A Good Practice Guide for the use of Modelling Codes in Non Destructive Assay of Nuclear Materials

The IAEA has requested that the accepted principles of best practice for the use of radiometric modelling codes, in the Non Destructive Assay (NDA) field of the nuclear industry, should be documented. These include various code types, from discrete ordinate and Monte Carlo transport codes, to reactor physics “burnup codes”. In the nuclear industry, these codes are used for a variety of application domains including nuclear material safeguards, to waste assay and environmental remediation.

The intention of this guide, by documenting best practice, is to both provide confidence for technical, management and regulatory staff, in the validity of the results of modelling codes, and provide a convenient knowledge base for technical staff in this highly specialist field.

A specialist group of experts was convened under the auspices of the ESARDA NDA working group, seeking specialist input from recognized experts in the industry as appropriate.