International Criticality Safety Benchmark Evaluation Project (ICSBEP) Working Group

The primary purpose of the International Criticality Safety Benchmark Evaluation Project (ICSBEP) Working Group is to compile critical and subcritical benchmark experiment data into a standardised format that allows criticality safety analysts to easily use the data to validate calculation tools and cross-section libraries.

The handbook is produced in electronic format (pdf files) where the experiments are grouped into evaluations, categorised by:

• fissile media (plutonium, highly enriched uranium, intermediate and mixed enrichment uranium, low enriched uranium, uranium-233, mixed plutonium-uranium and special isotope systems);
• physical form of the fissile material (metal, compound, solution and miscellaneous systems); and
• neutron energy range where the majority of the fissions occur (fast, intermediate, thermal and mixed spectra systems).

Three different sets of evaluated experimental data have been made available since 2005: criticality; alarms; and physics measurements. The 2006 edition contains evaluations for 442 experimental series, representing 3955 critical or sub-critical experiments and 21 criticality-alarm/shielding configurations. In addition, there are 20 configurations that have been categorised as fundamental physics measurements relevant to criticality safety applications. The 2007 edition of the International Handbook of Evaluated Criticality Safety Benchmark Experiments contains criticality safety benchmark specifications that have been derived from experiments performed at various nuclear critical facilities around the world. The benchmark specifications are intended for use by criticality safety engineers to validate calculation techniques used to establish minimum subcritical margins for operations with fissile material. The new edition contains 464 evaluations with benchmark specifications for 4092 critical, near-critical or subcritical configurations. Also included in the new edition are 21 criticality alarm placement/shielding configurations, each with multiple dose points and 46 configurations that have been categorised as fundamental physics measurements relevant to criticality safety applications.

DICE: ICSBEP database

A relational database was created in order to make the handbook more efficient to use. Selected information from each configuration was entered into the database. This information provides a synthetic description of the experiments. These includee geometry, fuel composition, moderation and reflection conditions and spectrum characteristics. A user interface was developed in order to perform queries of the database, to generate summary descriptions of each experimental configuration and to provide a link to the original pdf document. To learn more about DICE, consult the user's guide (pdf file 618 kb).

Requesting the DVD

The DVD may be obtained free of charge by completing an online order form. By submitting this form requesters agree not to distribute the International Handbook of Evaluated Criticality Safety Benchmark Experiments to individuals outside their own organisation in any form, including making the handbook available on the internet or any other location and/or network accessible electronically outside the requester's organisation. A new edition was released in September 2006.

Related links

ICSBEP home page

ICSBEP DVD Request Form

NEA Working Party on Nuclear Criticality Safety

Last updated: 3 October 2007