Development of Probabilistic RESRAD 6.0 and RESRAD-BUILD 3.0 Computer Codes (NUREG/CR-6697)

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Publication Information

Manuscript Completed: November 2000
Date Published: December 2000

Prepared by:
C. Yu, D. LePoire, E. Gnanapragasam, J. Amish, S. Kamboj,
B.M. Biwer, J.-J. Cheng, A. Zielen, S.Y. Chen,

Argonne National Laboratory
9700 South Cass Avenue
Argonne, IL 60439

T. Mo, NRC Project Manager

Prepared for:
Division of Risk Analysis and Applications
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Washington, DC 20555-0001

NRC Job Code Y6112

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Abstract

The RESRAD and RESRAD-BUILD codes are part of the RESRAD family of codes developed by the U.S. Department of Energy. For many years, these deterministic codes have been used as dose assessment tools for cleanup of sites contaminated with radioactive materials. The RESRAD code applies to the cleanup of soils, and the RESRAD-BUILD code applies to the cleanup of buildings and structures.

This report is the third in a series documenting the procedures used to enhance the deterministic RESRAD and RESRAD-BUILD codes for probabilistic dose analysis. A six-step procedure was used in developing default parameter distributions and the probabilistic analysis modules. These six steps include (1) listing and categorizing parameters, (2) ranking parameters, (3) developing parameter distributions, (4) testing parameter distributions for probabilistic analysis, (5) developing probabilistic modules, and (6) testing probabilistic modules and integrated codes. These six steps are discussed and summarized in this report. Steps 4 and 5 are documented in separate NUREG/CR reports (NUREG/CR-6676 [Kamboj et al., 2000] and NUREG/CR-6692 [LePoire et al., 2000]). The reports for steps 1, 2, 3, and 6 are included in this report as attachments.

The probabilistic versions of RESRAD and RESRAD-BUILD codes provide tools for studying the uncertainty in dose assessment caused by uncertain input parameters. The codes are designed to be user-friendly, but they can be misused. Therefore, it is important that potential users be trained in the proper use of the codes consistent with the guidance in NRC's Standard Review Plan (SRP) for Decommissioning (NRC, 2000) for dose modeling and analysis. Furthermore, it is important that the code users follow the guidance in the Multi-Agency Radiation Survey and Site Investigation Manual (NRC, 1997) on collecting site-specific data for developing probabilistic distributions of parameter values to be used in the RESRAD and RESRAD-BUILD codes. They need to collect enough data to develop values that are as close to real-world distributions of these values as possible to produce meaningful and technically defensible results.