# A Cognitive-Mechanistic Human Reliability Analysis Framework: A Nuclear Power Plant Case Study

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2504.18604 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2504.18604/

## Key facts

- Cited by 1 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Builds on 2 of its 38 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 25 Apr 2025.

## Builds on (most cited first, 2 of 2)

- [DiffusionTalker: Personalization and Acceleration for Speech-Driven 3D Face Diffuser](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2311.16565/) (2023)
- [CombatVLA: An Efficient Vision-Language-Action Model for Combat Tasks in 3D Action Role-Playing Games](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2503.09527/) (2025)

## Built on by (most cited first, 1 of 1)

- [InSight-R: A Framework for Risk-informed Human Failure Event Identification and Interface-Induced Risk Assessment Driven by AutoGraph](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2507.00066/) (2025)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Traditional human reliability analysis (HRA) methods, such as IDHEAS-ECA, rely on expert judgment and empirical rules that often overlook the cognitive underpinnings of human error. Moreover, conducting human-in-the-loop experiments for advanced nuclear power plants is increasingly impractical due to novel interfaces and limited operational data. This study proposes a cognitive-mechanistic framework (COGMIF) that enhances the IDHEAS-ECA methodology by integrating an ACT-R-based human digital twin (HDT) with TimeGAN-augmented simulation. The ACT-R model simulates operator cognition, including memory retrieval, goal-directed procedural reasoning, and perceptual-motor execution, under high-fidelity scenarios derived from a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) simulator. To overcome the resource constraints of large-scale cognitive modeling, TimeGAN is trained on ACT-R-generated time-series data to produce high-fidelity synthetic operator behavior datasets. These simulations are then used to drive IDHEAS-ECA assessments, enabling scalable, mechanism-informed estimation of human error probabilities (HEPs). Comparative analyses with SPAR-H and sensitivity assessments demonstrate the robustness and practical advantages of the proposed COGMIF. Finally, procedural features are mapped onto a Bayesian network to quantify the influence of contributing factors, revealing key drivers of operational risk. This work offers a credible and computationally efficient pathway to integrate cognitive theory into industrial HRA practices.