre-study phase. As SysML could be used even to describe an entire nuclear power plant at a detailed level, this study aims to identify the scope at which SysML could be practically and beneficially applied. The paper identifies further technological developments that could increase industrial motivation to upgrade to SysML.