Assessment of Human Body Surface and Internal Dose Estimations in Criticality Accidents Based on Experimental and Computational Simulations

Abstract

For a study on the applicability of a personal dosimetry method to criticality accident dosimetry, an assessment of the human body surface and internal dose estimations was performed by experimental and computational simulations. The experimental simulation was carried out in a criticality accident situation created at the TRACY facility. The neutron and gamma-ray absorbed doses in muscle tissue were separately estimated by a dosimeter set of an alanine dosimeter and a thermoluminescence dosimeter made of enriched lithium tetra borate with a phantom. The computational simulation was conducted with a Monte Carlo code taking account of dose components of neutrons, prompt gamma-rays and delayed gamma-rays. Prior to the assessment of the body surface and internal dose estimations, the computational simulation was ascertained to be valid by comparison between the calculated dose distributions in the phantom and the measured ones. The assessment of the body surface and internal dose estimations based on the experimental and computational simulations confirmed that the personal dosimetry using the dosimeter set provided a first estimation of the body surface and internal doses with precision enough for emergency medical care.