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 2009 edition contains evaluations for 501 experimental series, representing 4283 critical or sub-critical experiments and 24 criticality-alarm/shielding configurations. In addition, there are 4 fundamental physics benchmarks relevant to criticality safety applications with 200 fission rate and transmission measurements.

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 include 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 manual: DICE User's manual 1.5 MB.

Requesting the DVD

ICSBEP DVD Request Form

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 2009.

Related links

• ICSBEP home page
• Computer Program Service abstract
• NEA Working Party on Nuclear Criticality Safety

Last modified: 23 Oct 2009