A Human-Centric Virtual World for Nuclear Power Plants: A Methodological Framework for Integrating BIM and Seismic Analysis Data

Interpreting nonlinear seismic structural analysis results in nuclear power plants remains challenging when conventional post-processing tools are used, as these require analysts to reconstruct structural meaning from fragmented 2D or non-immersive 3D views. This limits spatial understanding, weakens traceability between global response and local damage mechanisms, and constrains the communication of findings in critical infrastructure contexts. In response, this paper proposes a human-centered methodological framework for integrating BIM models and nonlinear seismic simulation results into an immersive virtual reality environment for structural interpretation and risk-free inspection in nuclear power plants. The proposed workflow connects structural seismic analysis, result post-processing, the reference BIM model, and its deployment in a VR environment developed in Unreal Engine. The framework was implemented through a case study based on a generic nuclear power plant, resulting in a functional demonstrator. A qualitative evaluation based on an expert walkthrough showed the potential of the proposed workflow to enhance spatial understanding, simplify comparison between structural states, enable risk-free inspection environments, and facilitate technical communication. The main contribution of the study is to demonstrate how an integrated virtual reality environment can act as a complementary, human-centered interpretive interface that reduces cognitive fragmentation in conventional structural analysis workflows.